I love her so very dearly, but at the same time, I felt such an agonizing pain. I didn't have the strength to give her all she deserves. A Dark shadow was cast not only on me, it sailed on to Venda's life as well. And it did so only because the darkness I fell into was so deep.
Don't get me wrong. She was doing quite well. She had company from a little bit older mare which I hoped was giving her some comfort and discipline. Sadly the two didn't become the best of friends though.
I wanted her to have a horsey friend to play with so I put Viikari, fairly young and playful gelding to stay with them while outside. That didn't go well. Viikari decided Venda must die.
She had all but a friend. The darkness just kept getting deeper while I was getting more and more desperate to find a friend for her. I didn't feel like having another horse. I wanted the quit the whole stable "business". I couldn't fill the one and only empty stall. It was Vipsu's. No one else's. But I had to see through the darkness, further away from my grief. I made a promise and I had to keep it.
Finding the right friend wasn't easy. I was getting hysterical and fearing Venda would die too. I was sure someone wanted her dead as well. I feared she wasn't safe at home. I was afraid I couldn't do anything right. Then I go the most surprising suggestion. A timeout.
It wasn't what I had planned, but it felt like the best possible compromise. Venda would be hidden from all evil, she would be safe. If nothing else, from me. Under professional supervision. So close, she was almost at home. And she would have a friend.
The decision was made fairly quickly. I went to see the place, meet the people and her possible new friend. I was sold. Venda would get a chance to grow without the shadows hovering around her. Most of all, her friend was the same age as she was.
When the two first met it wasn't quite the love story I was hoping for. But after few months those two were inseparable.
It wasn't all fun 'n games for Venda. It was also time for her preschool. She had first training done at home, but it got more intense. First, they practiced like we did at home, driving without the sulky. She wasn't the easiest of foals to train but eventually, she was pulling the sulky like a pro.
I couldn't be more proud. She's such a brave kid. If something is a bit scary she still goes ahead rather than running away. She runs around the racetrack with bigger horses running around her not minding them.
It would've been too easy if everything went well. Venda had stayed at the boarding school for few weeks when her wolf teeth were removed. A few days later she had colic. I stayed with her, cursing what had I done. Putting her somewhere else, not looking after her like I should. Gladly she was feeling much better the next day.
During the spring months, we attended two shows. The first show was unofficial, we went there just for the experience. Our plan was to shine in the official one. Oh well...
Venda wasn't feeling like showing off her moves. Trot at least. She gave the judges moves alright, if trying to kick the judge is a move. After that, she was bouncing around rather than running nicely.
After the first episode with the kicking, I was certain she was going to get eliminated from the show but surprisingly no.
Since she wasn't feeling like walking and trotting wasn't happening she got a poor score on those two (6/10).
Venda was the first foal to be shown, I guess that was the worst possible spot. If she had little more time to hang at the ringside, she probably did a bit better, but you never know.
After battling two shows through with the wild horse our little angel turned into, I decided that was it. She's a racehorse, not a show horse. Next time we'll go to a show is when she's being registered to a studbook and her trot can be judged on the racetrack.
Otherwise, her scores were good: Type 8/10, body 8/10, hooves 8/10, feet 7/10. I'm glad they didn't score behavior this time.
- J
"The brightest flame casts the darkest shadow." George R.R. Martin / A Clash of Kings
No comments
Thanks for your toughts!