Coco's "Twin"

Just as Abby is a look-alike to my first horse Amy, Coco was a "twin" to Leslie's first horse, a cob named Pokey.

An aged Pokey (mid thirties) in early spring.

Pokey had been owned by an elderly man who rode him in parades and taught him tricks - shaking hands, counting, and parking out. He would also drink soda from a can, and once figured out that I had a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in my back pocket and took a big nip out of my backside trying to get to it!

A younger Pokey with Amy - 1975.

The coincidence makes me smile - Amy and Pokey were Leslie's and my first horses, and we got Abby and Coco, their look-alikes, the same day.

We have wonderful memories of those past horses; and now the same with Coco and Abby.

Goodbye, Coco

The loss of a beloved animal is difficult; losing two in a short amount of time even more so. My sister lost Skippy earlier this year and had to euthanize her miniature horse, Coco, yesterday.

One of my favorite pictures of Coco.

Like Abby, Coco came through Indiana Horse Rescue. In fact, we brought them home together, dropping Coco off at Leslie's farm and then heading out to Tim's where Abby has lived ever since.

Coco was in his mid thirties and had developed Cushings Disease a year or so ago. Combined with some age-related issues, it was time to let him go. It was easy and peaceful for him.

For the first time in forty-nine years, my sister is horseless. She doesn't know quite how to handle that - she kept her horses at her own home, and has sweeping views of the pastures from her windows. And now those pastures are empty.

I have volunteered to go with her to Indiana Horse Rescue and look at possibilities when she is ready. But I am not sure she will replace Skippy and Coco. Like me, she's getting older and caring for horses is hard work. Plus, she's a breast cancer survivor and has some health issues.

I guess time will tell. In the meantime, she can come hug Abby whenever she needs a horsey fix.

Tender Feet and a Bute-Laced Treat

Last Monday when I went with Tim and Brandon to pick up a load of hay from Leslie, I noticed that Coco's feet seemed to be tender again. He was standing with his forelegs well in front of his body.

When a horse stands "parked out" like that, it's usually sign that their feet hurt. And Coco had been foundered sometime before we got him, and has flare ups occasionally. His coffin bone has also rotated. Poor guy!

Here's a diagram of coffin bone rotation.

He needs to be off lush grass for a while, so Leslie has him in a box stall in the barn. It's oversized, airy, and Skippy stands in the aisle and hangs out with his buddy for company.

Skippy can't be stalled as he gets cast - probably a function of being blind and unable to judge the distance from the walls when he lies down.

Coco was in good spirits and was moving better than I expected.

 He reminds me so much of a stuffed animal. Look at those fuzzy ears!

I needed to give him a dose of bute while I was there.

 It's a medication for horses that alleviates pain, especially in the joints.

I crushed up some of Coco's favorite peppermint nugget treats, then added hot water to them to soften them. He's in his late twenties and his teeth are worn down, so he needs soft food and treats.

Like any good horsey mama, Leslie uses a kitchen mixing bowl for her horses' medical needs. Coco ate right out of it and snarfed that bute-sprinkled treat mash down.

When he was done, I cleaned out and refilled his two water buckets.

And gave him a flake of hay for dinner.

I get to come back tomorrow - I love caring for Coco and Skippy when Leslie is gone.

Visiting TCPITW and Skippy

Today we drove up to Brookston to visit TCPITW* and Skippy, my sister's herd.

TCPITW is very gentle and loves visitors. JC and Trinity came with goodies to share.

He is so furry, he looks like a stuffed animal!

And, just like you'd hug that stuffed animal, TCPITW is quite huggable, too.

Even his legs are shaggy and curly!

We also visited with Skippy, Leslie's blind Medicine Hat gelding. 

He cocks his head "the better to hear you with, my dear!" to compensate for being unable to see. His artificial eye is visible in this picture.

Skippy likes goodies, too, just like TCPITW. He's very gentle, but due to his blindness, he tends to run his nose over you to get information about you, and that can be a little disconcerting if you're not used to it.

Obviously, Les is very used to being smelled all over!

* The Cutest Pony in the World, the nickname I gave Coco.

Horse-sitting Leslie's Herd

Since I am horse-sitting Leslie's herd while Groompa Camp is going on, I took the kids up to Brookston today when I went to check the horses.

Relaxing in the dirt seemed to be the order of the day!

 Beau enjoys a good roll in the warm June sun.

 TCPOTE (the cutest pony on the earth) also was reclining - in the manure pile! Oh well, I guess it was a soft place to lie down!

 Skippy and Trinity get acquainted.

Everyone got some sugar cubes and a good scritch before we headed back home.

Cutest Pony Ever

I am horse sitting Leslie's herd this weekend. And she has the cutest pony ever.

See what I mean? And I say that as someone who is not really into cuteness. But Coco is a different story. I see him and just want to hug him. (And I did while I took these pictures.)

Coco is 26 and Leslie brought him home from the Indiana Horse Rescue the same day I got Abby. Like most "old men," Coco grows hair in unusual places.

 He has a fine beard. (I want to braid it!) You can see it extends clear up his jowl.

 "Armpit" hair.

Chest hair (the long, blonde hairs in the upper left hand corner.)

 Long hair springing out from his flanks.

He's a happy boy with about 7 acres to roam and enjoy.

 I found where he had spent the night - a soft grassy bed in the middle of the pasture.

Yes sir, definitely the cutest pony ever!

Leslie's Horses

I was on the Indiana Horse Rescue site tonight and found some pictures that Leslie had sent in of her herd!

Skippy, Beau, and Coco out in the field.

 Leslie says that when she brought Coco to her farm, Beau and Skippy were like, "Hey! We got a pony! She got us a pony!!"

Coco at Indiana Horse Rescue. (He was one of the 19 horses rescued with Abby.)

 Prior to adoption by Leslie.

That's one fuzzy pony!