TRANQUILITY is what all of us were feeling, here in Michigan, on a
sunny spring day. It was the type of day when the grass was a bright,
new, fresh green. The trees were bursting with buds ready to break
into blossom, absorbing all the sun's rays that they could. The mares
were also welcoming the Spring after a hard Winter.
Winter months seemed to really take their toll on the older mares. The
old girls (the "geriatrics group") bonded together. To help each other
through difficult Winter days and nights, they formed very close
feelings for each other. Now, with the onset of Spring, they were the
first to soak in the sun's warmth. Fresh grass was appearing almost
overnight, in a green carpet of nourishment that the older mares knew
was a great source of food to revitalize old joints and bodies,
repairing what Winter had ravaged.
The old mare, Raspberry, was very fortunate, and had conceived while
several of her "geriatric buddies" had not. One in particular, named
"Preferred Time," had never experienced this before. Every year she
was bred, and delivered a wonderful baby (well, at least she thought
it was) and she was the mother of three young mares in the herd. Now,
at the ripe, young age of 20, she decided to have a false pregnancy,
coming to milk and everything . . . except, no baby. Depressed, she
resigned herself to encouraging her friend, Raspberry, as she,
herself, was put in the main herd of mares.
By now, the geriatrics group had been divided. The pregnant mares,
ranging in age from maiden to the 22 year-old Raspberry, were in a
group awaiting their bundles of joy.
Blind in one eye, and with limited sight in the other, Raspberry had
always produced fillies (daughters) and she had never had a son. On
warm, sunny days, she could be seen talking across the fence with
mares in the adjoining pasture. After a while, she was missing. But,
three days later, she appeared, proudly showing off her first son (a
colt).
Since the beginning, he was quite an adventurous fellow, wearing his
poor mom out trying to keep up with him. Outside, in the paddock,
where the two newborn foals were being frisky and trying out their
new-found legs, it was no different, as they marveled (almost shocked
at first) as to how young horse legs really worked.
The two newborns were as different as their color. The dark bay filly
was very vocal, extremely exotic and ultra-feminine. Her strict and
demanding mother allowed her to run, kicking up her heels as she
headed for a nose dive, and taught her how to stop in time so she
didn't bounce off the fence. But, upon her mom's command, she always
had to come quickly to her mother's side and peek out at the world
from behind her mom's long silky tail. Every attempt to visit with the
main herd was met with her dam (mother) intercepting her advance by
using her strong body to guide her away from danger. Mother was very
insistent, and the filly learned fast, but, most of the time, she was
lying flat out in the paddock just soaking up the warm and nurturing
sun ... close to her protective mom.
The colt was a long-legged Chestnut with a lot of chrome (white
markings) and he was very masculine. He was bold, always running and
crashing into things or losing his balance. At three days old, he
still hadn't mastered those strong, long legs, as he plowed into the
fresh, new grass or whatever caused him to tumble. He would just stand
up, shake his proud head, and off he'd go again with old Raspberry
following along, worried and asking him to please be nice and stay
near her. After all, he was just a baby. He had a lot to master, and
she was there to protect him as well as nurture him so he could grow
into the handsome stallion that he was destined to be.
But he had a whole, new world to explore! Like a typical
head-strong colt, he felt that his mom was just holding him back.
Didn't she know that he was born the same night as this troublesome,
constantly-talking filly that was sharing the paddock - and, after
all, he was the only boy!! The colt didn't realize that his mom,
grand old girl of the farm, was blind in one eye, didn't get around as
quickly as she used to, and that she was always a doting mom who let
her foals just walk all over her. Raspberry showered him with love and
affection. After all, this was her only boy, all the others were
fillies, and he was, most likely, her last baby.
On this special day, except for the old girl trying to keep up with
her son, it was beautiful, warm, sunny and fresh. All was well in the
horse world, and almost half the herd was lined up along the shared
fence admiring the new babies and talking to the new mothers.
Secretly, most of them were hoping they could steal one just for
themselves.
Eventually, the entire herd came by, paying their respects to the
mothers and welcoming the new arrivals from across the fence line. The
filly (being very vocal) was answering them all, wanting to go over
and personally greet them. But, her mother sensed danger, and she
would not allow her daughter to get too close, always passing in front
of her precious girl, moving the baby away in another direction, and
scolding her severely. The boy, however, really enjoyed this
attention. Like the filly, he could not see very well at this young
age. It would take about ten days for their eyes to mature. Until
then, the babies could see things moving around them, but they
couldn't really see any details. This really didn't matter to him,
though. Raspberry's colt figured these big, friendly mares were there
for him and he must get to know them!
So ended the Tranquility of the day!!
TRAGEDY
Kelly, who was doing morning chores, had spent some time watching the
foals as they learned about their new freedom and wide-open space.
With her love of animals, Kelly knew each of the horses by name. Over
many years, she had seen this herd through the bad times as well as
the great ones. Foaling was her favorite time of all. Marveling at
birth (herself, the mother of eleven children) she loved watching the
newborns exploring life in their own way. This morning was no
different, and Kelly found herself watching until an urgency to finish
the chores began to bother her, and the foals were now lying flat-out,
soaking in the sun.
