I think Edgar has to be one of the best horses I've ever owned.. I've owned a few really good ones.. Shammy, Abbey, Oakley and now Edgar! He's always been special but I get a lot of joy when I see moments like this..
Rachel's niece had been wanting to start riding lessons so we decided to start using Edgar for those. Sophia is only 7 and she's a true cowgirl.. she's not one bit afraid of big ole Edgar! Maybe a little intimidated by him when standing next to him, but she was not afraid to climb up on him and ride. She's got a lot to learn, as she struggles with keeping him walking and remembering the word "whoa" and remembering to use her reins to turn and stop him but I have no doubts she'll progress and be riding off on her own soon. For now, she is still on the lunge line and she prefers my big 17.5" saddle than this bareback pad. She's wearing Rachel's 30yr old english attire that she just found in storage and looks super cute.. Rachel had told Sophia months and months ago she couldnt start riding lessons until she saved up enough money to buy her own helmet... well look at her now! She's a great kid and I thoroughly enjoy watching our Edgar help her learn how to ride. He may not be a fancy show horse, but he is safe!! Plus she has to work really hard to make him listen, her little tap tap of her legs does nothing for him.. :) This last lesson, we gave her a little crop/whip to smack him with to get him moving.. but how hard does a 7yr old really smack?? .... not that hard! lol
Suzi is still leasing Edgar as well, we just borrow him once a week for our lessons here.. The more work Edgar gets, the better.. helps keep him healthy and sound. Although we did have a health scare with him just a week after we lost Oakley. It was the night of Sophia's lesson and I came home and could see from inside my house, that something was wrong with Edgar, he was visibly shaking. I went out to the barn and tied him up, his body was shivering/shaking from head to tail.. I phoned the vet for advice and she said if he had a fever, to give him a dose of banamine, to watch him and see how he does in a few hours. I blanketed him, gave him his dinner right away and that was helping, he slowly was eating, although not 100% normal. I saw him go for water too, so that was good. I had to wait for Derek to get home, as I asked him to stop and buy a thermometer. His shaking really slowed down by the time Derek arrived, but upon taking his temp, realized he definately was sick as he was running 104 temp! Horses avg is about 99-100. I gave him a dose of banamine, stood talking with Rachel for a while, she left, I picked up manure and walked back into the barn. By this time it had been 45 minutes since I'd given him the meds and he was sweating really badly! His body temp was very hot under the blanket, so I phoned the vet again, concerned about what I saw.. she said it was normal, he was sweating off his fever and to just leave him be and check on him in an hour. Well a hour or two later, I did check on him, his temp was down to 100 and he was no longer sweating.. I went to bed hoping he would be back to normal, as the vet indicated if the fever came back, she'd need to come see him.
As I walked in the barn the next morning, he nickered at me to feed him and I knew right away he was just fine! Took his temp, it was 99.. I took a sigh of relief. All night I tossed and turned, my heart hurt at the thought of something happening to him, especially so soon after Oakley. I dont know what exactly he had, maybe he just got cold.. but for now he remains blanketed until the weather warms up, not taking any chances of him getting sick again. Maybe with his older age and because he's started to shed his winter coat already, he just caught a cold.. I cant loose Edgar.. I am so happy to have him back home, I never imagined how much joy and happiness I would feel inside just by simply providing a horse for others to enjoy.
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