Tragedy Struck (but God was near)

When I have a mare close to foaling I love to hang on the front of the stall and watch her munch on her hay.  I can spend hours there and not tire of it. I watch for any change in her demeanor to indicate she might be getting closer.  I watch to see the foal move - that is always both a thrill and a comfort - to know that it IS alive at that point.  We have not lost a foal yet but you just never know so to see it bouncing is, as I said, a thrill AND comfort.

Corki was known to carry her foals longer than most. The average mare carries her foal an average of 340 days - 11 months.  With her previous three she had gone close to or over 12 months.  That gave me extra time to hang on the stall front and watch her.  She loved it when I brushed on her during that time, nuzzling me when I would pause.  She actually would position her body so the brush landed in the spot she wanted brushed.  Someone once said that she enjoyed the special treatment so much that she deliberately held out, stalling for time. I'm sure that wasn't the case but I surely did enjoy that special time we shared.

I pay very close attention to all my horses every day but when they are in foal they get a closer inspection.  I had had an odd, uncomfortable feeling this year.  The feeling was strong enough that I had even mentioned it to my daughter.  My word for the new year was "LISTEN".  I kind of felt like God was trying to nudge me in a different direction than I'd been going.  I was determined to be still and listen.  This year, 2015, Corki's due date was April 30th and this was to be her last foal.  After this she would be a yard ornament, getting fed and petted, enjoying the rest of her days as my friend.

One evening in early May that uncomfortable feeling was tugging at me.  I was hanging on the stall front, praying for God to watch over Corki and the foal (its name was already Sparky - filly or colt, Sparky it was).  I truly felt Jesus there with me. I felt his hand on my right shoulder and I heard/felt him tell me that everything was going to be okay. WOW.  That experience was so powerful that I gave my testimony of it at church the next Sunday.  No.... I'm not a crazy lady, really.  I just feel that I have opened my heart and soul to the Holy Spirit and He knows He is wanted and appreciated in my life.

A week or so passed.  I've told the story before about my Father-in-Law being my day watchman while I'm at work.  He called me home at noon a couple of times.  Everything was okay the first few times and that's alright. I'd rather be safe than sorry. On May 21st he called again at noon.  I figured it was another false alarm but she was three weeks over and each day could be the day.   I couldn't, and wouldn't take a chance.  For one, I do everything I can to make sure I'm there for the blessed event - to experience God's miracle of birth - to hear that first whinny. For another we have a pretty healthy investment involved and while most mares will deliver fine on their own there is always a risk.

When I walked into the barn I could hear her labored breathing.  Entry into her stall showed me something very frightening. I didn't know at the time what I was looking at but later found it was her intestines sprawled out on the stall floor.  Lord help us, please!  The intestines were coming out her vagina!  She was laying down so I stepped over the intestines and got positioned so that I could reach inside her - searching desperately for feet or a head but I felt NOTHING - no feet, no head, nothing.  Immediately I called my vet and told her I had and emergency with Corki (she knew the mare was overdue). I called John, he had just sat down for lunch but said he'd come right home.  Then I called my dear friend John Moyer.  He was closest and I needed help NOW!  He got there first, and then John.  Dr. Cave had asked me to keep the mare up and moving but since I didn't know what I was looking at and couldn't tell her she thought it was a different emergency situation than what it was.

The guys were able to get her up and out in the shedrow but then she collapsed in pain.  We decided it best to keep her down so we took turns laying on her neck and head until Dr. Cave got there, and that was pretty timely considering she was about 40 miles away from us at the time of the call.  Once she arrived and quickly evaluated the situation everything kicked in to save the foal.  John had the foresight to start milking Corki to get the colostrum (first milk) that is so important to the new born.  Doc heavily sedated Corki to ease her pain.  I stayed at her head trying to comfort her, or maybe it was to comfort me.... John M fetched the items that Doc needed going forwarded - two bales of straw, iodine for the navel, blankets, and whatever else she needed.  Doc began to cut, performing what would be like a C-Section to a woman, John helped her where he could.  Doc had told me that since the mare was sedated the foal would be also.  She must have told me that so that I wouldn't be alarmed at what it looked like when it came out.  John had not heard her and he thought for sure the foal was dead.  It wasn't.

