Johnny

This is a continuation of stories below.....

Johnny talked to Ed and I like we knew what he was talking about, all the famous horses names, who's who's daddie, purses won, etc..etc.. and always so enthusiastically it was contagious. I learned why the horses are breed back right away after delivery and that a horses gestation is 345 days, all I could say is OMG!

I started to visit the other horses as well and would pet them and give them treats. "Anymore" was very spunky and I received several bites from her. She loved for you to play with her and I know Ed and I looked liked fools running the fence line and her following. Derby was growing and so were his teeth, he was a bitter and anytime you got close to him he took a nibble.

I had a girlfriend visiting me for a week and brought her to Johnny's to see the horses, he did not come out but I did not think anything of it. The house seemed too quite, I did not hear his little dog or anything. A few days later passing by his house I saw different cars in his driveway. One evening we went up to see the horses and someone was there mowing the lawn. His neighbor Olivia told us Johnny was in the hospital. He had been repairing his roof and fell off, broke his pelvis had a concussion and a small brain bleed. A neighbor saw him lying in the yard and called for help. I remember calling him at the hospital that evening, but was not sure if he knew who I was. We came up every evening and helped Olivia feed and water. Johnny returned home about a month later. His friend Julie came to stay with him and help take care of him. He had to use a wheelchair because of the fractured hip, he was not a good patient! He did not like to be told what to do and was extremely stubborn. Julie was also a horse trainer so she looked after the horses too. I think Johnny lasted about a week in that wheelchair and was out mending fences sitting in a lawn chair the next week. It took him a little while but he really did bounce back pretty good, although it took more of a toll than I knew at the time.

During this time "Derby" was being weened. Since Artic was in foal again the nursing colt would start depleting what the Mare needed for the foal within. Since Julie was still in residence she started working with Derby in the stall with leading and such. I always loved to watch my favorite colt and was proud of his little accomplishments.

.....more to come