First, farewell Two Punch. This lovely gray sire of thoroughbred racehorses was a character of charm and dignity, and he'll surely be missed. Farewell Weltmeyer—you were, and shall remain, a legend among Hanoverians. It's hard to imagine the breed without you.
On the subject of Two Punch, click here (but not until you're done reading Brays Of Our Lives!). Scroll down to the photo of his damsire, Grey Dawn II. HOLY GUACAMOLE THOSE ARE SOME UGLY HIND LEGS! Wow. I don't usually resort to shouting, but sometimes a mule needs to express himself strongly. Tell me, folks—is he run down from age and hard use or is he just straight up defective? I am having a really hard time even looking at those limbs. I hope he was comfortable standing on them.
On a lighter note, we've said farewell, or better yet bon voyage, to one of our own. He's safe and well (and not one bit dead) at his new home in Blaine, Washington. Let's all hope for the very best for Jasper Jules, who is going to share, with another goat, a barn and 14 acres of beautifully fenced brush and grass. They will be the proud pets of a family of seven, and will enjoy the daily affection of five animal-loving pre-teen and teenaged children. We have a heck of a contract written up and we hope it will ensure that we get him back should they ever want to part with him. FarmWife reports that his new home is lovely and that he shall, by all appearances, be very happy there.
On the subject of parting with an animal, FarmWife feels torn. There's something to be said for making a lifetime commitment to a pet, and there are certainly animals here (ME!) who have that 100%, forever promise. For those critters who don't quite fit in, though—what about them? A responsible owner wants to ensure their happiness, and it's easier to be certain of that when they're in one's own custody. One can't, however, spread oneself thin. We're all happier when we're not crowded.
When it comes down to it, there's this for you humans to contemplate: maybe you can't BE the best home for every animal that comes into your life, but maybe you can FIND the best home for every animal that comes into your life. From the horses she's sold to the goats she's bred to the dogs she's fostered (or adopted and failed with), FarmWife can say this: they've all ended up in the right place. She has never placed an animal in a home where it wasn't likely to be as happy as or happier than it was at Bent Barrow Farm.
Good luck, Jasper. Write home often.
FB
On the subject of Two Punch, click here (but not until you're done reading Brays Of Our Lives!). Scroll down to the photo of his damsire, Grey Dawn II. HOLY GUACAMOLE THOSE ARE SOME UGLY HIND LEGS! Wow. I don't usually resort to shouting, but sometimes a mule needs to express himself strongly. Tell me, folks—is he run down from age and hard use or is he just straight up defective? I am having a really hard time even looking at those limbs. I hope he was comfortable standing on them.
On a lighter note, we've said farewell, or better yet bon voyage, to one of our own. He's safe and well (and not one bit dead) at his new home in Blaine, Washington. Let's all hope for the very best for Jasper Jules, who is going to share, with another goat, a barn and 14 acres of beautifully fenced brush and grass. They will be the proud pets of a family of seven, and will enjoy the daily affection of five animal-loving pre-teen and teenaged children. We have a heck of a contract written up and we hope it will ensure that we get him back should they ever want to part with him. FarmWife reports that his new home is lovely and that he shall, by all appearances, be very happy there.On the subject of parting with an animal, FarmWife feels torn. There's something to be said for making a lifetime commitment to a pet, and there are certainly animals here (ME!) who have that 100%, forever promise. For those critters who don't quite fit in, though—what about them? A responsible owner wants to ensure their happiness, and it's easier to be certain of that when they're in one's own custody. One can't, however, spread oneself thin. We're all happier when we're not crowded.
When it comes down to it, there's this for you humans to contemplate: maybe you can't BE the best home for every animal that comes into your life, but maybe you can FIND the best home for every animal that comes into your life. From the horses she's sold to the goats she's bred to the dogs she's fostered (or adopted and failed with), FarmWife can say this: they've all ended up in the right place. She has never placed an animal in a home where it wasn't likely to be as happy as or happier than it was at Bent Barrow Farm.
Good luck, Jasper. Write home often.
FB
Those hocks don't look happy... legs are supposed to have some angels before you hit the pasterns!
ReplyDeleteBut then Mr. P and Two Punch started looking straight behind too, so I just stopped looking...
I think those super low pasterns are the result of low suspensory injuries, where the suspensory ligament, particularly one that has sustained injuries earlier in life, over time just gives and stretches too much. But that's just a guess on my part as to what's happening with that particular stud. I agree with FarmWife's outlook on keeping vs. finding the right homes for our animals. It's a very fair and balanced approach. Hope Jasper is happy in his new digs!
ReplyDeleteWell, I just looked up pastern and thought you'd want to know that I love, appreciate and enjoy learning from the blog .... and the comments too!
ReplyDeleteRIP Two Punch and good luck Jasper.
ReplyDeleteGood luck Jasper! Glad to hear he's not one bit dead.
ReplyDeleteTime and age were not kind to Grey Dawn II. You can go here and see a picture of him in his younger days: http://www.oakwoodfarmtb.com/images/misc.horses/greydawnII.jpg
ReplyDeleteI am going to say that poor Grey Dawn II was suffering from a textbook case of DSLD, the actual scientific name of which is long and complicated. Basically, it's a disease of the ligaments and leg structures and can be crippling, which is certainly the case of that guy. Here's a clip from a webpage about it: "In later stages, one of the most telltale signs of DSLD is in the horse affected in the hind legs; the pasterns level out making the fetlocks appear dropped and the stifle and hock gradually straighten, making the horse reticent to move even to its feed or water." (Page is here http://www.horseshoes.com/anatomy/esad/information/dsld/dsld.htm)
ReplyDeleteJust another reminder as to why I'd prefer to avoid Mr. Prospector blood in the OTTB I'd like to have some day!
I should have added, I had never heard of Two Punch, I'm sorry to say. He was breathtakingly beautiful and I know he will be missed by many.
ReplyDelete