colic averted

maybe not, but my girl's instincts told her to get someone to look at that horse, laid out flat in its stall. she tried talking to it, but it wouldn't do more than swivel its ears.

mom, that horse is not okay.

c'mon, we have work to do

(i, all business when lives are at stake).

but mom,

later. c'mon.

he's laid out flat.

lots of horses lay out flat, i see it all the time.

but not in the stall.

i'll look in a minute.

and finished the stall i was nearly done with.

when i walked over to where she sent me, sure enough, he was splayed out and breathing pretty normal (what do i know?)

so i made some noise, looked in on him through the stall door, instead of just the feed bucket hole, he did not move. even when i was rumbling around. then, he lumbered up to folded legs and started to do what sounded like a fart, but his tail didn't move (see, my experience is paying off some), and then cough, then gasp. it was odd.

so i walk over to the next barn where the owner and a few others are huddled in conversation.

someone needs to come and look at this horse, my daughter said it is not acting normal.

the owner shoots off like a rocket for the stall, and i turn around and take the wheel barrow full up the ramp to the spreader.

manuer and shavings in the breeze when another man shows up, he asks about the horse and i direct him to the owner. who has entered the stall and gotten the horse haltered and up. she's on the phone when i walk by, and they are taking the horse out for a walk.

i didn't keep up with it, but when the owner passed by us at the far end of the barn (i was half hoping we weren't doing anything wrong), she asked my girl what happened.

my girl told her,

i tried to talk to him, but he just stayed there, and didn't move.

thank you.

THE OWNER thanked my girl.

and when she went by, i informed her i've bought my girl a small manuer pick (which was the source of so much consternation this past week) and that we'd be bringing it to and from, for her not to be concerned that it is not her small pick, but our own.

she explained again why she didn't want it used, and i understood the first time.

so i listened, and smiled, and she went on her way.

by the time we left, everyone had gone their ways, and i was sorry i couldn't go see bucky.

but in true form, i went to see him, though i probably shouldn't have. i know we are being watched and while i have no ill intent, i am not sure everyone believes that. (what could i possibly be up to shoveling poo, i simply don't know).

bucky was a muddy mess, so were many of the horses today, they seemed proud of their complete and total immersion in the outdoors.

but we got to see him, spent a few moments with him. and then went our way.

the hawk broke cover to let me know he was there, in the treeline. white belly glistening in the sun.

and i was grateful.