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Praetorium Honoris

Monday, October 2, 2017

Grace

Three weeks ago, Sarge had a post on our four-legged Veterans which was slightly dust raising.  This picture from that post touched me significantly.
Source
As you may remember, Mrs Juvat and I are horse people (yes and Dog people and Cat People also).  We became horse people when we took on three horses as rescues.  

Cabernet and Merlot were rescued as colts from a breeding farm near Brenham that went bankrupt during the drought.  They were rescued by the Sheriffs department, thin as rails and near death.  An animal rescue organization nursed them back to health.  Mrs Juvat, being the kind soul she is, was reading through their newsletter one evening and decided that we needed them on our property.



So it is written, so it shall be.

They were a little timid stepping off the bus.

Cabernet is in front, Merlot is still in the trailer.

But they figured it out.

And pretty soon were exploring Rancho Juvat.

Never having owned a horse before, much less two, we needed some assistance.  So, the two went off to boarding school for a couple of weeks to learn some proper manners.

While that's going on, I'm in my easy chair one evening, perusing the paper and reading through the want ads.  I happen to notice an ad that says "Free Palomino Mare".  Upon further investigation, we find that the horse is owned by a couple of doctors who are on an extended mission trip in Africa and have decided that boarding a horse is not an effective use of their money.

So, we pay the boarding facility a visit.  The owner takes us out to meet Grace and as we walk up, she walks over, stares me in the eye for a minute then puts her head on my shoulder and gives a sigh.  The deal is sealed.

She showed up at Rancho Juvat a few days later and the Paints rejoin us.  Grace teaches them that the barn is their friend when it's raining or cold and that juvat will feed them, if they don't bite him.

As Grace was a bit older, she couldn't process hay as efficiently, so needed a bit more grain in her diet.  That necessitated, a daily stop on my way home from work to feed her and then come back and let her out of the stall when she was finished.  I've come to rely on that.  The cool thing about Grace is, that no matter how tense I was coming home from work, she'd just give me that little sigh and things would come back into perspective. I need that, frequently.

Unfortunately, She passed away peacefully Friday morning.  I know what the soldier in the painting felt like.
The tree in the center was her favorite spot.  That's where she'll be forever.

30 comments:

  1. Condolences Juvat. Sounds like Grace was a good horse.

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  2. Juvat, I am so sorry for your loss. She must have been really special.

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  3. Dad rescued a Golden Palomino mare when I was in high school. She was starved and left alone. After six weeks of good feed and kids, she didn't even resemble the same horse. Dad "bought" her from the abuser at the court hearing (judge insisted). She was a great horse, smooth in every gear. She could cut with the best of them.

    Neighbor shot her when she got out of the pasture and was standing next to his horse pen. Some people are just gut-eating, black hearted, crappy, evil beasts.... I may tell you what I really think some day.

    I'm glad you had some time with her. A horse is a special creature, a working relationship with one is something else.

    Take care, neighbor. I feel for you.

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    1. If a neighbor shot my horse, I wouldn't give long odds on that neighbor seeing another Thanksgiving. Accidents happen. Sometimes you run into a chainsaw when you're out in the South 40.

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    2. And were I on the jury, the acquittal verdict would take about 30 seconds.

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    3. STxAR, Pretty sure your description of the person who lived close to you isn't well described by the word "Neighbor". However, as this is a Family-ready blog, the proper description would not fit in.

      You are right about "special creature".

      Thanks

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    4. Speaking of jury, guess what I got in the mail Friday? Yeah, it was a heck of a day all round.

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  4. A great commentary on an aspect of life that not many will share. Thanks for sharing it with us. Sorry for your loss.

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  5. You are a bit dust making yourself. I'm sorry for your loss. The loss of a four-legged family member is as painful as the loss of any other family member.

    Paul L. Quandt

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  6. It is amazing how many times the 'rescue' animal ends up rescuing the owner. Sounds like Grace saved you and your wife a lot of negative time from you.

    And there really is something special, like Anne McCaffrey described in her Dragonrider series, when there is that instant bond between man and beast. I saw it when my wife got her service dog, dog just bee-lined right to her, lifted her head and stared into Mrs. Andrew's eyes. Instant bond. Almost audible. Shining halo light stuff.

    Sorry for your loss. I hope the two 'winers' learned elegance and poise from Ms. Grace, and can give you a similar centering feeling.

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    1. Yes, she did. For which I, and probably my wife, am eternally grateful.

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  7. That's an expensively charitable act, but good on you. Have you become riders? My in-laws did the same, but can't ride any of them since they're all lame or too wild. I can ride Fritz, because I look like dad-in-law, who has since passed, but the other two are just pasture ponies now.

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    1. Mrs. Juvat got up on all of them. I was advised not to due to previous neck injuries. So, I took care of the care and grooming duties, which, as I said, I found pretty relaxing. Not a lot of brainpower needed to muck a stall.

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  8. Agreeing with Paul here - room got kinda dusty for a bit. My condolences to you and your family. You can tell a lot about people's character by how they treat animals and how animals behave around them. May your grief be short and your good memories last forever.

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    1. Thank you. Hope so on the former and can guarantee the latter.

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  9. If putting my head on your shoulder and sighing is all you need to feed me and take care of me, I'll be right down! Seriously, my condolences on your loss. The pain is real, but will fade over time.

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    1. Thankfully, my wife also fills that role from time to time Mike, but thanks for offering just the same. Thanks, I know.

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  10. Damn it all, Juvat, I can't stand horses, yet somehow you still managed to direct my cigarette smoke into my eyes, from Texas, no less!
    My condolences for your loss. An animal that loves you, & that you love, is a part of the family. I even love these damned incorrigible cats (but that's redundant) of mine.
    --Tennessee Budd

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    1. Thanks. Never had much use for them, until we got them. The Paints are like teenagers, albeit 2000LB teenagers, rambunctious, mercurial and unpredictable. You've got to keep your eyes on them at all times. Grace was perfectly named, she moved with grace and was a grace to be around.
      Cats are good also, incorrigible, I think, is the ancient Greek word for Cat. Better ask Sarge though.

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  11. Gargle stole my comment.
    In essence it let you know how sorry I am.
    Obviously there was a special bond right from the get go.

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  12. Something special about horses. Every one has a different personality. Sorry for your loss.

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    1. Very different personalities. Thought it was interesting to see the two Paints over under Grace's tree laying there. Think they miss her also.

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  13. So sorry to hear that. May she rest in peace.

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