Dreaming of My Sunny Girl

OK, that commercial completely represents Sunny. She is definitely the BOSS mare in the pasture. However, with me - she is calm, sweet, loving and AWESOME! I got released from the hospital at 4:40pm this past Friday and Don and I went and picked up Katie and drove down the farm - we didn't pass GO, we didn't collect $200 (unfortunately) - we drove strait to the farm. :)

I still have my JP Drain in so I didn't get out of the car. While I have this yucky drain - I wont get out at the farm because I don't want to risk additional infection.

Pathetically, I rolled down the car window and talked to Sunny across the pasture. She stopped dead in her tracks and just looked at us the whole time we were there. She couldn't come closer because Mary has the pasture divided up the middle for the winter. But she didn't move the whole time we were there. It actually broke my heart a little - I wanted to go trudging through the mud and wrap my arms around her neck.

Right before my surgery when Dad and Marilyn were here for Christmas - I took them down to show them the farm with Katie. I groomed Sunny really good and took her into the riding arena but didn't ride her. I just got her to run and MAN DID SHE PUT ON A SHOW!!!! It was almost like she did that to give me a gift. It was the last time I was with her before my surgery.

That gift is in my dreams. When I've had a blue day and been sad (which has been often during this recovery), I literally close my eyes and see my Sunny girl prancing around that arena and then thundering toward me and stopping on a dime - nostrils flaring... just like a show horse.

She was elegant and beautiful that day. Her coat is thick and full and almost a chestnut brown for the winter. Her poor sunburned nose has healed and has soft velvet white fur covering it completely. I had brushed her mane out really well and conditioned it and it just blew in the breeze.

I dream of grooming her, tacking her and riding her soon. I can close my eyes and take a deep breath in and smell the leather in the tack room. I love that smell. There is actually no smell or sensation that I don't miss at the farm.

I even miss my skittish Sam! I'm anxious for the challenges that lie ahead in working with him and bringing out the cute personality that I've seen glimpses of. Mary is our trainer and she's just amazing. She's probably one of the few people in the world that can fuss at me and I don't get mad at her. ;)

She is so young but SO KNOWLEDGEABLE. I've joked telling my friends and family how much I love being around her. There have been a few Friday's that I've been down there hanging out - waiting for the farrier or whatever and I feel like a little girl following her around... just wanting to suck up all her horse knowledge.

I never really realized how I thrived off of sensory stimulation. Being at the farm or at STAR benefits Katie in so many ways - but especially her senses. I've come to realize in missing the farm so much... that is one thing I drastically miss as well. It stimulates my senses as well. I also think it stimulates my LOVE FOR LIFE!!!