Sebastian's American Horse Family

Other books by the author

Keanu’s Adventures
Little Keanu the Arabian Spirit Lives in you

Sebastian’s Adventures
Sebastian’s First Dressage Show

Sebastian’s American Horse Family

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A warm, sometimes sad, but often funny story of how six horses from different origins of life came together; and they became an American horse family.

My name is Sebastian; I am a Hanoverian, Thoroughbred, per heron horse? I was born on a big horse farm in Manitoba, Canada. The early part of my life I spent in a round pen with lots of other young horses. I remember that it got very crowded at times, especially around dinnertime. Often, I heard people talk about us, saying that most of us would go to new homes in the next few months. At the time, he didn't think too much about going to a new home. Since he was so young, he did not understand what going to a new home really meant-that is, until one early summer day, when I spotted a big truck that came to the farm to pick up the horses that would go to new homes. I remember that I was frightened but also very curious to travel to a new home on a big truck like that. To my happy surprise, I learned that my sister, Hannover and I would be traveling to the same home. Our journey to the new location lasted more than four days and nights. Hannover and I became very ill on this trip to the United States. By the time we arrived at our new home, in northern New Hampshire, we had both developed high temperatures and very bad coughs. It seemed that their new family knew right away that they were not feeling well, when they arrived. After they were taken off the trailer, a veterinarian had already been called and was on the way to see them. After a thorough examination, Hannover and I were diagnosed with severe, shipping fever. We were put on a high dosage of antibiotics and kept away from all other horses on the farm in a matter of days, my sister and I started to feel better and was ready to explore the farm. We soon found out that we were not the only young horses living on this new farm but that four other horses, named Midnight Myst, Keanu, Cairo and Krizta lived there as well. As the days moved Hannover and I gradually, settled into our new home.

Many years have passed, since Hannover and I first meet our new American horse family, back then Keanu, Misty, Hannover and I myself where all less than one year old. Krizta and Ciaro were the older horses of the herd; and took over parenthood for all of us younger horses. I remember Ciaro took his newly awarded fatherhood very seriously, he spend endless hours teaching us how to become well-mannered and behaved horses. Krizta kept a close eye on Ciaro making sure that everything he thought us was in congruency that which she had learned from her Mom and dad. Often, we thought that our parents went a little overboard with their parenting role but us long, us we kept playing by their rule our lives run very smoothly. Let’s face it, who wants to play always by their parents rules often we had other things in mind so our days didn’t always go us smoothly for us. Keanu was an escape artist he managed to get out of the electric fence many times a day. He often enticed us to follow him which we of course did. With a smile on his face, Keanu managed to get back into the fenced area without taking the fence down. Everyone on the farm called Keanu the little Houdini, he often had a little smirk on his face us we got caught outside of the fenced in area and where not able to figure out how to get back in.

Midnight Misty also known as Misty,

Is the most beautiful black eyed, intelligent black filly I have ever laid eyes on. The moment I saw her, I Knew I was in love. Misty and her brother Keanu had already lived on the farm for a while before my sister Hannover and I joint them. I remember, That Misty was not to found of me at the beginning when things did not go the way she wanted them to go her little ears flow backwards and her bright white teeth where aiming directly at me. She never hurt me she just wanted to let me know that she is higher on the herd rank then I was. I remember when Mystic tried to show Ciaro that she was going to be the new herd leader that did not go over to well at all. Ciaro got so upset at Misty that he shut her completely out of the herd. For days we were not allowed to play or go even near Mysti. It took Cairo four days before he allowed Mysti to join the herd again I don’t ever remember that Mysti tried to challenge Cairo for herd leadership again.

My sister Hannover,

Is a lively dark Hanoverian mare with da lot of thoroughbred characteristics. I remember, when my sister was two years old she was the clumsiest horse I have ever seen not a day went by without her getting into some kind of trouble. Sometimes Hannover got her food stuck into the bush hawk. Most of Hannover’ clumsy spells where quite innocent, except I remember the day when Hannover was so angus to get into her stall to eat her grain, that she wrapped her leg around our dogs long runner. Her leg got so entangled that the leash started to cut deep into her knee it took almost 15 minutes to free her leg from the dog leash. The whole summer past before Hannover’s wound finally healed. Thank god, Hannover finally outgrew her toddler stage. My sister and I have been very lucky to have funded a family like ours. Often, I hear Krizta, Ciaro and Keanu talk about how their lives have not always been us wonderful us now. I have heard there stories often but I always love to hear them again.


