Weathering the Weather

Our horses are struggling with this weather. The extreme change in temperature is making them, first, COLD, and then they don’t want to drink water leading to dehydration and stomach problems known as colic. Colic is the #1 cause of death for horses. What is it? It’s a stomach ache. Simple as that. Horses can’t burp or vomit and they don’t know to fight the pain. They’ll just lay down and die. The whole time I was holding my horse’s head up Sunday nite, I was reminded of when Dan Breeding of Creatures of Creation was at KABC just a month or so ago and how he explained that God’s creatures have a job to do and they don’t think of anything else. In the case of me fighting for my horse to recover, I was the intelligent one(yes, term used loosely) with the understanding to help God’s creature through the pain.

Even more intelligent with regard to horses is our fantastic and realistic vet. His answer was: “Give the horse Mylanta. Walk the horse so he can pass gas. And put salt in the feed so he’ll be thirsty.” And that didn’t cost me a dime!!!

While the horse is fine today, it is a very strong memory to me of holding my horse’s head in my lap. Watching his side for his ribs to rise and fall as my hand was over his nostrils waiting for each breath. With bedding in his eyes, his lips limp to where we could see his teeth, and his eyes rolling back, I really thought we might be at the end of his life. I was terrified and saddened. He’s not a human, but he has been in my life and a great listener for TWENTY years. I grew up with this horse. He is family to me. I was praying for God's guidance, God's help, and lifting my horse's life up to Him....as I was literally lifting my horse's head up. I found it funny and I was reminded that God has a sense of humor too. Being able to find a little laugh in a moment like this is truly a blessing.

And not to leave this on a sad note, he was his usual self this evening just wanting food and stomping his feet when he wasn’t getting it. Yep, still love him.