We used the two bales of straw to hang the foal over so that it was upside down, allowing the fluid to drain out of its lungs.  Doc gave Corki the final shot that would euthanize her and I saw her blink her last blink with her oh so kind eyes.  We worked as a team rubbing the foal, gently pounding on its chest and back, all the while with it hanging upside down.  I'm not sure how many minutes passed but in time the foal started coming around.  I don't think it liked being upside down too much.  John took a minute to check to see whether we had a filly or colt.  He proudly announced that it was a stud colt (boy).  At that point I didn't care - I just wanted it to live.  Within an hour Sparky was standing on his own.  Doc took some of Corki's milk and tubed it down his throat to make sure he swallowed it. 

John M had cleaned out Corki's stall so we put Sparky in it. He looked so pathetically small in there by himself.  Dr. Cave had some powdered mare replacement formula at her office and John M volunteered to go get it for me.  I went into the TSC in Marion to get a lamb's nipple. John was going to stay and get Corki moved out of the shedrow to behind the barn until I could figure out what to do.  It was the Thursday before Memorial Day Weekend and it was warm - we couldn't wait too long.  I didn't really want to send her on a rendering truck.... she was my friend, but we didn't have the equipment needed to bury her.  On my way to town I called a couple of friends/neighbors that I thought had a backhoe.  By the time I got back home another dear friend, Frank Payne was already there with his equipment.  John had her moved to the spot and she was buried as quickly as Frank could dig the hole and they could get her in it.

The next task was to get Sparky to nurse on the bottle.  The lamb's nipple was perfect in size for him but it wouldn't fit on a water bottle.  After this very trying day I had popped a Corona beer (in a bottle)..... maybe the nipple would fit on it...... yep, it fit perfectly and he took to it like he'd been doing it all his life, well I guess this was all of his life, but he took to nursing very quickly.... the only problem being all the air that developed in the glass bottle.  It wasn't like I could throw him over my shoulder and burp him.  I felt like I needed to get him to drink out of a bucket, especially since would be going back to work after the holiday weekend. My buds didn't have much hope in that happening..... oh, ye of little faith......

The next morning I went into Marion again to get feed and pick up snacks for John's Indy 500 trip.  Before I left I hung a little "blue bucket" on the stall wall at a level that I thought okay for the little guy.  He had already drank all of Corki's milk so I mixed up some mare replacement formula and put it in the bucket.  I asked God to help him figure out what to do.  When I got home, maybe two hours later, it was all gone!  Praise the Lord!!!!  

So I lost my dear friend, Corki.  She was the first foal born on our farm and when she was little I could scratch her belly and she would lay down on my lap like a dog.  We were great buds.  So you might ask how I can say that God was here during this tragedy but stop and think about it....

If my Father-in-law had not called me home yet again, we would have lost both of them.

All of my support people were able to get here in a timely manner - even my vet was not on another call but still the furthest away.

Dr. Cave, whose been our vet for over 20 years, is so knowledgeable in mares and foals.

Sparky lived and is actually thriving.

He was drinking out of a bucket on the second day.

We were able to bury Corki here on our farm.  She will always be with me.

That night back in May, I felt Jesus tell me everything would be okay and each and everything is okay.  Certainly not the way I would have liked for things to work out, but it is okay.

I will NEVER EVER forget you Corki girl!

Singer's Story

Singer came to us as a nine-week-old puppy.  The minute she walked into our house she was home.  Brittany's are know for their love of people and being an "in your face" dog and those traits fit Singer perfectly.  She was such a joy and reeked of happiness.  You could see it in her face.


I had never had a bird dog but John had grown up with them.  He enjoyed hunting, I enjoyed being in the field with the dogs - it was a perfect match.  Let's be clear on one thing though..... the only things I ever shot were pictures of the events.  :)  


We trained Singer ourselves along with a German Shorthair pup that I had gotten for John.  Her name is GiGi and she and Singer grew into quite good kennel mates and bird hunting partners.  We did the AKC Hunt Tests with both dogs, getting their Junior Hunter titles and Singer even got a perfect score on one of her competitions.  We participated in Put and Take Pheasant Hunts through the DNR every fall, and staged some of our own Quail hunts in the fields behind us.  





