Sunday......no day of rest for us

Up early.....feed hay, clean paddocks, clean stalls, clean barn...wipe counters down, throw some gravel on the driveway where it is slippery......10 o'clock and I am finally done.
I go home, shower, jump in the truck and go to pick up some donated items......go home unload them and meet Kim at the barn at 1 pm.

We hook up the horse trailer, move the filly....go get gas in the truck.....and we are on the road. Out to Rainer to pick up the new guy.

The new guy.........

We get to Yelm and load him up. He gets right in. Quiet and sweet dispostion. Thin. Shod....scars on his poll and over his eyes, scars around his right hind. Walks sound. Reported to "fall on his knees" every once in a while. Hmm. Maybe a wobbler. Maybe neurological damage.... we don't know. I have not yet seen him take a strange step. The gal who has had him a few days trots him around...he trots sound. I guess we shall see. He is very dirty. He smells. He is depressed. He rides quietly..we stop to eat and we check on him, he is busy with his feed bag. He is not sweaty or nervous. He obviously has been hauled a lot. He doesn't utter a sound until we get to the feed store and he hears us rustle the feed sacks. Then we hear a low nicker from the trailer. We open his window and he is adored by the feed store employees. Then we head home. He unloads with proper manners and remains quiet as we walk him around. We put him in the filly's Noble shelter and he goes right to the business of eating. The other horses call to him but he doesn't answer....he wants to eat.

We go about our business feeding and cleaning, he comes out to take a long drink of water and look around a bit.....then goes back to eating.

This is a five year old gelding. A Storm Cat grandson on the sires side, an Alydar grandson on the dams side. His sire is Giant's Causeway. Big time money......so how does a horse like this end up in a place like .......well, the Enumclaw sale yard?
A 50,000 dollar horse becomes a 200 dollar throwaway. Is it because of an accident? He had export papers.....he was training up until last May. What happened and who dumped him? We know who dumped him.....but we won't say it out loud ....yet. I have some more investigating to do and then I will say.

We have named him Vinnie. Short for vindication.
We hope that Vinnie is okay and if not, we have spared him a long trip on the slaughter bus. Part of our job, part of our heartbreak at times.....part of our souls.

Vinnie got a brand new blanket tonight.......I splurged on him, so he could be warm and dry.....so he could feel safe.

Mr. Jimenez.....we would like to speak to you.......and you know why.

Well, it has been a long day. I am off to bed. I offer you sweet dreams and a peaceful slumber.

Pony Up Fortune for tomorrow:

Lead by example and follow with compassion.