I talk so much about Breezy and Harley…well, this is Doc Tari. He is only 9. He is not sound…his hocks (back legs) were degenerated with advanced bone spavins and arthritis before he was even 5–he came to us that way (no, he wasn’t supposed to be lame, but he was…). We don’t know if he has arthritis throughout his entire body…like his shoulders, front legs, in his back…but we have had surgery on his back legs. We had one good year of riding after that. Then he began to be in pain again…and he bucked to relieve the pressure. That let me know that his legs (or something) were degenerating again…sure enough. Anyhow, here is the big boy…
His job now is to look adorable (which he does very well) and to give nuzzles and receive kisses on his very soft nose. I think he would love to get out on the trail again, though. I may pony him out this coming week…but I have to practice at home first. If he enjoys being out as much as I think he may, it might be quite an exciting experience!
His back didn’t seem sore today when I palpitated it. I thought for a minute about giving him some bute (anti-inflammatory) and saddling him…working him on the line…to see what might happen. I don’t know.
With the way things went with Harley today on the trail, I really found myself missing Doc more than ever. Doc, though young, was always so SANE out there. He isn’t wired like Harley is. Even though green, whenever I went out on Doc I could just sit on him like a big ol’ comfy couch and head on down the trail. It was sooooo nice. He really was calm and even keeled…until the pain got bad again.
Anyhow, isn’t he gorgeous? So sweet, too. He loves people.
I wonder what God wants me to do with this boy…if I am supposed to try riding him…take him out for a walk…or…?
I have even looked into two retirement homes for him. One is in Kansas and the other in Wyoming. He would get to be turned out and get to be a horse. I just can’t imagine him being so far away from us, though…
It seems odd that my son is riding Dodger, our mustang, again. That means three of our four horses are being ridden right now. No, it isn’t ideal. Harley is still a twirling dervish and Dodger is scared out of his skin over lots of things…but…it still is ironic to me…Again, I wonder about Doc.
I wonder what lesson there is in this for us. God has used my pets to teach me so very much about myself and about His character. I don’t want to miss what He wants us to do with Doc. As one friend said, isn’t it something that God would take a dirty 1200 pound animal and make it so that by throwing my arms around his neck and breathing deeply in the smell of his mane my soul would be refreshed? How is it that God can do that? It is amazing to me…
