Shadow's Back for Good!

"We got a new addition to the family", Kelly announced to me one afternoon while he was busy doing something in the pasture and I was on my daily afternoon walk. I shrugged went back to my business but at the back of my mind I was thrilled thinking "great Steph's finally pregnant". Wrong! After Kelly finished his work he drove his four wheeler in front of me and said Shadow's (his horse) coming home and after a brief talked he told me he's on his way to get him.

Thirty minutes later Kelly called me at home and told me he got Shadow at the pasture. He asked me if I wanted to get out of the house to see him. I hurriedly head outside to see Shadow back home and was shocked to see two horses. So we got Shadow and Little Joe as the newest addition to our growing family. I've never seen Shadow before but my husband talked alot about him especially when Kelly was still in active duty in Iraq. Shadow's their baby. Two years ago he sold it to one of his buddies who apparently got a dozen other horses. NC weather this year has been so dry that the drought has not produced enough stock of hay plus it has become too expensive so Shadow was given back to Kelly.

I've never been around or near any horse back home. Now that I have new additions to our ever growing family and keep me company these horses are a delight to see them chewing on the grass and look at me while I do my usual rounds (actually walk) in the afternoon. I even volunteered to Kelly that I'l feed him every morning. As usual my ever "doubting thomas" husband said how can I feed them when I stay late in bed everyday plus I'm a scary cat. He's correct though it's a big responsibility caring for 6 young'uns under my wings (two grandbabies Colby and Colton, two beagle puppies Oscar and Fred, and two horses Shadow and Lil' Joe). It's a hard fact that our family is getting bigger every now and then.

The last three days I 've given them his horse treats. I was thrilled when he took the treats on the palm of my hand and nibble on it like crazy. We bonded, now everytime I call his name he comes near me. Horses are the gentlest animals I've known but if you're not careful they'll buck and you'll get hurt. My husband has given me some instructions on how to feed them or get inside the "wired" fence. I seriously took it by heart because I've heard horror stories of broken limbs or accidents involving these gentle creatures.

Then realization hit me, I've never dream in my life I'll be living in a country almost like a farm or to bluntly put it live life like old retirees (still too young for that) around animals. We got squirrels, deers, rabbits, racoon, beaver, fox (never seen one tho'), possum, and every animal in the movie "Barnyard" plus all these birds that I've only seen or read in the books. Oh what a simple joy all these numbnuts could give to a weary soul like me. I felt invigorated just talking about them, who said country living is no fun eh!