Wednesday, January 26, 2011

to the racetrack I did go



Today is my birthday and my gift arrived yesterday afternoon - Found in the Fog is our horse now!


Pie and Sovereign see "Foggy" for the first time this morning during the snowstorm.



Maizie took this photo of me leading Foggy around the paddock before I turned him out today. Notice the four ears in the background watching every move.


Foggy plays!



"Hello, Brother."




Found in the Fog, below, getting settled last evening in his stall. It looks like I added Lawrence Welk bubbles but there must have been something (a horsey sneeze?) on my camera lens.


I am so happy and excited to share our news. Found in the Fog really is ours! His kind owners saved him, not only from slaughter by looking for someone to adopt him, but they took a gamble and saved him for 30 extra days in case I might still want him when I returned from our trip. I hope to get permission to share their names - I really can't thank them enough. Their commitment to this horse should be recognized.

If you are new to my blog, you can read how I "found" Sovereign's FULL brother, Found in the Fog, on these two posts:
I want to also thank all of my blogger friends for their kind words of encouragement and support back in November. I did not know how this story would turn out, but I did feel so much better either way because of your comments. Some of you gave me hope to think that it might work out that he ends up with us, and others made me feel good that he might end up in another happy family because I stepped aside. Thank you. Ok...enough of me sounding like I just won an Academy Award! I feel like I won something, that is for sure!
I am unbelievably glad he is with our family now that I have the proper amount of time to get he and my other horses adjusted to this big change.
I received an email from Foggy's owner on the day after we returned from Florida asking if we were still interested in him. We discussed it here at length and decided that adding him to our "herd" was the right thing to do.
Foggy arrived yesterday afternoon around 3pm. I put him into his stall in our bank barn. He did not have a blanket but seems to have a good winter coat. He is thin, so I will probably keep him inside at night until mid-March this year. He still has all four of his racing shoes and he slipped walking onto our old, concrete aisle. I am working on getting the shoes pulled as soon as possible. Foggy is not good for the farrier, I am told. I can not work on introducing him to the boys until he is barefoot.
Pie and Sovereign were in another field when the truck and trailer pulled in. Sovey knew something was up. Pie was happily innocent and oblivious the entire afternoon and evening. Relief. Pie and Sovey's stalls were ready in case I needed to put them inside, but all horses seemed to be calm in their spaces last evening.
I gave Foggy hay and fresh water and a handful of grain when he arrived. Around 6 pm he started rolling in his stall and grinding his teeth like he was colicky. There was no manure and zero gut sounds on either side so I gave him some Banamine and walked him a little in the dark in the paddock. Pie and Sovey were mysteriously missing (Thank You!) because leading Foggy in the dark in a new place was a little like flying a Thoroughbred kite. I called the vet and she made me feel tons better by telling me that his secondary systems, which included digestion, were on hold because of the stress of the trip and a new place. Hooray - I was sure I killed him on the first night. (Pie and Sovey must have had no such stress - I distinctly remember Pie eating happily on his first night!) Foggy passed manure at 8:30 pm - much celebration over a pile of manure!
This morning greeted us with a snowstorm that snuck in so quickly that Maizie's school was cancelled only after we had our coffee. Thanks a lot! Mom trudged over through the snow and fed the horses. She reported that everyone was doing great. I can't tell you the nightmares I had all night so her phone call was very much appreciated by me!
Maizie and I headed over after the roads were cleared and I gave Pie and Sovey hay snacks in the ring pasture. This gave them a front row seat to the paddock where I was going to turn out our new sweetie boy. Out I came with Foggy and attempted a few laps around the paddock before releasing him. I did have the chain over his nose just in case. One of the things I really liked about him in November was that I could lead him around with no chain. He was that quiet. I am sure he will quiet down here too. I don't use a chain on Pie or Sovey and I don't want to use one on Foggy. He was a little silly, but not too bad. What a play he had after I took off the lead. I kept the (enormous) halter on him today while turned out, but I probably won't in the future. He came right up when it was time to go inside.
Pie and Sovey never left their spots while Foggy played. Pie stood like a statue, occasionally looking my way, questioning me with his innocent, puppy-dog eyes, "Julie, what is this all about?" After a few minutes, Foggy settled down too, and all three horses munched grass and hay in the snowstorm. I am very impressed with the lack of fireworks. We have a long way to go in the introduction process, mainly because of Foggy's shoes, the weather, and my vet's wishes that I keep them separated for a few weeks, but it was a good beginning.
So, Found in the Fog's arrival is my exciting news. A new chapter has begun. I am happy for Pie and Sovereign and Foggy. I think there are good things to come for the three of them.
Here is a funny video Maizie made of the horses this morning. Foggy throws three crazy bucks at the very end of it. Turn your sound down - loud buzzing noise - ouch!

24 comments:

  1. That is so amazing and exciting - congratulations! You might want to consider treating him for ulcers - many racehorses have them and that could contribute to the "colicy" symptoms.

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  2. Thanks Kate - I didn't even think of that even though I do remember now you posting about ulcers and U-gard before. I am going to check it out - thanks!

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  3. Congratulations. That is great. I wish you the best with him. I'm sure the three of them will get along fine after they work out their relationships.

    Dan

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  4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! :-)

    Oh this is great, I am just SO excited and happy for you ALL!! :-) It will be wonderful reading about your family/herd!! Found in the Fog is a very fortunate horse to be with you all. I very much enjoyed the post about his coming Home. xo Best Wishes!!!!!

