to the racetrack I did go

Today is my birthday and my gift arrived yesterday afternoon - Found in the Fog is our horse now!

Pie and Sovereign see "Foggy" for the first time this morning during the snowstorm.

Maizie took this photo of me leading Foggy around the paddock before I turned him out today. Notice the four ears in the background watching every move.

Foggy plays!

"Hello, Brother."

Found in the Fog, below, getting settled last evening in his stall. It looks like I added Lawrence Welk bubbles but there must have been something (a horsey sneeze?) on my camera lens.

I am so happy and excited to share our news. Found in the Fog really is ours! His kind owners saved him, not only from slaughter by looking for someone to adopt him, but they took a gamble and saved him for 30 extra days in case I might still want him when I returned from our trip. I hope to get permission to share their names - I really can't thank them enough. Their commitment to this horse should be recognized.

If you are new to my blog, you can read how I "found" Sovereign's FULL brother, Found in the Fog, on these two posts:

Found in the Fog

and I bet on another to show

I want to also thank all of my blogger friends for their kind words of encouragement and support back in November. I did not know how this story would turn out, but I did feel so much better either way because of your comments. Some of you gave me hope to think that it might work out that he ends up with us, and others made me feel good that he might end up in another happy family because I stepped aside. Thank you. Ok...enough of me sounding like I just won an Academy Award! I feel like I won something, that is for sure!

I am unbelievably glad he is with our family now that I have the proper amount of time to get he and my other horses adjusted to this big change.

I received an email from Foggy's owner on the day after we returned from Florida asking if we were still interested in him. We discussed it here at length and decided that adding him to our "herd" was the right thing to do.

Foggy arrived yesterday afternoon around 3pm. I put him into his stall in our bank barn. He did not have a blanket but seems to have a good winter coat. He is thin, so I will probably keep him inside at night until mid-March this year. He still has all four of his racing shoes and he slipped walking onto our old, concrete aisle. I am working on getting the shoes pulled as soon as possible. Foggy is not good for the farrier, I am told. I can not work on introducing him to the boys until he is barefoot.

Pie and Sovereign were in another field when the truck and trailer pulled in. Sovey knew something was up. Pie was happily innocent and oblivious the entire afternoon and evening. Relief. Pie and Sovey's stalls were ready in case I needed to put them inside, but all horses seemed to be calm in their spaces last evening.

I gave Foggy hay and fresh water and a handful of grain when he arrived. Around 6 pm he started rolling in his stall and grinding his teeth like he was colicky. There was no manure and zero gut sounds on either side so I gave him some Banamine and walked him a little in the dark in the paddock. Pie and Sovey were mysteriously missing (Thank You!) because leading Foggy in the dark in a new place was a little like flying a Thoroughbred kite. I called the vet and she made me feel tons better by telling me that his secondary systems, which included digestion, were on hold because of the stress of the trip and a new place. Hooray - I was sure I killed him on the first night. (Pie and Sovey must have had no such stress - I distinctly remember Pie eating happily on his first night!) Foggy passed manure at 8:30 pm - much celebration over a pile of manure!

This morning greeted us with a snowstorm that snuck in so quickly that Maizie's school was cancelled only after we had our coffee. Thanks a lot! Mom trudged over through the snow and fed the horses. She reported that everyone was doing great. I can't tell you the nightmares I had all night so her phone call was very much appreciated by me!

Maizie and I headed over after the roads were cleared and I gave Pie and Sovey hay snacks in the ring pasture. This gave them a front row seat to the paddock where I was going to turn out our new sweetie boy. Out I came with Foggy and attempted a few laps around the paddock before releasing him. I did have the chain over his nose just in case. One of the things I really liked about him in November was that I could lead him around with no chain. He was that quiet. I am sure he will quiet down here too. I don't use a chain on Pie or Sovey and I don't want to use one on Foggy. He was a little silly, but not too bad. What a play he had after I took off the lead. I kept the (enormous) halter on him today while turned out, but I probably won't in the future. He came right up when it was time to go inside.

Pie and Sovey never left their spots while Foggy played. Pie stood like a statue, occasionally looking my way, questioning me with his innocent, puppy-dog eyes, "Julie, what is this all about?" After a few minutes, Foggy settled down too, and all three horses munched grass and hay in the snowstorm. I am very impressed with the lack of fireworks. We have a long way to go in the introduction process, mainly because of Foggy's shoes, the weather, and my vet's wishes that I keep them separated for a few weeks, but it was a good beginning.

So, Found in the Fog's arrival is my exciting news. A new chapter has begun. I am happy for Pie and Sovereign and Foggy. I think there are good things to come for the three of them.

Here is a funny video Maizie made of the horses this morning. Foggy throws three crazy bucks at the very end of it. Turn your sound down - loud buzzing noise - ouch!