I have to tell you a little bit about Birdie & her reaction to Jazzbo’s passing.
If you’ll recall, Birdie came to us several years ago, half-emaciated & with myriad other problems. She looked like she’d given up on life. It was sad & upsetting. But we gave her all the love in our hearts & did everything we possibly could for her & we got her well again – really well. And I think that, now, she’s celebrating her 35th or 36th year on earth. How ‘bout that???
Ever since she first struggled into the barn, she’s lived in the end house, right next to Jazzbo. The two of them developed quite a relationship. Every time Jazzbo was out of Birdie’s sight, she’d scream for him – even when he went out into the arena where she could fairly easily see him. Scream. Scream. Scream. We all got used to it.
And when they were both home, in the ‘out’ part of their houses, she & Jazzbo would often stand at their common fence, their heads together. To play, she’d bug him, pretend nipping at him while he was trying to catch a wee snooze. Finally, once he’d had enough of her bugging him, he’d playfully snap back at her. And she’d scream her fool head off – like she was being attacked. This would go on, day & night, every day & just about every night. It was funnier’n hell. But, yeah – they were very close.
So, when we did what we had to do with Jazzbo the other day, we did it in full view of Birdie’s front door – so she could see it & know what was happening. After he’d gone down, we brought Birdie out & took her over to his body so she could see him, smell him & just deal with the fact that Jazzbo was gone. She dealt with it for several minutes, then we took her home.
She stood at her gate & watched as the truck & trailer came to take him away.
She was fairly quiet, thereafter, not calling out very much at all. Until I went out to do my early-evening round of chores. At that point, she began whinnying a lot & I noticed that she hadn’t touched her dinner. She was pacing back & forth. That wouldn’t do.
Idea: Why not move her into Jazzbo’s house so she would at least have Journey next to her? In anticipation of this happening with Jazz, for several days we’d turned Birdie out into the arena with Journey so they’d get to know each other a little better. They didn’t get close, but there was not any agita between them, either.
As soon as I put Birdie into her new house, she quieted right down. I moved her alfalfa flake into her new feeder, gave her a couple of treats & came into the house, hopefully for the last time that evening.
Quiet. All night – quiet.
Unfortunately, around five yesterday morning, the hay truck showed up to deliver our Bermuda. And, hearing the truck got Birdie all up in there again. See, I’m pretty sure that, because she’d seen a truck take Jazzbo away the day before, hearing the hay truck meant that he was coming home again. Birdie yelled for a long, long time when Jazzbo didn’t show up.
Plus, on the days our Susan comes, she always takes Journey for an early morning walk around the ranch. Meaning that, to her mind anyway, Birdie was losing yet another friend when she couldn’t see Journey on the other side of the ranch. She continued to yell.
Around seven, when I went out, both Mindy & Susan told me that Birdie was sweating profusely – & I saw that she was. We brought her out & hosed her down. As soon as we took her home, she got quiet again. Why? Because Journey was now home, next to her.
Even now – today – when Journey goes into the ‘in’ part of her house & Birdie can’t see her, she’ll start yelling again. But it is getting better. We’ve laughed that we’ll have to hang a big mirror on one of the barn uprights outside the girls’ doors so Birdie can see Journey standing at her front gate.
For her part, Journey pretty much ignores Birdie. But that’s fine for our little old girl – she doesn’t seem to be looking for a close friend, just a friend who’s close by.
Both girls went out into the arena together again this morning & things have been much quieter today than they were yesterday. Birdie’s settling in to her new life without Jazzbo & with Journey.
As you can see by the photo I just took, all is quiet on the western front.
And I think things are gonna work out just fine.
Comments 2
Hi Jim,
My name is Susan Tiano. Right now I am in Cancun with Alan Wood, and Kathy, his wife and my cousin. Alan told me about you when my daughter and I were visiting them at Christmas, so I decided to read your book. I just finished it, and loved it. However, it did make me cry. My daughter and I have a small farm in NC with rescues. They come mostly from a kill area that if they don’t get adopted there are trucks to take them to Canada or Mexico, because they can eat horse there. Just Horrible!!! We now have 3 minis, a beautiful Blue Roan, and 2 donkeys. We also have 1 Palomino, crossed with ? which is not from a rescue. So we too have our hands full, and know about the love you have for your horses. We also have lost some along the way. We do everything possible, but it doesn’t always work out the way you want it to. I just want to thank you for what you do for the horses and the kindred spirit you have with them.
Thank you, Susan – & thank you for all YOU do for the horses & our long-eared friends. We need more of us, don’t we? Say a big hello to Alan & Kathy! Keep in touch, ‘k? I can be found on Facebook as Jimmytierramadre & the sanctuary on FB at Tierra Madre Horse & Human Sanctuary. Thanks again…….Jim