It all started with Krizta

Krizta is the eldest of all the horses on the farm; she is a beautiful grey Arabian Mare her ancestors came from the Arabian Peninsula. Krizta has beautiful black eyes which are generously framed by her long dark eyelashes. Her fur is grey with a long tail and soft flowing mane; she stands fourteen hands tall, Arabian horses usually grow to be fourteen or fifteen hands tall. Krizta came to this farm over twelve years ago, at the time of her arrival, she was very frail and ill, a matter of fact she was so ill that even the veterinarian said she would never be well again one year later Krizta recovered from her broken hip and other health issues including serve mall nutrition. Krizta had a hard time trusting people she had lost her faith and spirit, and her eyes reflected how she felt deep inside of her heart. Her family spends many hours by her side assuring her, that no one would ever hurt her again. After many months of Physical therapy Krizta healed and her new owner and her where able to canter for the first time over open fields and trail together. Today Krizta is twenty seven years old; she is still us beautiful as she was twelve years ago. Often children come and visit her on the farm; she surely loves the attention she has been given over the years. Krizta’s Live has not always been as wonderful us now. The early part of her live she spend with a loving family but whens their children grew up they sold her to people that did not love and care for her and often even hurt her and left her alone stuck in a dark and dreary stall with no food or water. Her new family funds her just in time before she would have died of a broken spirit and heart Today Krizta lives in a herd of six horses. She still loves to gallop up to the open meadow her mane and tail flowing in the wind, when her eyes meet mine; I feel she looks deep into my soul the smile on her face tells me that she is truly happy.

Ciaro

Ciaro arrived home a year later then Krizta, he is a chestnut Arabian Gelding, and he came to the farm over ten years ago. Cairo’s life started out with people that didn’t have a lot of experience with horses therefore, it wasn’t too long before the relationships with those people turned out badly. The results were that People could not handle Cairo anymore so he got sold and shipped to another location and home. By the time Cairo arrived at the farm he was barely nine years old but had been already sold to five different homes. With not very much luck of finding a home and experienced horse people that could solve arising training problems and handle everyday situation without violence. Before, Cairo arrived home; he had been purchased by a nebhor hood horse dealer that bought him from an auction. Cairo was very lucky that day at most auctions’ there are many horse dealers that buy horses for the meat market. Cairo was auctioned off for three hundred dollar since Cairo was still a stallion the new buyers decided to geld him right on the trailer. This very traumatic experience left an everlasting expression off horror, drama and fear in Cairo’s mind. Even 12 years later Cairo still runs away when we take a horse trailer out, he is so happy here and the thought of being trailered away or something bad happen to him again on a trailer, makes him run away us fast us he possible can.

Keanu the little Prince number 1383

Keanu is a Arabian bay horse born on a ranch in Minnesota the ranch was in business to produce hormonal drugs when the ranch shut down Keanu was but up for adoption on a website. I was told that if the horses don’t get adopted they become of risk being send to the slaughter house. Keanu was only five months old when I saw him listed for adoption online. Back then Keanu’s name was Prince Number 1383. It was love at first sight when I first set eyes on Keanu, I always loved the Arabian breed they are called horses of the desert and are the oldest purebred alive. The Arabian horse is recognized for its extraordinary intelligence, stamina and trainability they excel in a wide variety of activities, both on horse trails and show ring. Having admired and loved the Arabian horse breed so much I decided to bring my Keanu home. The adoption process took a while and the transportation company was not us easy to arrange us I had imagined it to be. I was told by the transportation company that it would take five days and night to travel from Minnesota to Northern New Hampshire. I feared that Keanu still being so young would not do well on a long trip with strange horse and people. Therefore, I decided to find a travel companion for Keanu, someone he already knew. I contacted the rancher they told me about a beautiful black filly that was also Keanu’s sister, her name was Midnight Myst , everyone calls her Misty. The rangers expressed hesitation about Misty leaving the ranch, after a long persuasive talk the rangers agreed to allow Misty to be Keanu’s travel buddy and they happily began their journey home


Living with my American Horse Family

Day’s on a farm start out very early in the morning. The farmworkers start their day at five Am. As the sun rises the roosters announce the day with their morning grow their sound echo’s a mile down the road. The chickens are already busy on the manure pile, scratching away for flys and mosquitos. The ducks had for a brisk swim in the small pond near the barn while the nebhor coughs say hello with a loud friendly mooch across the road. Everyone is very happy here; I love the fresh smell of hay and the delicious taste of grain. Feeding times are at six AM after that all horses are being lead to the pasture and their stalls being cleaned and prepared for the evening. The first think I love to do when we arrive in the Pasture is, to gallop through the open fields. There is nothing more refreshing to me then to feel the wind across my face. Often I make quick stops and turns, I never felt so happy, like I feel here, living with my family on this farm. At lunchtime a tractor comes out to the pasture and replenishes our hay and water supply, often we receive apples and carrots for snacks. When we return in the evenings to the barn everyone is happy to see us. Many praises are given throughout suppertime. Soon it’s brushing time, I love being brushed the brush massages my fur and skin; it feels so good to receive this type of care. My hooves also being checked on a regular basis to make sure that I haven’t picked up any stones from the open meadow. Sometime I chip my hooves and my furrier will trim my hooves right away to prevent any further chipping that would lead to more hoof problem later. This has been my home for many years now, I love my family the people treat us with a lot of love and respect. All horses on this farm always receive plenty of fresh water and hay our stalls never stay dirty I feel over the years the people on this farm have learned to listen to us when we speak to them. Often, I cannot help but think of how lucky six horses from different origins of life came together; and became an American horse family.

Impressum

Texte: Karin Matey
Bildmaterialien: Karin Matey
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 21.11.2012

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