My Singer dog was a bird finding fool.  She would stay on point FOREVER - wouldn't retrieve worth a darn, but to hold point until you got ready was no problem.  She was even a natural backer.  It was so fun to watch her work the field. We had a blast!


But there is a season for everything...

My plant shuts down every summer during the week of the Fourth of July.  In 2014, I was beginning the first weekend of my "vacation".  John wanted to get a few things done around home and cleaning the dog kennel real good was one of them.  It's much easier (and safer for the dogs) if they are out of it as he uses the pressure washer.  We have a large deck that has a railing specifically there to keep the dogs contained, kind of like a fenced yard without the grass.  GiGi and Singer came up on the deck to spend time with me while John cleaned the kennel.  Singer was acting kind of listless which was uncommon for my busy, happy Brittany.  I started rubbing her all over and that's when I felt the mass.  It was large and I knew by its proximity and size that it was serious.  And it was Friday evening. Oh, I suppose we could have taken her to the Emergency Clinic but I think a part of me knew it was too late.  I chose to wait and see what the next couple of days brought.

I love my dogs like family.  Watching Singer broke my heart.  She had always had a ferocious appetite but now she wasn't interested in eating much at all.  I was able to get her interested in boneless, skinless chicken breast meat that I had and since I was off work I could feed her small amounts many times per day.  She ate chicken and drank water all the while looking at me with her soulful eyes telling me that she adored me. 

The end of the week approached and Singer was still eating but I could tell she was fading.  I called my vet to make an appointment to help her on her way to Rainbow Bridge (euthanize her).  I left a message but no one returned my call.  Okay.... I do believe that God is in control of everything and that there is a reason for the way things work out.  I continued to take care of her but knew that Monday morning I had to take her in.  I could not stand to see her suffer any longer.  John dug her grave in preparation.

Friday and Saturday she pretty much stayed in the dog house and I sat outside of it offering her chicken and water telling her how loved she was and what a good dog she had been.  Saturday night I had a dream.   John and I had Singer in our bed waiting for her to pass.  I had to go some where - not sure where, you know how dreams are.... When I came home Singer and John were gone.  I just knew she had passed on and he had buried her.  I went out to the grave to see and there was my Singer dog.... jumping and playing with her happy, smiling face.  Then I woke up.  I knew she was gone - I felt it in my soul.

I haven't dreamed about Singer since.  I miss her still and when I think of her I remember the dream and how happy she looked.  I truly believe that God gave me that dream and that vision to comfort me and to let me know that she is okay and waiting for me at Rainbow Bridge (along with many others I have had the chance to love).

In His Presence

There have been times in my life that I have actually felt God's Presence surrounding me.  Some would say that I'm touched in the head, others would say I'd had too many beers (I do like my beer).  :)

But I believe that I am touched in the heart.  I know for a fact that without Jesus, I would be nothing.  I want to open myself to listen and hear Him.  I want His guidance.  I want to enjoy and in fact, savor everyday that He has given me and I can't do that if I resist Him.  I want Him to know that I value what He did for me and live my life in such a manner that it pleases Him.

Francesca Battistelli sings a song called Holy Spirit.  It is surely one of my favs.  Part of the chorus sings, "Holy Spirit you are welcome here.  Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere."  In another stanza we hear, "Let us become more aware of Your presence.  Let us experience the glory of Your goodness."

Holy Spirit by Francessca Battiselli

The song says so much.  First, let's let Him know that he is welcomed in our life and then let's open our heart to feel His presence - to feel Him near us.

Stories of my examples of this are to follow.  Some of the stories may be reflections of when I felt His nearness, others may be examples of answered Prayers, but they will all be everyday occurrences felt by this simple, downhome, animal loving gal.  I hope you follow along with me as I tell of my journey through this and that if you don't know The Savior that my Testimonies may inspire you to want His nearness close to you as well.  It truly is a Peace that surpasses ALL understanding, and a Peace that I wish everyone could feel and enjoy as He meant us to.

