Not much time for blogging this week.
I've been editing like crazy, reorganizing my bookshelves (why? no idea... except some odd need to get the favorites right by my chair, in some semblance of order), and enjoying horses flexing between the first day of fans on in the barn (yesterday) and hard, steady rain accompanied by very cool temps (today).
We've been doing some barn updates. Switching to solar-powered fencing from electric, adding an additional fan (these are big, industrial rated fans that take some muscle to get up and down), and working my way toward hay storage outside the barn.
Today I got sidetracked with the untimely death of the lovely and big-hearted eventing pony Theodore O'Connor. We met his breeder Wynn Norman several years back and have followed Teddy's career ever since. Ironically, around the time of his death today we were outside playing with our own special pony, who was doing the most incredible pirouettes, levades, and huge floating trot extensions.
Condolences to everyone who knew and loved Teddy.
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
OMG! I had not heard that. How sad! beckz's sister, kim, just went to groom for the Theodore O'Conner people. I'll bet she is devastated just like the rest of the equine world. That is so sad. Such a great pony with amazing heart.
ReplyDeleteMiKael, it just happened this morning. It's especially tragic for the O'Connors' - after losing another horse, Tigger Too, only a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteNow that I think about it, my sudden obsession with organizing all these books is very probably a subconscious response to Teddy's accident.
It's so hard when things like that happen, out of all control, and here I am literally making labels for shelves of books to feel some sense of order.
I hadn't heard the news about Theodore O either. I'm just stunned. Just came back from thehorse.com. What a freak accident. Damnit.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I was shocked when I heard. I went over to the Chronicle forums for an hour and just read the comments from people - it's amazing how many people were rooting for him and felt buoyed in some way by his success.
ReplyDeleteIt was very hard to read a few comments that referred to him as "Little Man." We call Apache Moon that and to see it in print with condolences, even about another pony, was difficult.
Poor little guy. He had a big heart and will be missed by all of us who rooted for him. What a sad tragedy for the O'Connors too.
ReplyDeleteArlene, I really can't fathom what the O'Connors are going through right now.
ReplyDeleteDuring my children's pony school years, two school ponies had to be put down over the course of several years. It was so sad. The pony school handled it well - the stalls became memorials for flowers, notes, photos, memories, etc. But every time we went to the barn for lessons and saw the empty stall, we cried.
To lose one's personal mount has to be devastating, at least initially.
My vet in California used to say, "Horses are accidents waiting to happen." Who would have thought that a pony this remarkable and well-cared for could have had such a weird accident? It's tragic, and I feel so bad for the O'Connors. I had to go out and hug my horses after I found out about it.
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Victoria. I think many people had the same impulse to go hug their horse partners.
ReplyDeleteRe: "accidents waiting to happen" - I walk around visualizing my horses being strong and wise and cunning, resilient and sturdy, and when I worry, I surround them in a circle of white light. I feel better coming at it from the positive angle. :)