It was torturous to wait all day for the time to leave. We were to arrive at 2:30. I worked on flannel quilt squares to keep occupied. At 11:30 I headed out to vacuum Mazie (she loves that!) and get her braids out and her mane brushed. The van was loaded with everything I thought there was a 3% possibility we'd need. :roll: Then, FINALLY, it was time to go.
Rachel--my 19 year old home from college--help her while I set up the wheelchair ramp.
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Mazie is the only horse who balks at getting into the van--but finally she was up and ready to roll.
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Three poops and several whinnies later, we arrived. (Rachel took all the rest of the photos!)
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Mazie NEVER spooked at anything--she hesitated a bit before stepping into the building, then was Amazing Mazie.
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The walkers didn't bother her a bit.
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But! The carpet was grass green with brown grain-like sprinkles!! Good grief! Mazie couldn't figure out why she wasn't getting a tasty something from her efforts! :|
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I had emailed Kandy beforehand to let her know it may not be a touching visit--depending on how Mazie reacted. She let everyone know it was more a looking visit. There were two kids there visiting their grandmother--and Mazie was ready to say hello.
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I was very very careful to protect everyone just in case Mazie decided to buck or spook.
Better safe than sorry is always my motto.
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Then we walked a second hallway to enter the place where everyone was waiting. There were too many walkers blocking the other way. Mazie did well here... but just around the corner, she pooped a loose one. :unsure Kandy assured me before we went that it'd not be a problem. And it wasn't. But, she stuck a chair over the delightful pile go keep anyone from stepping in it. Several times folks joined the groups and went to grab that chair, so one older wise woman said she'd sit in it to keep everyone away. :OKinteresting Later, Kandy told me the health/safety guy asked her how long the horse would be there because he thought it was against regulations, but Kandy had already checked and told him it was only against regulations if she went into the dining hall, and we weren't going there. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy. :wink:
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Here we are in the group!
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You might say she had everyone's attention. :wink:
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Once she had settled a bit, I asked her to walk between the rows of folks, and she did.
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Well--she backed a few times. :wink I had Kandy walk on the other side of her--just to be safe.
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Then she went! It's funny--this is the same place I gave a quilt show this past summer. :lol:
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She was even ready to be touched--and, um, chew on the wires on the walkers. :roll:
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Look at the laughter in the back left. That's what it's all about. :D
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Then Kandy wanted us to visit the dementia part. Mazie walked perfectly through the halls--through beeping doors--over different carpets--to reach them. It was so worth it. See!
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Then we headed out to load up. I dumped some the the fertilizer Mazie deposited on the way, onto the base of a tree--I bet next year they'll wonder why that one is so much taller and fuller than the others. :wink: Mazie had trouble loading--so distracted by the busy traffic a ways off. She whinnied a lot on the way home, and wasted no time in getting to her mama. Usually when we return from a ride, she's in no hurry to go back to the pasture--but she's never been gone quite this long. See where Gypsy is standing in the first photo? Even though all the other horses were out back--that's exactly where Gypsy was waiting for her filly when we pulled in. I don't think she stood there the whole time, but she was waiting. :wub :wub We were gone less than two hours. I wish I could take two at a time, but it'd be a handful.
Thanks for looking!
:D