Sweet, Sweet Memories

We went to Hoosier Park last night with our good friends Frank and Sherry Payne.  The evening brought back so many memories. 

I was one of the first females to obtain a Thoroughbred trainer's license in Indiana.  I'm sure I wasn't THE first but I was ONE OF THE FIRST.  We started going to the track at the very beginning when it was just a place to run your horses and get a quick bit to eat - Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizzas, Hot Dogs, Nachos, Chicken Tenders - those are a few of my old favs.  The main event was definitely the horse racing. 

Today that is just a side note.  They offer a nice buffet every day of the week but on Friday and Saturday nights they offer one that boasts seafood and prime rib... all you can eat of any of the fare that is offered for a rather reasonable price.   Most times there is a long line to endure before tasting the bounty, but it is worth the wait.  On Sunday, for brunch, they include many of the seafood items as well.  They want you to go to the Casino full and content.

In the days gone by I remember hanging out on the apron in front of the Club House.  I wanted to be up close and personal to the horses coming over to the paddock to be saddled.  I had a number of friends that would be racing on any given night - if we weren't racing our selves - and I wanted to root them on.  It's a tough game and knowing that your peers are there for you is a pretty awesome feeling, at least it was for me.  There was NO WAY you would catch me sitting at a table in the Club House..... NO WAY.

If we had a horse running I would spend the entire time - up until race time - on the Backside, and be more than happy to do exactly that.  There is something special about the Backside of a racetrack.  That is where it all comes together.  Of all the places on a racetrack where a person can spend time, the Backside is definitely my favorite.  I love the way it smells, I love the way it sounds, and I love the way it looks.  Call me crazy...... but that is God's Honest Truth.

Now Hoosier Park just runs Standardbred races and they don't even use the paddock.  I am not allowed entry on the Backside because I don't have a current license.  Times change..... and I guess I will just have to be content watching the races from the Club House and eating the scrumptious food.  I'd still rather be on the Backside smelling all the smells that go with racing - liniments, straw, hay, sweat, shampoo, and yes.... even the horse pooh. Yeah, call me crazy.... such sweet memories..... I think I will go to the barn.

Rescue Two

One of the things I am known for around our community is my love of animals.  I consider that a good trait and am happy to be known for this and hope that it's a legacy that I leave behind for friends and family to cherish when I'm gone.

Three years ago I received a call from a friend who said someone had dropped three puppies off in their fenced-in yard.  She wanted to know if we could take them until she found homes for them.  We had four dogs of our own and sure didn't need more but I could NOT say no to puppies in need.  We had an empty stall to put them in so I told her to bring them on out.  I quickly readied the stall and waited...... oh, they were just too cute!  All wiggly and bouncy, full of puppy kisses.

John was golfing that evening and I couldn't wait for him to come home and see the little ones.  While he doesn't share my total love for ALL animals he does like the dogs and especially puppies.  I had no doubt that he would be okay with my actions and he was.  He took over the feeding of them just like they were his own and while they were in good condition when they came to us they thrived under John's care.

 

 

The pups had been with us a little over a week when our friend called to tell us she had found a family that would take all three puppies.  I think they planned to keep two and find a home for the third one.  Oh no.... so soon?!?!  We were totally enjoying these little girls (all three were female) and there was one in particular that we were partial to.  She was short legged and had a dorsal stripe.  We were pretty sure she was going to be dachshund-like and John had always wanted a Dachshund...... I know you can see where this is headed....

 

 

The afternoon the family was scheduled to come and get the pups we were both going to be at work.  John and I talked about putting the "little one" up in the house that morning but we didn't. As I said earlier, we had four dogs already and felt we probably didn't need to add another one..... but she was just so darn precious!  We talked again on the phone while at work deciding that we should keep the little one.  The plan was that John would go home at noon and put her in a kennel in the house..... if she wasn't in the barn when they came they couldn't take her.  I called after lunch to make sure he was able to get away and go home but he told me that he didn't.  Oh how my heart sunk!  I was ready to bolt and leave work immediately before the family got there and took them all.  I was frantic until John finally told me that he had been playing with me and yes, he made it home and the little one was safe inside.  My reaction told me that we were doing the right thing.  I was heartbroken at the thought of loosing her.... but we didn't and we named her Crickett.

