Second post of the day. Did you know that Abby has a twin? And I don't mean Amy, her doppelgänger. Abby's twin only has two legs instead of four.
Eight years ago today as I was hauling Abby back to West Lafayette from Indiana Horse Rescue, I got a call from Beach Son Kyle. His wife Ashley was in labor and later that morning sweet little Corinne was born. Corinne turns eight today, and when she was little she called Abby "my tins hoss." (Twin horse.)
Two weeks after my surgery, our newest granddaughter, Melissa Jean, was blessed in Church.
Sadly, because of my surgery, I was not able to travel all the way to Florida and back, so we decided that Craig would go without me.
Two of our adult kids, Lisa and Curt, live nearby, and they kept an eye on me during his absence.
Pony Pal Corinne (the girl in the white and blue striped dress) was born the day I brought Abby home from Indiana Horse Rescue, and a joke between Corinne and me is that she and Abby are twins since they share a birthday. In fact, when she was little, Corinne called Abby, "my tin hoss."
The "twins" enjoying their sisterhood (and a candy cane) in 2107.
Corinne is a very thoughtful girl, and she wanted to send me a little something with Craig when he came home. She chose a candy cane that she had been saving since last Christmas and told him that it was for her twin horse. (She can say it correctly now; I miss that sweet little baby phrase!)
We took it out to Abby the day after Craig flew home from Florida.
I decided that it would be nice if Corinne could see her twin horse enjoying the gift she'd sent.
So Craig took a couple of videos to share with her.
I love it when my kids send me photos of their children doing something horsey.
Kyle sent me this one of Addie, Whitney, and Corinne at a church BBQ recently near their home in St. Augustine, Florida. (I once brought my horse, Indy, to a church BBQ years ago when we lived in Illinois. Go here to read about that.)
And mutton bustin' Cambria loves to go to rodeos. In this one, she reverted back to her love of all things unicorn at the face painting booth
and then schmoozed with a couple of the junior rodeo queens before the bicycle parade.
And then there's Pony Pal Kate who truly is a horse lover. But, her first love is bunnies. She just celebrated her third birthday in true bunny lovin' style. (I sent her bunny slippers and a Schleich horse play set.)
Which is fine by me - I understand having a passion for an animal, even if it isn't a horse. (Although I don't think that I will ever understand the appeal of unicorns!)
Written in response to a query from my granddaughter asking how her "twin horse" was doing. Corinne was born as I was trailering Abby home from Indiana Horse Rescue in 2012, and so I dubbed her Abby's "twin," a moniker Corinne wears with pride.
Dear Corinne,
Mom texted me and said that you were asking how your twin horse was doing. I am delighted to let you see for yourself (although I sure wish you were here in person to do so!)
I visit her nearly every day and give her a variety of treats. Although Abby likes peppermints the very best, she also enjoys carrots, apples, and pears.
She is always sad when she has eaten her quota for the day, and often puts her nose through the gate, hoping for more.
But just as people can get tummy aches when they eat too many sweets, so can horses, and I won't let her have too many. Tummy aches in horses (called "colic") can be a very, very bad thing for them. Even worse than in people!
It's been very hot in Indiana, so Tim and I keep her trough full of fresh water.
Remember Tim? He owns the barn and other horses, and last year when you stayed with Boompa and me during Hurricane Irma, he let you ride Diablo.
The school where Aunt Lisa teaches is just down the road from the barn, and so she comes out, too, and makes sure Abby is doing well.
Her favorite horse, though, is Hokey, and he really likes her, too. He is so happy in this picture!
She gives good neck rubs, something Hokey is very fond of.
Abby says to tell you "hi," and that she hopes to see you again very soon.
When I was hauling Abby home from Indiana Horse Rescue on April 27, 2012, my phone went off. It was Kyle, informing me that Ashley was in labor. A few hours later, Corinne was born.
While visiting them in Florida for spring break, I told Corinne that she and Abby shared a birthday. As a joke, I referred to them as twins. She is soooo excited to have a "tins" and keeps asking me to show her pictures of "my tins horse."
Corinne doesn't quite understand the concept of twins, but she sure knows what a birthday is, and is thrilled to share hers with "my tins horse," Abby.
Two years ago today, I took the plunge and brought home this gal:
My lovely Abby, rescued from a terrible situation in Beech Grove, Indiana. (Abbs was one of the nineteen neglected horses on the property where she was found; sadly, one horse was too far gone to survive and had to be euthanized.)
Since then she's enjoyed an easy life of carrots, candy canes, fresh grass, and the ever popular, um, er, how to say it politely... "backside" rub.
As we were hauling her from the Indiana Horse Rescue in Frankfort, my cell phone rang. This little cutie had just been born!
Corinne, Kyle and Ashley's daughter.
Happy 2nd Birthday, Corinne!!
We have the quads who were born this year, but I have always thought of Corinne and Abby as "the doubles."
