Remembering Bishop

A little write-up about him that I sent to a horse magazine for an article on grieving the loss of a horse.

The picture is now on the wall at Greenbelt where he lived.

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When her 16 year old Canadian gelding Du Coteau Remi Bishop was euthanized, Vicki Milnes of Ottawa, found comfort in routines. She cleaned his tack and organized his gear. “It all helped me to grieve him. I have a book of pictures that my sister gave me that I appreciate and his leather halter. It has his name on it and I wasn’t going to use it again but then I thought, it’s all part of the process. Abracadabra (her current horse) wears it now.” Also helpful was remembering the good times and his unique personality. “Realizing that he was the horse for me at that stage of my life and now Abracadabra is the horse for me at this stage really helped too”. 

Horses again…

Abra - someone was admiring her in the crossties. She is very pretty - they said. She thinks so too.

I sometimes put on her nice leather halter. It has Bishop’s name on it. I will not change it - a nice memento.

I was looking at Charisma’s (Cari’s) picture on my wall. I see it all the time.

It has been a long time that I have been involved with horses - 1965? I think.

On my Google home page I now have the aerial picture of Wal Ken Farms (check out that blog - http://walkenfarms.blogspot.com/ )

I recently changed my profile picture on Facebook from Bishop to Abra. Abra is also on my WW profile page. A horse friend admired her!

So Abra does get admired online and in real life!

Let everything that has breath

I was thinking about this yesterday as I rode Abracdabra in the arena. It was raining somewhat and very muddy out in the rings.

It was so humid that my leather saddle was creaking. I thought abut Bishop who would be in major distress on a day like that because of his breathing difficulties.

What brought this to mind again was a blog entry I was reading about the link between prayer and breath.

Then I went looking for the quote.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Psalm 150:6.

Then I went looking for some music at Youtube. There was some there but not quite my style.

Keeping memories alive

I sometimes read the EMG boards at

http://www.equiman.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm

There is interesting horse information there.

So one of the members had to have her horse put down and she is still very upset about it. She cannot let herself put together memories of him. Someone wisely said - you will do this when you are ready. That makes a lot of sense to me.

My good leather halter has a name plate for Bishop on it. I will not change it for Abracadabra or get a new one.

Bishop was still young when I got him - 3 to be exact. He was still losing his baby teeth. I found one in his feed dish. Now it is in my little purse that has my church key which I often use. I think of him when I open it.

The lovely portrait of Charisma is in my living room and I see it every day. I am so glad that I had it done.

Strange encounters of the animal kind

Charisma met a deer. I wondered why she was getting all excited when riding out one evening. The deer was in the next field. I do not know who moved faster - Charisma or the deer!


Bishop met a bunny - it just sat there in the path close to where I was riding him. They looked at each other very cautiously.


Bishop met a goat - you can read about his encounter here.
http://vickimilcahistorical.blogspot.com/2009/06/lucky-goat.html


Abracadabra met some lively squirrels who were running around in the rafters in the arena. She did not get too excited by them.


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Encounters with young foals is always interesting at a barn where moms and babies are not often seen. The young ones who are running around and being their usual lively selves gets anyone else interested.


This will be happening again early next spring. There is a mare in foal. When leading her out to the ring this morning the barn staff thought better of leading her through the narrow passageway - she might not have fit!

Horse families

Animals as well as people have families.

Bishop the horse had a full brother. This is Bishop’s brother Cardinal on the left - the one with his tongue stuck out. They looked quite alike except that Bishop was more handsome.

I learned the other day that Walter was talking to the folks where Abracadabra came from. She has a full sister. This mare is close in age to Abra. She had a foal as well so Abra is an auntie. They may get to meet because Walter is going shopping for some more horses. Folks liked Abra and wanted to have a horse like her.

Up in the old part of the barn at Greenbelt a little filly was born last week. Both times I went by to visit she was lying down sleeping. I would really like to see both of them outside. Other horses get very interested when there is a young one around.

Missing and remembering

A few weeks ago I was out at the back of the riding arena where I last saw Bishop. That was 5 months ago now.

I was reading one of my horsy magazines and there was an ad for the brand of medication that Bishop took for a number of years. I shut the magazine and I did not want to think about that part of my life with Bishop - him not being well.