 

 

Please don't be fooled into thinking that in order to be a good pet that the dog must be purebred and registered.  That is very far from the truth.  People use to ask us what kind of dog we thought Crickett was because she has a long back and little short, squatty legs.  My reply was always "a lucky dog".   But the truth of the matter is that WE are the lucky ones.  She brings so much love and laughter to the house that I can't imagine what it would have been like had we not kept her.  I've never had a dog with as much emotion.  She smiles showing her pearly whites and her bottom lip quivers when she gets in trouble.  What a joy she is!  Don't be afraid to rescue a "little one" of your own.  I know there are many out there just needing an opportunity to show you their love.

Rescue One

This is our first Rescue Dog.....

 

 

Seriously.  John found this little guy in the dumpster at his work.... and no, I don't think he was dumpster diving...... but walking by he saw this guy and I guess he thought of me so he brought him home to me.  That was probably four or five years ago and every Spring I can't wait to fill him with flowers so that he can watch over them.  During the colder weather he sits on a corner of the deck railing watching over his home.

 

Just goes to show that the old adage is true..... One man's trash is another man's treasure.  I do treasure this pup - partly because he is so darn cute.  But mostly because John thought of me when he saw him and brought him home for me to take care of.  He knew that I would enjoy him and look after him.

 

He has become my symbol of hope for the lost or discarded.

The Eighty Dollar Champion - a review

I think I will try my hand at reviewing this book.  I learned about it from a discussion on my Facebook Friend Jenny Norton Schamber's page.  This was just shortly after I discovered that one of the colts that I sold as a yearling race horse prospect was saved from the kill pen at an auction this winter.  Once I became aware of the book's existence I immediately went to Amazon and purchased/downloaded it to my Kindle.  I understand a movie is in the works and I wanted to read the book prior to seeing the moving...... the rest is history.  I read until my eyes could no longer make out the words.

Elizabeth Letts tells a riveting tale of two underdogs that dare to take on the hottie tottie show jumping world of the late fifties.  The story drew me in from the very beginning with Harry's chance encounter with the "ol' plow horse".   I could visually see in my mind the look the grey gelding had in his eye when he gazed at Harry - as if he knew this was his last chance, as if he could read Harry's kind heart by just looking at him.  Throughout the book, Letts does an amazing job of touching on Harry and Snowman's special bond along with how the pair inspired a country that was very much in need of a relief after the trials of World War II had taken the sap out of most - other than the very rich and well off.  As Letts describes the night that the team performed for President Eisenhower, "Snowman represented every little guy: everyone not sitting in a VIP seat, every worker at the armory that night - pushing a wheelbarrow or a broom - and everybody who was not born into the kind of privilege that competed in the ring that night."  Through it all, Harry never lost touch with his roots.  He knew he and his steed were the underdogs and he never forgot his meager beginnings.  He also never quit dreaming.  Believing that dreams can come true if you are willing to work for them and to take a risk now and then.  He was the kind of owner that every horse deserves and a man after my own heart for the kindness and compassion that he showed to those that were entrusted in his care.

I like that black and white photos were included in the book, giving the reader a more vivid feel of the era.  Perhaps that is what made me feel like I had actually went back in time, although Letts' verbal descriptions were very detailed and also no doubt attributed to the feeling of actually being there.

The one thing that I did not care for was that the end seemed to come abruptly although I should have been able to tell the end was near by the storyline itself.  Perhaps that's one of the signs of a good book - not wanting it to end - wanting the story to continue on.  

I am definitely waiting impatiently for the movie and it will most certainly will be added to my library of horse themed videos.  I will also be purchasing a hardcover book for my literary library.  I love a good horse story and one that is based on a true story is better than make believe everyday of the week.

I would recommend this book to anyone that likes stories about horses, underdogs prevailing, or history buffs.

Enjoy!