Let’s share the good stuff from the week! Big or small, horsy non horsy, let’s just share it….😊

It’s something we all suffer from at some point in our lives. Yesterday while out walking our two dogs, my partner threw a stick. One of our dogs, the lab loves to chase and fetch them, the other a beagle not so, he prefers to sniff. Unfortunately the stick hit the beagle, Stan. His reaction was unprecedented, he screamed like he was being murdered, totally over the top. Or so we thought. Moments later his wee turned into blood. Knowing instantly something was wrong, my partner scoped him up and we dashed to the emergency vets. After scanning the vet gently explained he had a large mass - a tumour in his bladder, that had been dislodged, hence the blood. We never knew it was there. Denial, my partner refused to accept that his healthy dog, was not healthy at all. I can’t do it, he said. I just can’t. I can I replied. To me it’s part of owning an animal isn’t it. We are going on holiday in less than 24 hours, Stan was supposed to be staying with his daughter. Who, let’s just kindly say, is a bit of a drama queen and not someone you want in your corner in a crisis. For me there is the reframe. The vet had explained that within days, the tumour would block the exit and Stan would not be able to wee and would have been in pain. How long would it have been before the daughter noticed? How long before the vet trip and how awful to be away. To me, it’s better a day to early than a day to late. That is my view and model of the world. My partner blames himself for killing the dog. He said that had the dog not been hit by the stick he would still be alive. Now, here is the point of the post, it’s not to elicit sympathy, it’s to highlight something that I have been learning for some time. Let them. At First I tried to reason with him, explaining as if to a child the implication of this not happening the way it did. The unnecessary pain and suffering for the dog and his daughter and in turn for us, away and powerless. But he would not listen and kept saying, I am the worse person in the world.

I got to have a ride on these two beauties! Not sat on a horse since selling my little TB and these were a pleasure to sit on, both very different. It was also my first time on a friesian. The first one I sat on was the older steadier Meya, and from him I watched the lovely @Penny Jackson-Smith on the much bigger and more forward Winny. Before I knew it the thoughts & words from my mouth were along the lines of “I don’t think I will sit on her, I will stick to him - I am not fit enough” Yes I was making excuses. Obviously I recognised this old pattern from many years ago trying to made a come back! Not today you don’t! I fired my anchor (instant calm & confidence restored 😊) I firmly told that old inner voice to be quiet and on I got. And I loved the more forward mare even more! Such power 😊 And I didn’t even notice the rain!

Someone asked me last week what advice I would give to a brand new horse owner….gosh, that’s a big question with a shed load of answers. So what would be your best advice?

Lets find out a little about you... But before we do, I have a little request, before doing so, please make sure to read some of the introductions of other members and start engaging with one another! (To be notified of new introductions, make sure to click the 🔔!) Got a horse? Tell us a bit about your horse, share with us what you love about him/her? Share the last horsy pic you took on your phone (just attach it using the paperclip)