I met my neighbour as she was putting out the garbage. She was going to be away for a week or so and friends were going to come in and look after the cats. I asked how the cats were doing. She said that Spooky had really missed her dad - that was his cat.

I am missing seeing the lights on early in the morning - Moe was up earlier than I was. Life has changed next door.

I remember Bishop and Moe and I miss them both. One remembering leads to another and that is very much alright.

*****

A bit later I met up with neighbour again. She has a new puppy to add to the family menagerie. She really does like animals and she did work in a veterinary clinic before she became a nurse.
　

Missing Bishop the horse pt.3

The other day I was looking at the Web site that advertises Canadian horses for sale. The name of one horse’s pedigree caught my eye. When I investigated further I discovered that it was a relative of Bishop.

Now I saw that the official listing for Bishop in the Canadian Livestock Records has been updated - deceased October 10, 2008.

I did not renew my membership for 2009 to the Canadian Horse Breeders Association So after 33 years - 20 years with Charisma and 13 years with Bishop - I am no longer a Canadian Horse owner.

I also stopped by the Web site for the farm where Bishop was bred. They are still playing the music from Bonanza.

On a related note I have been watching Highway to Heaven. One of the guest stars looked quite familiar and then I read his name in the credits - Lorne Greene. So there were Michael Landon and Lorne Greene together again in an episode of Highway to Heaven.

Medication for all

This comes from some sharing on the Weight Watchers Nifty 50’s board. Someone was telling about changes to their mom’s medication.

I know how difficult this is. My mom went into the hospital in March 2004 only needing eye drops and came out with all kinds of medication.She never had to manage it herself but as her closest daughter I wanted to know what she was getting and what for - this alone was enough for me. I found a couple of Web sites which would tell what the medication was for.

I also did some research online for Bishop’s medications as well. A good friend whose brother was a pharmacist told me that the animal medications were the same as for people - just different dosages.

Some time ago when Bishop needed some new medication I had to go to the drug store to pick it up. I asked at the barn - whose name is on the prescription? I was told - Bishop Milnes. So when I did pick it up the pharmacist asked whether I knew how to administer it. I told him - it is for a horse and the folks who will be giving it to him know what to do.

Missing Bishop the horse pt. 2

I think it is the time of year when one remembers as well as reconnects or not with family and friends.

From Barbara Crafton's blog http://www.geraniumfarm.org/home.cfm.
"A rich Christmas stew of memory and loss."
Her words speak deeply to me this year.

*****

Abra got some Christmas wishes and even Christmas cards. That is o.k.

Yesterday she was standing in the crossties outside her stall with her little ears perked up watching me coming towards her. I had a flashback of Bishop being tied in the same place many times and I missed him. I went to Abra and patted her nose and told she was such a nice horse and I was glad she is mine.

I had a Christmas card from the vet who took care of Bishop at the end of his life. That felt o.k and sad at the same time. As I told a close friend, this was not supposed to happen - I was supposed to enjoy him for a few more years.

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I think that is how grieving is - remembering and feeling sad even as one moves along with ones life.

Missing Bishop the horse

It is difficult to say goodbye to an animal friend and companion. When it is unexpected, this is more difficult. My first horse was getting old and over the course of the last 2 years of her life, she went downhill slowly.

Bishop came into my life before Cari left it. I remember them both being in the stable and when I started to take care of Bishop, Cari would look around at me as if to say - who is that horse that you are paying attention to?

There was no gap in between these 2 horses in my life - the only 2 I have owned. Now there is a gap although I would hope to fill it again soon.

*****

I went yesterday to the stables. It seemed quite strange. Many things were as they always were but of course something was very different - Bishop was no longer there.

I met up with some long time riding friends who were most sympathetic. One of them had a soft spot for Bishop as she had wanted to buy him but I got there first. I met up with the barn office manager and the barn help and the barn owner. It was good to see them because I know they all took good care of him and not just at the end of his life.

There were some carrots that I had bought that were sitting around in a paper bag. I took them around and fed them to all the horses and ponies - a last gift from Bishop.

There was a cute pony in the stall that Bishop occupied for the past 8 years. I think he is just passing through. If a new horse had a different stall, I think I would get all confused.

I stepped outside behind the barn where I had last seen Bishop - wrapped up in a blanket and eating grass. I am glad that I had given him a couple of big hugs and a little kiss on his nose to say goodbye. I suspected that I would not see him again.

