Well, yesterday Itsy went to her new home, not too far away, in the shadow of the Preselis, where she is going to be part of a small herd (4 big with her arrival) and will be much loved by her new people and their two little girls. I got a bit choked when she whinnied a goodbye from the trailer, but I can only feel such a huge relief that she has the sort of forever home I was seeking for her. Many, many thanks to my farrier, John Byrne, who found homes for Fahly as well as Itsy - and such perfect homes I could not have bettered them. I only wish I had listened to my gut instinct back in August before letting her go then, to what turned out to be a totally unsuitable home, and having to bring her back. It took a month before she could eat grass again without it turning her inside out, and a long course of Pink Powder and ad lib hay was called for. Now she is her old self again, cheerful and jaunty and full of life and the photos I had from her new people last night brought tears of happiness from me.
So that's it, the end of a lifetime of horses for me, but I have decided I must look at it from a positive viewpoint - not looking back, but looking forward and realizing I have more freedom and less worry now. So now to start sorting out the sale of tack I no longer need, rubber mats to be cleaned and advertised, electric fencing to be taken down and put for sale too, and some old rugs and bits and bobs to go to Lluest Horse & Pony Trust, as they have more use for them now.
11 comments:
I am so happy for yuo jennie, and for itsy too.. well done on the happy ending
leanne x
Brian mentioned that Itsy had neighed goodbye to you - she neighed hello too when she arrived.
For us it feels a bit like winning the lottery - only better!
She is absolutely gorgeous and we've all fallen head over heels in love with her. Thank you so much! Remember that you can come and visit her at any time. xx Mags.
It is always sad to say goodbye to a much loved animal.....horses are such wonderful creatures....it sounds as though she is going to have a good and happy life and I am sure you are relieved to know that.....
It makes me ache for what you are going through. What a big, big change. I have a friend who did the same, and she mostly feels it was the right decision. There's just something about horses, though. In another life, I would have been born and brought up with them and ridden till the day I died. We did have a horse for a few years, and dearly loved him, though by then I was too old to really begin riding. Have you read Maxine Kumin's work at all? Her poetry and nonfiction feature horses a lot.
How strange -
Today I took my surviving chickens (4 out of 16) to be rehomed with another blogger for fear of another fox attack.
That will be the end of my chicken keeping at this house.
Have also been reading your previous blogs - I decided to study at the wrong side of 40, as youngest son sweats over A levels, mum is the other end of the table with the OU!
have also met Preseli Mags on the windy seafront in Aberystwyth a few weeks ago at a blogger day out!
{{{{{{hugs}}}}}} jennie, im happy that itsy has gone to a lovely home for you,and not to far away either :)
Having seen the lovely photos of Itsy over at PM's post, I just had to click over here, to thank you for letting that wonderful pony go to such a grand place. Bet that you might be able to visit?
xo
Hello again, I don't mean to hog this comment box, but having left the message about the pony Itsy, I just saw your post with the beautiful stones.
I live in New York, and have never seen any of these stones, though I have made many visits to the UK. However, just wanted to let you know that a few years ago, I used my imagination to create lots of watercolor paintings that were based on such stones. One of these days, I will get to see the actual stones, but until then, just know that they are such powerful images, they inspire across the ocean.
Cheers!
I can understand your sadness at having to let Itsy go, she's absolutely beautiful. I'm so glad for you that she's gone to such a wonderful new home (have just popped over to see the photos of her arrival!). It must be a weight off your mind to know she's so well cared for and that you can still go and visit her!! Yay!!
Willow x
Am visiting via Preseli - sorry you have to say goodbye to Itsy. My dad and I, many years ago, had to say a final goodbye to our two beloved horses who had reached the end of their lives. It was truly awful.
It looks as if Itsy will have a lovely home.
Thank you all for your posts. I can go and see Itsy whenever I like - that statement alone shows that her new home is the right one (not that I had any doubts from the moment I first spoke to Brian!) I have the same offer with Fahly and Maggie too, though it's a long way up to Scotland to see Maggie! A holiday is planned, however, and I get regular postings about her . . . And Mags, glad your horsey lottery number came up!
Cheryl - it is hard to let go, but once the other two had gone, I wasn't happy about Itsy being here on her own for too long, as horses are herd animals.
Nan - Haven't heard of Maxine Kumin but will go and check her out now.
Leanne and Nita - thankyou for your support as you have helped me through the bad times.
Snailbeachshepherdess (lovely name!) - snap then. The blogging world is wonderful, though I'd not met Mags through her blog until meeting her "in the flesh" last week. We had to get rid of our hens after a polecat came visiting and found out the tiniest of gaps into the henhouse . . .
Frances - chat away, I don't mind! Yes, I have visitors' rights, as you guessed! There is even a small standing stone in the field Itsy's in right now - how's that for coincidence? As for the stones generally - they have their own powers and I have always been in their thrall, ever since seeing Stonehenge for the first time when I was about 10 years old (a way back now . . .) I hope you will be a regular visitor, as I shall be visiting as many as I can in the coming months, and writing about them on here - along with castles, and cake recipes, and books, and whatever has taken my interest.
Willow - you can see how happy she is there, bless her! I had no qualms, especially when I'd met the entire family, horsey and human. It is SUCH a magic spot too.
Lindsay - I can commiserate with you over the loss of your beloved horses. Letting Fahly (my Arab) go to his new home was nearly as bad as having to bury him, it just broke my heart, but I have come to terms with my loss now, and am just happy that he has such a wonderful new home where he is much-worshipped!
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