Howdy Folks,
I really wasn't going to blog about the incident which took
place yesterday. But this morning, while having coffee with Kessy, it was 35 degrees, and knowing as I sipped my Folgers
and listened to her contented hay chomping it was going to reach 60 again
today, I got really angry all over again. Yea, ol' Dutch gets downright ornery sometimes
… and being a horse advocate first, I always take the horse's side, in any
argument, discussion or situation. Just my way.
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| Kessy & me |
You need some background first; I drive a hundred miles one
way for Kessy's hay. She being Insulin Resistant, we of course need low sugar
hay. Buying and testing after it is home has proven not to work, neither has
testing before buying as by the time the test comes in, the hay can be all
sold. So last year I learned of a great outfit up in Culpepper, VA who tests
everything they bale, and give the results, and you know what you're getting
from the get-go. It's a second generation outfit, and they REALLY take care of
their customers. They farm over a thousand acres.
So every 3 or 4 months I fire up our geriatric Tahoe,
hook up my relic of a 2 horse trailer, and take a delightful drive through some
of the most beautiful horse country in our state. Usually Ravishin' Robbie goes
along and we work in a fun lunch at a quaint eatery or do a little touristing along
the way – But she was away and I had to go alone. Had she been with me, I doubt
the incident would have happened.
Bright blue skies and a gorgeous sun saw me off, even if was
only in the 30's. I sang along to George Strait, Willie Nelson, and ABBA. From
the start, roadside bird watching was great, and I was in high spirits. I truly
enjoy this drive.
Of course every pasture with horses, or cows, for that
matter dragged my eyes off the road as I admired them. Most of the time I stay
on the road. Ravishin' Robbie declares I'm a terrible driver. I'm not really, I
just get distracted by beauty.
I couldn't help but notice how many horses had blankets on
this fine sunny morning. Halfway to Culpepper it was already in the mid-forties
… Sad, I thought. By now I was in the really neat horse country and just about
every mile boasted a pretty pasture with horses enjoying the day. Many of them
wrapped in blankets. Just as a side note, does anyone ever wonder why cows can
be in the same field and not need blankets?
As I drove and saw horse after horse out in the sun dealing
with the foolishness of being overdressed, my mood began to deteriorate. I felt
so bad for the poor horses. Even ABBA failed to lift my spirits …
I got to my destination and we had a delightful visit as we
always do, and loaded 55 bales in the trailer and 8 in the ol' Tahoe … I like
to pack my rig full! The old girl squats down a bit, but she still has what it
takes. And, for home we set out.
It was after noon when I started home, and 60 degrees. Of
course I thought of the blanketed horses and told myself surely I'd see none
still being so wrongly treated. Of course I knew better. Forgive me for this,
but abuse comes in many different forms.
Not more than fifteen
minutes from the hay outfit I saw blanketed horses. My heart sank, my mood
soured, again. I couldn't help it.
As I traveled by the pretty farms I found myself searching
for blanketed horses, and sadly there were plenty. Not as many as the trip up,
but within half an hour of leaving the hay outfit, I'd counted over 20 horses
standing in summer-like warmth, blanketed.
I drove by a bank whose sign said, 64 degrees, and within 5
minutes came upon a beautiful big boarding outfit with pretty board fenced
pastures, a long lane back to the buildings and lots of horses turned out. As I
drove slowly by, I counted 12 with blankets. I think my head almost exploded.
Unable to stop myself, I looked for a place to turn around,
and went back. I knew I was out of line, but could not convince myself to mind
my own business. Turning around all loaded down was, well interesting. Driving
up the lane I counted 21 horses, 13 with blankets on. I noticed several folks
riding, all with helmets on and thought, "Yup, you'll take care of
yourself, but what of those poor horses out there in the sun cooking under the
blankets."
I turned around before I stopped, wanted to be facing the
exit in case they shot at me, and I got a lot of strange looks as I stepped out
of my squatted down, paint worn Tahoe and rusty trailer. I remember thinking about that line
in "We'll Have The Summer," when Sam is thinking how easy it was to
spot his old rig among all the fancy deals at the fair. Well that about summed
me up there yesterday.
Two young ladies riding by stopped at my signal. I asked, "Why do all the horses have blankets on?" They shrugged and rode
away, I'm certain they thought me a cook. Probably they're correct.
I made another inquiry and was directed to women standing not
far from my rig. She was the owner or manager or something. She approached me
wearing a pleasant smile; I think my smile had stayed in the Tahoe.
We shook hands, and I pointed to the blanketed horses.
"Why are all those horses blanketed?" I admit, I jumped right in, but
by golly it had been building all day. I did ask gently though.
She looked at
me with a combination of, who are you, I'm busy and it is none of your
business.
Finally she told me they were boarders' horses and they want
them blanketed.
"It's 65 degrees!" I blurted. "They're probably
well over a hundred under those blankets, it's messing up their thermal regulation
and it's going down to the thirties again tonight. Don't you think you should
yank the blankets off?"
With a look meant to put me in my place she said,
"That's up to the owners." And politely invited me to leave.
I wanted discuss this more, but I was just too angry to be certain
I wouldn't get out of line, so I left.
As I drove out the long lane my heart
ached for the horses, and I carried with me the sadness of knowing I'd let them
down.
A recurring theme in the long life of the horse is,
"It's up to the owner." – Why can't it be up to the horse more often?
Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry
