Missing in Action

[Literiding]

I’ve been missing in action — mainly do to poor health. I have some mystery ailment that has no test that confirms what is wrong with me. I’ve been struggling with caring for my horses and with the advent of COVID-19 decided it was time to get out of the horse care business. There are no traditional boarding barns in my area so as much as I regretted doing so, decided to sell both of my horses (a Friesian and a miniature companion who is oh by the way, a stallion). The decision became urgent when during a CT scan for stray kidney stones a mass was found and the radiologist evaluated it as malignant (after a month and a bunch of tests - it wasn't). Knowing that win lose or draw I was going to need some horse sitting help and my local feed store proprietor highly recommended a young lady. She is a student in a Virginia college in Equine Studies with a goal to be a classical dressage instructor. Both horses immediately took to her and she was ecstatic to care for Baroque horse. She went above and beyond the call of duty by taking me on several trips to the ER and several other medical facilities. I had three medical procedures two of which required general anesthesia. So I repaid her by paying for two lessons with my coach, an R rated dressage judge riding my Friesian. My coach was highly complementary of her knowledge and trainability. Of course the young lady fell totally in love with the horse who is extremely affectionate and just begs to be fooled with. Knowing that I was trying to rehome my horses, she immediately started dreaming of taking the Friesian to school in the fall. But such a horse was outside her families’ budget but I was impressed enough and thought that this would be a good home for the guys so I discounted the price to make the Friesian affordable with the proviso that the miniature horse would be part of the deal. So I was witness to some major wheeling and dealing in order to swing the deal. The major sticking point was boarding at school but she swung a deal with a friend she made last year and parents caved in. So I sold both of my horses to her last Tuesday. So now she is dreaming about showing up at school with a very good looking Friesian with her name on the registry papers. I’ve been helping here with some pointers on riding classically having had some very good classical instructors in the past. I told a friend that she looks like a very classical rider riding a very Baroque horse. So I’ve done my part for the future of dressage. So after keeping horses at home for 30 years and owning at least one horse for 40 years straight, I'm now horseless. My first horse was over 50 years ago and now I have none, so this is a major life change for me!

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[Rockabilly]

Your horse is beautiful and in reading what you wrote it all sounds kind of light hearted, but I know that can't be true. I think you're just trying to make the best of a tragic situation. Thinking of you.

[Canyon]

Literiding – I am sorry to read about your health issues. I hope you are on the road to improved quality of life. I’m glad that young lady was able to help you out and provide a good future for your beloved horses. I hope you find something new that is as meaningful as horses have been. I am waking up to the reality that I need to consider a life without horse ownership. Best wishes.

[Flight]

Sorry to hear about your health issues also, and it is great that you found a good home for your horses but it must be strange now having no horses. I know this is something that all of us will face at some point. That's a lot of years of horse experience, I hope you stay around here to share that with us.

[VBOpie]

So sorry you have had a rough time, but how lucky this situation worked out for your horses! Are you going to ride at all?

[heddylamar]

I'm sorry for everything you're going through, Literiding. But, what a wonderful find for your herd! Will you be keeping in touch with their new person?

[StraightForward]

I hope your health improves and you find some other pursuits to enjoy. Meanwhile, it looks like you've paid it forward and set your horses up with a great situation. She is sure to be the envy of the riding program at college!

[KathyK]

Echoing what those above have said, I'm sorry for the health issues that forced you to rehome the horses, but so glad you found a wonderful situation for them, and helped this young woman realize her dream. I hope your health issues are resolved and you can look ahead to the next chapter in you rlife.

[LeoApp]

It is jarring to be horseless after a lifetime of having them. It is how we define ourselves, I think. But it sounds like the outcome was the best of a bad situation. The two most important things are your health and having your horses land in a place where you know they are well cared-for a loved. Please keep us posted if you can and I hope your health issues are resolved sooner rather than later. Best wishes to you.

[Tarlo Farm]

Literiding, what a lifestyle change! I'm so glad it wasn't cancer, raising a glass to better health and the wonderful home you found for both your equine buddies - and the wonder of assisting another you - a passionate, compassionate, caring horsewoman! Well done, and get well!

[demi]

I’m sorry to hear that you are horseless, Literiding, but glad you found such a good home for them.

[Literiding]

A bit of an update. I’m not going to be specific this being the Internet and all.

But it seems that I have a very unusual systematic autoimmune disorder which has no blood test to diagnosis it, a sample of inflamed tissue has to be examined by a pathologist. The disorder didn’t even have an agreed upon name until 2011. To give you an idea of how unusual this disorder is, a 2011 study in Japan estimated the occurrence at 2.8 to 10.8 cases per million people. The rheumatologist who diagnosed me was awarded his speciality in rheumatology in 1986 according to the certificate in the exam room. I’m his third patient ever, his having previous experience is probably why he was able to identify the disorder. The order is so rare that he is strongly recommending I get a work-up from one of the big teaching hospitals - I think I’m going to go to Duke in Raleigh-Durham, NC. It was quite a odyssey to find this out. I’ve gone through five Primary Care Physicians (PCPs), two ENTs, two infectious disease specialists, and my current rheumatologist is the third one I’ve seen. I’ve had, no kidding, over a hundred blood tests. Current treatment is to inhibit one’s immune system which makes the current pandemic particularly dangerous to me. Thank-goodness for good government health insurance being a military retiree and on Medicare otherwise I’d be bankrupt.

The barn is empty and a very depressing place to visit with no one to say hi or ask for a bit more food. My Friesian was very social and many times in the middle of the day, he’d whinny at the back door to see if he could get me to come out and visit with him. The days are strange still, they use to always begin with morning feed and then end with evening feed and a finally stall cleaning. No more.

[Tanga]

Literiding Well, I'm glad you're getting somewhere, and I'm sorry the barn is so sad. Horses become such a major part of our lives, giving us purpose and keeping us moving.

If you don't mind, what is your issue? Just what you did sounds similar to what I went through, and then I just gave up, trying to find what issue was going on with my joints.

[Literiding]

Literiding Well, I'm glad you're getting somewhere, and I'm sorry the barn is so sad. Horses become such a major part of our lives, giving us purpose and keeping us moving.

If you don't mind, what is your issue? Just what you did sounds similar to what I went through, and then I just gave up, trying to find what issue was going on with my joints.

Sent you a PM.