Horse problems, sneak attacks, travel

Victoria’s day started out fabulously yesterday. She and Grandma went to see an older couple in Bowie to talk to them about horses. They were hoping to get some more insight about what to look for as Rain nears her delivery date. What they got instead was another horse. Victoria was secretly hoping to get to ride one of the many horses they keep but when the owners learned of her growing interest in horses they gave her an older mare that they had stabled for almost all of its twenty three years. It was a special gift from them. It is another burden for me.


Never the less, the older mare has been ridden for most of her years and Mama and Victoria are hoping to continue that practice for several more years. For no more than we will do with her there, it could work our okay, but Mama and I are wondering what to do with her when she does croak. We looked at saddles yesterday. I am beginning to wish we could eat horses; it would at least make the expense partially redeemable.

Anyway, the couple insisted on delivering the horse to the farm that day, so they loaded her in a trailer and followed Grandma and Victoria to the farm. That’s when the fun began. When the older mare, named Toi (pronounced, Toy) was put in with Rain the fight began and Toi kicked Rain almost immediately. It should have been expected, but for some reason everybody was caught off guard. Victoria and Grandma began stressing out and the ensuing argument between the gift givers over what to do only added to the stress level.

Toi was then moved in with the donkeys. They had witnessed what had just happened and were having no part of that. The eldest, Esther, immediately jumped the fence and ran off. The two younger cowered in a corner while Toi, who was set in dominator mode, looked for a fight. I think Victoria was more worried about the escaped donkey than anything else.

Toi was eventually put in the open pasture near the calf lot and very late in the day, Esther was once again corralled with her brood. Rain is content to have her lot to herself as the two mares stare at each other through the fences. I suppose Grandma and Victoria will try again tomorrow to figure out a better arrangement. I just hope Victoria got some sleep last night.

To make Victoria’s day even more interesting, the older Barred Rock rooster launched a sneak attack while her back was turned and flogged her pretty good. She was unharmed in the attack but it added to her anger levels. She, like Joshua, is somehow empowered by anger and loves to nourish the sense of rage rather than shake it off or laugh it off. Grandma tried to get her to laugh but that effort fell far short of the mark. Maybe today she can laugh about it.

I am not sure what the Lord is up to in Victoria’s life but I am sure that experiences at the farm will work to soften her. She is a child who wants to laugh and love but feels too vulnerable when she does. Perhaps the hot and cold of fun and then difficult activities on the farm will reduce the swelling in her spirit and allow her to finally recuperate emotionally. Only God knows.

Mama and I will be leaving after church on Sunday. So far Mama has a list of four or five things for me to do when I am off on Monday. The only problem is that each of the items in question is a half day to a full day project. We will not be able to discuss it on the way since I will be driving a company truck over while she drives the van. It makes the trip less fun for both of us but it helps us get some items to the farm that would otherwise be difficult. I will need the truck for travel the first week of March as I go to Odessa for training. Having the truck to use for work leaves the van available to Mama for some of her shopping plans.

We will be out of the house long enough this time that we will have to have someone from the church to stop and look after things. God is good. This time Mama gets two weeks on the farm. It will be interesting if that is enough or too much.