Raspberry screamed out a warning, coupled with a demand, to get out of
that fence and come back! Her colt had found a small hole near an old
post, and the mares on the other side were calling to him. Unaware of
the potential danger, he continued pushing his way through the fence.
Next thing Kelly knew, Raspberry was screaming. She rushed to the
paddock just in time to see the colt push himself through the fence -
to join the main herd!
Yelling for help, Kelly saw the colt running frantically along the
once-protective fence, with a group of mares chasing after him. Each
mare was determined that he was going to be hers, not realizing that
he would most likely be kicked or trampled by the very ones fighting
over him.
Kelly dashed over the gate and ran for the colt as he came at a
frightened run with the mares in hot pursuit. Kelly threw herself at
the colt as he flashed by. Yes, she was able to grab him - and,
holding on tightly, she tried shoving him toward the gate, where his
mother was running around the paddock, searching and calling for her
precious son. Kelly's heart was pounding and the adrenaline was
rushing. Just a few yards more and the colt would, once again, be
safe.
Just then, Kelly was back-sided and fell plunging to the ground! A
couple of mares had decided to run "this human" over. She was standing
in their way! Desperately, Kelly tried hanging on to the baby. With
horses pushing and shoving her from the back, she fell, like a bug
being ground into the dirt.
The colt was running for his life with almost half of the herd in
pursuit! Leaping to her feet, yelling for help, Kelly opened the gate,
hoping for Raspberry to come to the rescue. But, half-blind Raspberry
was searching frantically in the paddock that she was accustomed to -
not realizing that her son was in a fight for his life . . . somewhere
else.
Kelly started to run down the half-mile pasture, hoping that the herd
would turn around and come back towards her. If only they would, she
could catch the frightened colt again. Suddenly, she choked back a
sob. The colt had gone down! The herd was running over him!
Just then, Ron appeared, trying to lend a helping hand. Ron had been
working in the farm office, when he heard thundering hooves. Alerted
by Kelly's cries for help, he arrived just in time to see a cloud of
dust. In horror, they both watched as the colt staggered to his feet.
He was up and running again! But, he was running away from them!
The far end of the pasture loomed very near.
Surely the fragile colt would be cornered and trapped! More and more
mares joined in the chase. In a massive snowball of horse flesh, the
herd was growing in size - aiming right for the colt!
Kelly and Ron weren't ready for what they were about to see. A
beautiful colt, loved by everyone, was lost. A beautiful new life,
snuffed out so early. Neither of them was ready for the scene that
would always be with them, no matter how many new foals were born or
how many years went by.
TRIUMPH
Back in the paddock, Raspberry was still running around, searching for
her son. Slowly, all sense of hope lost, Ron and Kelly approached the
mass of milling horses, anticipating what they didn't want to see.
Pushing their way through the mass of horses, dreading what they were
sure to find, they asked, "Why, oh, why do things like this happen to
youngsters?"
As the dust settled, the colt's lifeless body was nowhere to be found.
But the herd was still moving. Backed up under a giant oak tree,
growing in the fence line - and surrounded by restless mares - was
Preferred Time.
There she was, tenderly embracing Raspberry's colt, keeping him safe
from harm, kicking any horse that dared to not heed her warning.
Her friend, with limited sight, needed her help. Preferred Time never
gave it a second thought. Her friend's son was in trouble, and she
needed to protect him.
Kelly and Ron could not believe their eyes. Here was a twenty-year old
matriarch, protecting her friend's son - keeping him safe from a
milling, thundering herd. She was prepared to fight, perhaps to her
last breath, to save a colt that wasn't even hers.
Preferred Time was glad to see them. She allowed Ron to wrap his arms
around the colt and lift him, but the squirming colt was heavy!
Carrying him back to the barn wouldn't work. Somehow, the colt would
have to walk by himself - and the barn was a half-mile away!
Would Raspberry's colt follow them? Would he follow Preferred Time, as
if she were his own mother?
With strong maternal instinct, the great mare nickered to the colt,
reassuring him that all was well. Gently, she nudged him forward.
Suddenly, several young mares came close. Once again, Preferred Time
laid back her ears and they shied away.
With Kelly in front and Ron guiding the colt, Preferred Time held off
the other horses and they began the long walk back home.
Upon their arrival to the barn, and in the security of her stall,
Raspberry quickly nuzzled her son. Her sweaty, swollen udder was
waiting to provide the nourishment and security that he so needed
after his adventure.
By the next morning, Raspberry's colt was ready to take on the world
again. Raspberry could be seen soaking in the sun's rays, talking with
her buddy, Preferred Time, across the newly-repaired fence.
As long as there are horses who give willingly of themselves, with no
regard to their own well-being, doing what needs to be done for their
fellow friends, I feel honored to be a part of their wonderful world
with all its great Society standards. I am so thankful that, every
day, they teach us - in their own, gentle way - how simple and easy
our human life should be.
Once again, Tranquility came to the farm.
Canada's Guide to Dogs