    Allison

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  5. Congratulations on such a great present. And Happy Brithday. Love the name "Found in the Fog" I'll enjoy reading about his progress and he looks like he'll fit right in with your other boys.

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  6. First, Happy Birthday!
    Second, somehow I just knew you would end up with Foggy!! I knew it!! I am so very excited for you and the horses!!
    I agree with Kate, Foggy could have an ulcer, definitely something to check out!! Which I know you will because you are an awesome horse owner!
    Can't wait to hear more stories about the new kid!

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  7. Best birthday present ever!

    I'm looking forward to reading about your budding relationship with the big guy.

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  8. omg!! I had a THOUGHT that your special exciting news was this but I didn't want to say in case it wasn't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yea!!!!!!!!!
    HAPPY Bday (somehow I thought I had missed it so this is my 2nd belated wish to you, lol!)and what a fun, fun present! I can't wait to hear all about Foggy's settling in. He's going to be a very special boy.

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  9. That is so awesome! I'm glad Foggy has a new forever home... and with "blood relatives" none-the-less! It makes me think of elephants. You know how elephants can be separated in the wild, live 30 years of domestication AND be reintroduced to their kin (after LONG separations) and still recognize one another as family?! Wouldn't it be funny if your Sovey knew his brother... was... his brother? :) Happy birthday to you.

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  10. Yay!!! I just knew you were going to work it all out. Can't wait to hear all of the stories. What fun :)

    Happy birthday Juliette!

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  11. Happy birthday. This is so exciting! I wondered if this was your news. When you found him back in Nov. it just seemed too perfect and coincidental for it not to come together when the time was right. I absolutely love his name. It evokes an image and rolls off the tongue :)
    You are acclimatizing him so well. Just as an aside, when I took Savanah to her first show she didn't pass manure until around 8:30 that night, and I got there late afternoon. I was really worried, but it must have been the same thing. Now shows don't bother her, or I wouldn't keep taking her (I never leave the barn for the night until she 'goes' though).
    Did you do your Stylish Blogger badge? I love it.

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  12. That is just sweet, plain and simple. And now whoever doesn't go for a ride will have company, that will be good!

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  13. Happy Birthday and Congratulations! what a lovely story! Its so nice that this beautiful horse can be saved by thoughtful owners!

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  14. Thanks everyone for following along with this exciting turn of events!

    Carol - I did make my own Stylish Blogger Award. I painted that fun retro woman from a sewing pattern a few years ago. My painting sold on etsy, but I used her to make the badge!

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  15. How exciting, looks like he'll fit right in:) Love the name too. Those bubbles are dust, had them in a few photos the other day when I photographed at night with a flash in the indoor arena.

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  16. Congratulations -- I too had a feeling you were "meant" to end up with this cutie as yours! Looking forward to hearing about your adventures.

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  17. Happy Birthday, one to remember forever! Great news for all of you!!

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  18. Happy Birthday!

    I think ilt's so great Foggy has a wonderful new home and you're just tickeled to death. That's the way it should be.

    I don't know how Foggy trailers but some horses poop lots when they're trailered. They just seem to empty out the back part of their gut. Those horses that do that take a while to poop again because they've cleaned out their system in that process. It's good to know when you have one of those horses because then you don't stress when they don't poop that first twelve hours at the show or whatever.

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  19. Jules~Oh this is so exciting!! Happy Horsey Birthday treat! Man..is He the best gift ever!
    He was so darned funny kicking up his heals...get used to it..he is going to find that life is wonderful and beautiful..he will even become the farriers fav, once he realises that you and yours are FOR him and he has a more acknowlegement than ever!

    I just ordered Wa some more "Bee pollen" from "Springtime Inc." it's write up mentioned and noted help for stomach ulcers. I'm sure he has calmed considerably so by now too.Hope he is behaved for the de-shoeing.

    Oh...can't wait to hear more of how all is going..praying for warmer times there for you all!
    Kac

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  20. Happy Birthday to you!! You have gotten the bestest present ever! BUT then again, so has Foggy go be living with you! Three geldings now! Three is a magic number! I have been hoping to read this very post in your blog! I am tickled tickled tickled! THIS IS SUCH GREAT, HAPPY NEWS!!!! Can I also say that the name Foggy is so cute! I love reading about the rapt spectators! That does not surprise me one bit! All four eyes watching curiously! I bet they will settle into a sweet trio sooner rather than later...that is as soon as you mingle them. I find it so CURIOUS that Foggy still has all those shoes on. Isn't that so interesting? I think his story is so fascinating. Oh this is so wonderful.

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  21. PS
    I am so very happy that Foggy is Forever Found!

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  22. Also..right now, Laz has his littlest mini friend, Little Chief, and the BO's gelding, Sawyer may be joining their herd. So far, the exposure to the 3, is a great number and working out well! :) Everyone seems happy

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  23. Juliette, Oh, congratulations on getting Foggy! That is just wonderful news! I'm glad his first night "colicky" behavior wasn't too bad; I know what you mean about celebrating when you finally see a horse poop! It means everything is working well- so hurray! The first few days/weeks can be a bit nerve-wracking; but it seems he is slowing settling in well. Congrats again!

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  24. I am so very happy for you!!! What a gorgeous boy and it's wonderful that you were able to make a commitment to him. It sounds like he had good owners, too, to recognize that the right home was worth waiting for :) Congratulations--he's a gorgeous horse, much like your other two!!

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