Refuge Farms (www.refugefarms.org)

I sure wish my heart would heal right along with Laddee's neck. Your words of encouragement and understanding are so helpful and so very appreciated. However, I need to get through this period of ownership and grief over M'Laddee's difficulty and move on. And that, my friends, is much easier said than done.

Laddee continues to heal, although at a slower rate than expected. As Dr. Anne says, "Laddee just hasn't read the book. And even if she had read the book, Laddee would still be the independent mare that she is and do it her own way." Her journey back to Spring Valley is coming soon. Hopefully, she will delight all of us with her presence in the barn once again.

Until then, she is being treated like royalty. In fact, her new name at the Equine Center is "Princess Laddee". She lifts her head and awaits the treat for responding - an apple. There is a lovely sign on her stall that reads:"Feed Laddee whatever she wants. She likes wet hay cubes (serve them warm), the findings from hay, and fresh grass (pulled from the agricultural lots). Feed her anything she wants."

We spend quality time together almost every day and I am thrilled at her progress and eagerly await the day when Dr. Anne says it is safe to send her home.

And her Handsome. Oh, her Handsome waits diligently for her. Eager for food, he comes into the barn and stands in his corner obediently awaiting the drop of his big feed tub. He has resumed eating his feed, thank heavens. This ordeal has caused him to lose a few pounds right with his girl, Laddee.

But after the feed, he stands quietly in his corner. No one to come and nudge him and scratch with him. Handsome spends the day in the barn looking out. No one to stand over and guard as she lays in the hay sleeping in the early morning sun. Handsome is lonely and awaiting the return of his love.

But this morning, I saw something of pure magic, however. This morning I saw one horse reaching out to another horse to help fill his void. I stood in awe and then quickly remembered the camera. I needed to record this moment. And share it with all of you.

After breakfast, Handsome stood quietly in his corner. Appaloosa Mare and PONY! were already back outside, just like a good little married couple should be. But Gracie stayed in the barn longer than usual. So long, in fact, that I began to watch her out of the corner of my eye to see if she was lost or sore or in trouble in some way.

But then she began to move. Tiny little steps with those tiny little feet. Slowly and carefully. Smelling the ground after every step. Carefully placing a hoof on the ground and then carefully shifting her weight to move forward. Smell the ground again and then repeat the process once more. A very slow and deliberate process. But Gracie seemed determined and so onward she moved.

Gracie was two feet or so behind Handsome when he noticed her there. Still he stood quietly. He saw no threat in her and presumed she was after his feed droppings. Still, little Gracie continued her slow, deliberate trek forward. Forward to Handsome.

Finally up next to him, Gracie reached over and nuzzled him. The big giant of a horse ignored her. After waiting for a response and not receiving one, Gracie then nuzzled Handsome once more. The big horse turned his head and looked down at her with his one good eye. What did she want? Almost disregarding her, Handsome turned his head back and resumed his gaze outside. But Gracie was not to be ignored.

Once again, she gently nuzzled the giant horse. Stretching her little neck upward to try to reach his ribs, she nuzzled him and awaited a response. Gracie had grown a little impatient and so when Handsome still ignored her, little Gracie now gently bit the big horse. Gently but surely in his ribs. She bit. Now, Handsome turned and looked at her again. What did she want?

While the giant head was turned to her, Gracie nuzzled Handsome once more. She wanted to scratch with him.

Handsome turned and looked down at the little tiny horse. The little mare stood her ground and awaited his return nuzzle of her. Handsome nuzzled the top of her back by simply turning his head to her. Meanwhile, she stretched her neck upward and worked hard to reach the base of his throat.

They scratched.

How precious this scratching was! Little Gracie had come to Handsome and offered her scratching to help him. Did she sense his loneliness? His solitude? His need for compassion? Did she know that he longed for his Laddee and scratching with her? Whatever little Gracie sensed, she knew that Handsome needed the scratching of a mare. Overcoming her blindness and forgetting her tiny size while never fearing his enormous size, Gracie stepped up to help the big gelding.

There's a lesson in there somewhere. I know it will come to me someday. But right now, I just want to share with you the magic of these horses. Little Gracie and Big Handsome. Once again, they show us Humans how to be.

Enjoy the journey of each and every day,
Sandy and The Herd Awaiting Laddee's Return