A good remembering but sad. So the search for a new horse has already started. I expect there will be one out there for me. More to follow...

Bishop

Du Coteau Remi Bishop (May 26, 1992 - October 10, 2008). Registered Canadian horse.

Bishop was born at Ferme des Berges, Thurso, Quebec. He moved to Greenbelt Riding School, Ottawa, Ontario in the spring of 1994. During the next year he was trained as a riding horse. He was bought by Vicki Milnes in April 1995. He lived with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for many years. He did not like the vet but because of his illness he did get used to having injections. He liked the blacksmith which was just as well as he saw a lot of him - he was often taking off his shoes.

He had a gentle sweet personality and was well liked at the barn. He got along well with people and other horses.

Vicki will miss him. He was a good horse companion. RIP dear friend.

Sick horse...poor Bishop

Now he has a kidney infection. He is on antibiotics. The vet was at the stable to see some other horses. The vet took some blood samples.

Bishop is not too happy. He is not interested in eating his grain. I fed him some carrots - he ate them all.

He was taken outside to eat some grass and he liked that. He needs to move a bit. I took him for a short walk. (That was Thursday)


Friday - I took him for a walk this morning and he was not too reluctant. He had eaten his dinner last night. He ate some of his breakfast this morning. He did eat the carrots I gave him.

He did not try to steal a bite of hay from the cart as it went by him. The barn staff said - oh that is not like him - he always tries to get a bite.He looks somewhat better. I left him all wrapped up in a blanket.


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So I started to think about his health issues. He has numerous problems in the 13 years that I have owned him. My first horse had very few.

He had a serious growth on his nose that had to be removed by the vet. It could have interfered with his breathing.

When he was younger he had colic (a sore tummy) but it was never too serious. I watch him eat often and it seems that he inhales his grain which would lead anyone (horse or person) to get an upset tummy.

He injured a leg and had to be bandaged and the leg rubbed with various liniments.

He got an eye infection and needed to have eye drops. He was not too happy about getting them applied.

In 2000 he started to have Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which is a lung disease that resembles human asthma. He has had some real struggles with this over the years. He has been on a number of different medications.

When this first started, Bishop lost a lot of weight. This was in the fall and so he was offered more food which he did not refuse. Some months later when the barn owner returned from his winter vacation, I was riding Bishop and stopped to say hello. He wanted to know how Bishop was doing and then poked his tummy! Bishop had gotten rather fat because his food rations had never been readjusted. Guess what happened next - Weight Watchers for horses!

He was never overly fond of having the vet visit him. Now he is much more relaxed just because he has had to have so many injections.

He was stabled in an outside stall with better ventilation for some time. There was to be built a new extension to the barn but with the red tape, things got held up. He was quite happy to live outside and the vet said that was the best place for him. When the extension was finally ready, he did get a stall there -there is good ventilation and he is close to a door.

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He has always gotten excellent care from the barn owner and from the barn staff.

Health issues - horse and people

The horse was not so great yesterday. I did not ride him but next time he is like that I will take out for a short walk. He needs to move. He is also waiting for a visit from the blacksmith – a familiar time for me and him.

I had a good conversation with a friend who is a long time cancer survivor. She is doing very well and is going for various tests and then for the results. She is very positive and I am sure that helps her. The new priest will be taking her to one of her appointments. I thought that was very kind.

It was good to meet another friend for coffee yesterday. I also had a good visit with her cat. She is struggling with various health issues including needing to lose quite a bit of weight. I feel for her.

So I am grateful for my own good health and weight loss which I am continuing to maintain 4 years after I started WeightWatchers.

Buckley's cough syrup

Does anyone take Buckleys cough syrup??

I know that I do and so does my horse now. “ZEV - Cough Remedy, Appetizer and Conditioner for Horses. Zev is an effective remedy for several different types of respiratory problems in the horse.”

He was breathing quite well this morning. It is still very wet here in Ottawa. The outside fields are full of mud. When I brushed him he had obviously rolled in the mud but was all dry and just dusty.

I think Bishop has lost the 75 pounds that he had to. When you look at him in profile, he is much slimmer. He has a very small breakfast. He is always finishing off the last licks in his feed bowl.