Memories

I was just chatting with my baby sister about Streak and how most people do not give animals credit for being as intelligent as they are. Streak has had me worried the past few days....he has been "off", but no fever, has gut sounds, feet are not hot....just "off" and I could not figure out why. That is until last night. I went out to feed and Nolan and Paddy were destroying the round bale (they must paw at it, pull hay onto the ground and then eat). While they were doing this, Streak was standing with his head hung over the neighbor's fence. He had the saddest expression on his face and then it hit me what was wrong. My neighbor "foals out" mares for her clients and keeps the mares and foals until the foals are a few months old. Well, she has been breeding several of the mares back to her stallion and the mares and foals are being shipped back home. Streak, while he is a gelding, has a very protective nature....he loves to "mother" foals and is always happiest when there is a foal around for him to protect. As Jenn puts it "he has a big heart" and it is breaking now that his "babies" are leaving.

Streak has been in my life since I was 19. Through the years we have had the chance to click, to bond like only a few horse / human partnerships have. For so many, horses are horses and are traded for a newer model or for a model that will do whatever they are wanting to do at the time. For me, my boys are my family. I cannot imagine life without them.

Jenn is several years younger than I am. When she was a teen, I tried to be a positive influence on her. I drug her out to the barn more times than she wanted to go. I would, also, play little tricks on her. LOL On more than one occassion, I would give Streak a bath, roach his mane, and cover him in show sheen. Then go pick up Jenn and take her to the barn....and laugh my butt off. I'd encourage her to get up on Streak bareback so that she could work on her "balance". If you know show sheen, then you know it says "do not use in saddle area". Poor Jenn never had a chance. On our way to the barn, she would always want to stop for a Mello Yello (do they still make those?)...one for her and one for Streak. She had him addicted. Well one day she gave Streak his as soon as she walked in the pasture...he took his, turned it up and guzzled it down. Jenn laughed and proceeded to walk towards the barn, only to hear Streak running after her....he might have finished one, but Jenn still had one in her hand and he was determined that he would get that one too. He chased her into the tack room and had her cornered (of course I was no help, I was laughing so hard I was trying not to pee on myself). He would not let her out of the tack room until she relented and gave him her Mello Yello. Poor fella was cut off after that. LOL

Thank you Jenn for bringing up this memory and for being such a wonderful sister. I am truly blessed not only for the boys in my life, but for having you as a sister and having had you share in so many of my memories with Streak.