The Weaning of Tahoe and Roxy's Back with the Herd

The day finally came....Tahoe was ready to leave his mumma and Roxy needed to get back to normal. I had mixed emotions as I headed out into the paddock to catch them. I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do but human emotion always thinks like a human, and a little part of me felt like I was tearing a mother and son apart.

I haltered them up and sat and waited for my friend Christine to come and help me. I gave them both big cuddles and told Roxy she had done a great job but it was time to go.

Christine came out and took Tahoe behind the shed and I took off with Roxy. I was expecting her to plant her feet and not move and basically have an argument with me but she walked along like she was happy to go. There was no noise from Tahoe, but Roxy's adopted sons Ted and Neville weren't pleased, and called out to her as we headed down the hill.

Roxy was all ears and at one point did stop and plant her feet but with minimal coaxing we were on our way again.

We got to the paddock and the rest of the herd were looking from the top of the hill. When I let her go she took a moment and then took off in the direction of Tahoe. She reached the fence line and said hello to the horses in the next paddock. After a few more moments she looked back at me and then came cantering back to check in ....she still loved me and it was nice that she came back for some reassurance. After that Roxy did quite a few laps of the paddock whinnying out and getting a bit worked up but nothing silly. Quite soon she realised that the call from the opposite side of the paddock was her old paddock mate Choc. She made her way over there and seemed pleased to find a familiar friend.

I left Roxy to settle in and headed back to see how Tahoe was doing. True to form he was doing pretty much nothing...no crazy galloping along the fence line, he just seemed a little confused.

It was done. The end of a chapter and the beginning of another.

That evening I went back to check on Roxy and she was still on the side of the paddock with Choc but she was also getting to know the new horses. Which includes Monty and her baby Nugget as well as some of the other horses belonging to the Wild Waler Women, Rose and Lola. Unfortunately she also decided to spend some time with crazy Carnie who almost ran me over, but I think she has moved on from that.

The next day she looked a bit more relaxed despite losing some weight overnight it seems. Later that afternoon she was hanging around the yards with Rhonda, Leah and Lucy and getting some cuddles from Leah.

Tahoe is doing fine and has Ted, Neville, Tully, Sheeba and Dawn for company and to help put him in his place, he is truly a remarkable little foal. I may have a home for him too but I am not sure yet, you never count your chickens with these things.

All there is left to do now is feed and settle Roxy and wait for my non-self emptying saddle to arrive and then I will get back to work with her, as well as getting Monty fit. Who I might add did a great job yesterday with some hill work.

Monty's foot has healed extremely well and although she will have a hole in her hoof until it grows out it all looks good for her.

Until the next installment...happy riding!

Lorrie

xx