Oh Happy Days!

It all started with manure!  Everyone who knows me knows that I love horses and horse manure!  The smell of a horse barn with hay and manure mingled together is heaven to me!  When I die, I want my ashes dumped in a manure pile!  That manure pile will turn into 'exceptional mulch' and the cycle of life will continue….

Anyway, in our area we have a local on-line ‘Facebook style site’ called Nextdoor (then the name of our area).com.  A local resident placed an ad on the site for “free manure to anyone who wants to come and get it.”  Her three horses, one donkey and a one 'pomule' (pony/mule mix) all contributed to this glorious manure!  My first reaction to this ad was, “Wow!  Someone close by has horses!”  I emailed this person (her name is Carol) and I told her that I wish I could use some manure but we live in the woods and have no place for a garden.  But what I would love to do is come and give her a hand with her horses if she could use some help.  She was thrilled…we met up that weekend and the rest is history!

The photos are in the order I took them.  This first photo is of Ellie Belle on the left and Too Cool on the right.  This is one of their pastures on this 15 acre spread.  Ellie Belle is a Paso Fino show horse and former brood mare. She was adopted by Carol after being rescued by Horse Haven, which is located here in East Tennessee. To learn more about Horse Haven, go to http://horsehaventn.org/.  

Carol ‘rescued’ all her animals from Horse Haven except for Too Cool and Frankie.  Too Cool is a ¾ Puerto Rican Paso Fino gelding and he has an amazing gate!  Carol is an excellent rider and Too Cool is a very lucky boy to have her as his owner.  Too Cool can be driven too!  Can’t wait to see him hitched up to his cart!

This sweet baby is Willow the ‘pomule’...half pony, half mule.  She was abused by her former owner. She and Willie are the first animals to greet you when you drive up to the barn.  Isn’t she a doll!?  The horse in the background is Frankie… More about him later!

This beautiful boy is Chester.  He is an Appaloosa Walker.  Chester is 'almost' or is totally blind but gets around the barnyard very well!  One eye had to be taken out due to an injury he suffered and he gradually lost sight in his other eye.  He knows his way around very well and he is a real sweetheart!  He loves to be talked to and groomed!

This charming guy is Frankie!  He is a 12 year old Paint Horse and he’s the horse Carol wants me to ride on a regular basis.  Isn’t he gorgeous as well!? He hadn’t been ridden in 9 months but when Carol and I took Too Cool and Frankie out for a ride, Frankie did great!  He moves very well and I truly enjoyed myself...but boy oh boy was I sore for a few days!  After having not ridden a horse for some time, I discovered a number of muscles I hadn’t used in quite a while!

Here’s a close up of Frankie.  He has blue eyes and lovely markings! I was grooming him and he loved every minute of it!  I think he even went to sleep!

This is Carol with her baby Too Cool!  As I mentioned before, he’s a beautiful Paso Fino!  Carol treats all her animals like family and spoils them rotten…but considering the conditions that most of her animals came from, they deserve to be treated with kindness and lots of treats!  If I were a horse, I’d love living here at Carol’s barn!

Here is Chester and the darling mare Ellie Belle approaching the barn for petting and treats!

After grooming Too Cool following our ride, he went right out to the pasture and rolled!  Now he’s all muddy!  His buddy standing there with him is Willie the donkey!  I love Willie to death!  He is such a sweet stable mate for all the animals.  He and Willow the ‘pomule’ are best friends!  They hang out together all the time.

Here is a close up of Willie.  He is a Sicilian Donkey.  What’s not to love about that sweet face!

My last shot of the day, as the sun was starting to set, was of my boy Frankie… He now has a excellent home with Carol, as do all his stable mates, where each are treated with great love, care and respect. 

I’m really happy that I can give Carol a hand with her animals and now ride horses once again!  Yippee!!!  Thank you Carol for allowing me into your “extended family”!  I’m honored to have your trust and friendship.

Thank you all for reading my blogs as well.  After proof-reading Big Daddy Dave’s blogs these past years, I’m not surprised that I was also bitten by the blog bug! 

Click on any photo to enlarge it and thank you for stopping by!

Take care and happy trails to you until we meet again!

Laurie