Foster Home Update:
I wanted to update everyone on how Bucky is doing. He is just so darn adorable! He and Summer are doing very well together. When he first arrived, they were getting along but tended to be a little independent. Now more often than not they are hanging out together. Bucky will often mirror her posture and we’ll see both of them with the same back leg cocked.
Bucky was a little shy at first. I’d walk up to him to try to groom him and he’d stand quietly for a minute or two, and then he’d walk away. Over time he’s become more comfortable with things and now he enjoys being groomed and stands quietly without being tied while I groom and love on him. At dinner time, he usually meets me at the tack room door and escorts me to his stall.
Bucky has delightful ground manners. He’s easy to work around and he’s good for my farrier and vet. He is very submissive, and he will not challenge Summer at all.
Bucky came into our lives at a very difficult time. We had lost our beloved Abby in September, and we needed to find a companion for Mac, our 30 year old gelding. We were lucky to find SAFE and Summer. We had to say goodbye to Mac in late Jan and once again reached out to SAFE for a new friend for Summer. After having both Mac and Abby for over 20 years, it’s been a big change for us. Having two foster horses has helped us tremendously.
There is something so special about older horses. They just have a special outlook on life, and seem to take so much in stride. They still have a lot to give, and they can teach you a lot if you let them.
Bucky reminds me of a great Mark Twain quote: Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.
Just found the SAFE horse page and saw Bucky. He’s exactly what *I* have in my pastures. Glad to see he’s got a companion and a forever home. I just wanted to agree with you totally about the senior horses. They are very special.
I have two, 30 1/2 y.o. Appy x Arabian mare, bred by Burt Reynolds; and a 21 y.o. TB, Blum Gone, who raced 157 times. I purchased three acres in Florida specifically for this purpose.