Part 2

 Part 2:

Z had a seizure. Huge, terrifying, flew backwards, flipped over backwards, convulsed for a minute to the point that Jessie thought she'd broken her own back, seizing. And.. then didn't know where her front feet were for another 10 minutes. And then, never regained her happy-go-lucky attitude. WE worked her for for everything curable, which wasn't much- EPM, metabolic stuff, etc. Nothing. Mare was perfectly healthy, and on physical, had mild ataxia. But was very depressed, and just... off. We made the decision to put her down, and she was laid to rest the week after Fancy. Logan and I went up and stayed to the very end. 

Happy Fucking Thanksgiving to us. Putting Fancy down was a planned decision- one I'd been kicking over for a while and one I don't regret because it was best for her. Z.. had to be done, but I really liked that little mare. I was so excited to see what she wanted to do. My heart hurts thinking about them.

So... We're down to Vera at home with Luna, and Sherwood staying up in VT, because Lynn agreed to take her on a permanent breeding lease with the idea that I'd take the first filly. Perfect. I am excited about that match, and hope Lynn gets a few really nice foals out of her. She apparently is thriving up there in her all-bay mare herd, and just in the New Year, has been moved in with Artie to start the process of letting her adapt to the idea of "breeding"- since last time, she got so anxious, she dove under the fence to get away from him. Hilarious, but poor Sher. Such an anxious girl. 

And... we all know that in grief, I love to shop. Just.. do anything to get my mind off what's going on. 

So, I glanced at the Sold By Sunday sale, where Hagan Saddlebreds was selling off their cull weanlings, and just happened to see a pair of stud colts with... insane bloodlines. Old school, big boned, hot bloodlines. A super fancy chestnut and a big plain bay colt. I asked Jessie if I was right in thinking these two may just be the Rosetta Stone of Saddlebred sporthorses, and.. Jessie and I agreed to buy them together. We got them for a steal compared to what the rest of their siblings were going for- like.. 1/2 the next expensive, with one little filly going for $20k+! She took the chestnut "HS Twenty One Hank", and I took the bay "HS Twenty One Winston" because she had a chestnut she loved as a kid and we all know my obsession with bays, and we promptly renamed them HS Artistic Expression and HS Gotham Revolution. Meet "Kimber", the newest member of One Birch Farm. When Logan and I headed down to WV to look at properties, we just.. took the trailer and headed into KY to pick the two babies up. And drove them back to Maine, where Jessie has been getting them less feral and more mannerly. So, although November/December was not my favorite time period, we actually managed to inject some good into it. 

And.. everything was quiet for a couple months. The house appraised for far less than expected, so.. we nixed the refinance and continued on with renovations to finish the inside. The mudroom and master bedroom got tackled, and they are currently in the process of being finished. We have floors down in the mudroom and bedroom, and I'm working on painting all the things. 

And... here comes 2022. I had COVID 12/31/21 and stayed home for 2 weeks because I was exhausted. Then got back on my feet and started working Vera pretty consistently, with some really good progress. 

February starts off with a shitshow. I went out in the AM to feed, and Luna and V were feeling really good after the big snowstorm, so they were all sorts of UP, and Luna trotted into her run-in, where I heard her slip, fall, and get right back up. I checked in on her and noticed she wasn't putting any weight on her L hind. So.. figured she needed to just hang out for a minute and let it stop stinging. Until 15 minutes later, she still hadn't gone out to eat and I noticed she was breathing rapidly and shaking. I called the vet immediately- nothing on XR below her stifle, so.. banamine and see how she does. If no better, get to Tufts on Thursday. It's Monday, mind you. 

I head to work, super late because I had to call the vet, and go into the OR to close a case. I get out and have.. so many messages on my phone. Long story short, I zoom home and Lauren, Ronnie (Luna's owner), and I get Luna on the trailer with much less fuss than anyone thought, and Hank, Logan, and I drive her up to Tufts. On the camera, she slid to the ground but wasn't struggling about 10 min out from Tufts. And when they opened up the trailer, she was dead. On necropsy, she had shattered her pelvis and one of the shards had displaced and cut an artery- she bled out internally on the trailer ride. 

To say that I'm having a bad week is.. accurate. V pined for days, and I just.. feel awful. 

Things are better now, but.. well, I hope 2022 comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb, but.. I have a feeling it might just be another shitshow of a year.