Everyday is a new beginning. Take a deep breath…

    ✉

Everyday is a new beginning. Take a deep breath…

#stephaniesmindfulsolutions #stephanietalia #helpfornoel #rescuedhorses #foretheloveofhorses #horse #equine

January 14, 2023

Happy Saturday, what do you have planned for today or the weekend?

Everyday is a new beginning. Take a deep breath, smile and start again. I’m taking this to heart and starting again today.

❤️‍🔥Long post❤️‍🔥
Yesterday was a good day but difficult. I was able to go visit with Noel (senior equine abused/rescue) and share space for approx 2 hours yesterday. I’m not sure who got more out of that visit…Noel or me. Perhaps we will just settle on we both benefitted. 🐎

It has been a week and a half since I had last seen her. She was peppier, more interactive and curious. I could see she has gained weight but she still has a long way to go to heal totally. She still is very under weight but progressing. Her injuries are healing but still severe enough to still be in ICU care and treatment. They had moved her to another stall in ICU (more traffic/population). There was a lot of activity outside the stall. I focused on Noel and got to grooming. She likes that. My last two visits she would nap off and on while drooling. 😁

For two hours I groomed her. Tried to block out the people and horses receiving treatment. I could see and hear everything going on. I talked with her, shared space while she sniffed my hand my body, she even brought her face (badly injured) so close to mine several times. I even got three very big yawns (releases) from her while grooming her. She also allowed me to touch her cheek and forehead several times. My other visits, understandably due to her injuries, those were off limits (she would pull away). There were a lot of firsts between us yesterday. My time with Noel was beautiful and incredible. I can’t help but love and admire her because she did not give up even after being so badly failed by humans who should have taken care of basic needs…food, water, love and compassion.

I have to say equine medicine is so different than pet (dogs, cates etc) medicine. It is a whole different world and experience for me. I have always loved horses but never owned one (dog mom here). I have been able to visit Noel three times now. Each time, I have gone visit her, nothing could prepare me for what I have seen, heard and smelled. To get to the ICU where she is, you have to walk through the treatment facility. It is very open, it has to be because of the size of the animals and treatments needed. So you see and hear things that well were shocking to me as I had never experienced them before. I will say I love this equine vet/facility. The equine vet is top notch, every person that works there is polite, professional and you can see/feel they love what they do and the horses they treat and care for.

So back to my grooming with Noel yesterday. Just under 2 hours of visiting, I had heard a horse (whinnying/neighing) unlike I had heard before. It did not sound right and deeply concerned me but I continued to focus on Noel. Then approx 15 min later I saw someone walk by Noel’s stall with chains over his shoulder. A minute later a forklift came down the isle by her stall. I froze and remember thinking, ugh I hope that is not for a horse that passed away. 😔

My visit with Noel ended abruptly. The vet ran over to Noel’s stall after she noticed I was still visiting. She explained a horse they were treating passed away and they were going to remove it. She asked if I would like to step out and go to the lobby so not to traumatize me. I immediately teared up and said yes as I grabbed my stuff quickly and came out of the stall to avoid seeing that.

I went to the front lobby and I sat there for 10 minutes. I could not calm my thoughts or emotions. Horses pick up on emotions. I was not willing to share or put that on Noel after a beautiful visit. I made the decision to leave for the day.I got in the car and started driving. For 10 minutes, I cried for her and the horse that passed away. The rest of the drive I just processed it all.

I met Dave for dinner on our side of town. I stepped out of the car. I saw Dave and teared up. He gave me a bear hug. I told him it was a great day but a difficult one. We had a great dinner. I shared the events of the day and pictures/videos of Noel. For the rest of the evening I processed the day.

This morning is a new beginning. I will take a deep breath, smile and start again.

🐎❤️‍🔥🐴❤️‍🔥🐎