Life goes on

Early this evening Silas was buried beside his mother on a small hilltop overlooking the valley below us. I like to look out there now and imagine them, side by side, admiring the view. Debi always was a great watcher of things, when she wasn't eating that is, and Silas always enjoyed stealing moments to stop and look across the paddocks when we took him for his walks.

Because we wish to take a financial and somewhat emotional break from breeding for a short while, I have arranged for my older girls to be leased out in foal. Hooty was bred a little over a fortnight ago, to Reilly, and today the vet scanned her and confirmed she is carrying a healthy 16 day foetus. We will scan again at 42 days to ensure she has retained the pregnancy.

Bella was served on Thursday and is running with Reilly. We had to take Grace, the outside mare, away as she was refusing to allow Reilly to serve Bella and we have thus named her 'The Puritan' (thanks Karen) as she is a maiden and point blank refused to be served when she cycled after arriving last week, even after meeting Mr Twitch and Ms Intravenous Sedative! Next time around I get to introduce her to Master Hobbles - that will learn her!!! Maude was cycling late this week and will be bred to Reilly on her next cycle.

Grace - 'The Puritan'

From Silas

I hope when you read this you will feel, as I do, like a weight has been lifted and your heart has been set free.

I have just galloped across a field of red clover towards the most majestic black mare, my mum. She has called to me and I now I can answer her calls - the pain has gone and I am where I am supposed to be, maybe a little late, as I was expected but now, I have arrived and there is just a shining golden bridge between me and my beautiful ethereal mum.

As I look behind me I see the faces of my human family and I wish they would not cry because I am happy now, happier than I have ever been. I know so many people tried so very hard to help me and your love and caring made my time on earth as good as it could possibly have been but now I am here I realise that this is all I ever wanted - I am free to run and jump and play like I never could and it feels utterly wonderful.

Please understand if my human mum does not want to talk about my leaving. I know, even though it was the right thing, it was very hard for her and my human dad to let me go as they always told me how much they wanted me to stay. But it was my time and I asked to go.

My mum is calling me to run over the bridge, I must not keep her waiting much longer but, before I go, I want to thank you all for being there for my human mum and dad and for helping make my life on earth a time filled totally and completely with love.

Ohhhh she smells so good, my mum, and she's so warm and so soft and she tastes so sweet. I really need to go now, we have some catching up to do. I will never forget you and what you all did for me. Thank you.

RIP Sweet Silas - Forever & ever in our hearts

All our love Louise, Nick, Amy & Christina

xxx

Our three foals = triple trouble

These are pretty random short clips that I took today. Silas is SO nawty tho!!!

Sorry about lack of updates

Firstly, I know lots of you want to keep abreast of how things are with Silas so I am very sorry I have not updated you in the last 48 hours. There has not been much to report as things are pretty much the same - He has good moments and bad moments so not a lot has changed in that respect. He's feeding well but still struggling with his numerous limb issues and sometimes needing a little help to get to his feet. He's off the antibiotics now but still on the NSAIDs and we just keep on doing what we can.

Today I will make up a comfrey poultice and we have some new bedding plus I also have an old gypsy herbal concoction coming, all of this is coming from a lovely member of the lifestyleblock community who is as keen to see Silas get better as we are.

The birthday girl

So, OMG, in the weekend I threw my very first ever children's bday party. Granted there were only half a dozen children but even so, it was quite terrifying! Turns out I stressed and worried for nothing as it all went off without a hitch but gawd it was HOT and I think I sweated off at least 1kg, lol! Of course I made up for that by eating about 1kg worth of sugar laden goodies. When in Rome ...

I thought I would share some pix. My mum bought Amy an adorable little party dress and some costume jewellery (the jewellery came from the Sally Army store) so she looked quite the picture. She has a few friends at kindy but one in particular is her very special friend, her 'boy'friend and the two of them are virtually inseparable. It's adorable to watch them interract and they make quite a pair. Anyway, a great day was had by all and aside from both Amy and then me being sick late that evening (she was sick first, I followed, thanks to having to clean her up - erk!), we had a lot of fun.

The gang

Amy and Donny Guess what Amy got for her b'day from Mummy & Daddy Ready for some rays Sharing Princess? Poser

BJ gets to strut her stuff

BJ (Bijou) is a Hamish daughter and the survivor of a twin foaling experience. She's started getting out and about and her mum sent me these two pix of her competing over the weekend. How cute is she! She's only itty bitty (14.1HH) but nice things come in small packages!

Silas has been feeding well, for the most part, definitely on an upward plain (16 litres yesterday and the day before). He's been a little off his milk this morning but the heat is so oppressive, I think he is sulking about that! He's getting up pretty well but his near fore is now my biggest concern as it is obviously troubling him. It would kill us to get him through all of this only to have to make the very tough call because of nerve damage so we're looking into treating this as best we can. From what I have read however, it really is a time thing and either he will or he won't come right. Hopefully we have nailed the other issues (although the hock is still swollen and the stifle still a little stiff) so that will leave us with this to focus on primarily.

Today we gave him and Bados access to the race and, as I write this he is stood at the gate by the house singing to us. He is sure that, as a person, he should be inside with us as well and not out in a silly paddock full of grass!

Will move ponies and donkey to arena paddock today as they have nothing but dirt to eat at the moment and we are desperately trying to source some hay to tide us over until ours is cut next month or early January. The two ponies up the road are in a similar predicament with a lot of dirt and not a lot else and our last few bales of hay are not really fit for anything more than garden mulch! It sounds like we have found some hay as the lovely lady who will be leasing Bella off us for a Reilly foal has some spare and my good friend Jane has some spare mini balage bales which we can have as well. We should be ok - Silas loves balage!!