Praise for….

- the horse and her gentle quiet nature and her soft winter coat

- the puppy who is so full of life and unsure what to do with it all

- the cats who talk often and move around quickly or who sleep all curled up on top of the stove

- the young help who smiles and laughs even on a cold fall morning

- the shavings in the stalls that smell fresh

- the ducks in the ponds that quack and splash

*****

From Saturday’s workshop on Writing to the Heart. I learned that I could write poetry and it was not so difficult.

Clothing and other items: labelling

I was looking at the list of clothing in the 1963/1964 Trafalgar prospectus. The boarder’s outfit clearly states that every article must be plainly marked with owner’s name.


The notice on Camp Ouareau’s web site states plainly - all articles must be labelled or marked. No trunk or luggage over 15” - they must fit under the camp bed. I do remember that note from my time at camp - I wonder if they are the same beds.

A suggested extra - stuffed animals can go to camp. I have photographic proof that Ruthie Rabbit went to both Traf and Camp Ouareau.

At camp no electronic devices are welcomed. At Traf I had a small radio and also a record player - that certainly dates my time there!

At Greenbelt there are many horses and many horsy items all around. Lockers and brackets for holding saddles are well labelled. Even so things sometimes go missing but they most usually turn up again soon and hopefully in good condition.
Abracadabra has some of her items labelled - the clips to hold her winter blanket, her warm weather blanket and her halter. It is quite a safe place to keep stuff even though there are lots of kids around.

Taking a trip in several different ways

My sister came from Vancouver…yeah!! She took a plane trip…on several planes in fact.

We took several short trips while she was in Ottawa
- to see Abracadabra
- to the Experimental Farm to check out the gardens and the animals
- to a cheese store
- to dinner with some of my former work colleagues

Then we took a driving trip over in the Toronto direction to see a mutual friend and her husband. This was a very pretty drive. We stopped at Port Perry for lunch and then we arrived.

These friends have a lovely old house which they have been fixing up for the past 10 years. We met all the resident animals
- one horse
- one horse on trial
- one donkey
- one dog
- one cat

We also took a trip back in time as we met up with long time riding friends from Lachute. Do you remember this horse or this person? My sister always seems to be better at this than I am.

We shared some nice meals together.
There was much talk about parents - still alive or not - and horse companions.

Then I took a trip home driving through the countryside until I got the 401 Highway, There were lots of country driving before seeing more signs of civilization.

I quite easily got onto the highway and was on my way home to Ottawa.

My sister’s trip ended by going into Toronto and the airport and flying home.

Vicki and Snowball

Vicki with Snowball - the first horse I rode. This was taken in the spring of 1965. I had started riding that winter. Snowball was an older horse and good with beginners. She had had a career as a jumper.

Kathi on Red Serge

Kathi on Red Serge - her current horse. This was taken in the fall of 2007.

Kathi and pony

Kathi on Pepperfoot - probably the first pony she rode. This was taken in the summer of 1964 when she first started riding at Wal Ken Farms.

Camp and parents and horses

I was watching the parents dropping off the kids for summer camp at the barn. I had memories of my mom and dad.

Before Kathi and I were able to drive ourselves my mom and dad provided transportation to the barn. It was a big thing when we learned to drive and even more so when we acquired our own car.

Then there are memories of being driven to summer camp in the Laurentians. That was quite a trip. We had trunks for our one month stay. Parents appeared at Parents Day with a fine picnic and my dad might have gone in swimming with us - my mom did not swim. Now this particular camp is having a 90th anniversary.

Pony stories

When in Vancouver I read one of the very familiar pony stories - the Jill series by Ruby Ferguson.

My mom started my sister and I on this series many years ago. There are nine books and we have both read them all often. Currently the series is living in Vancouver.

My sister is reading them too.

*****

A young girl in post-war England is introduced to riding and she acquires first one pony and then a second one. The stories are all about her adventures with them and her riding friends.

The books as we knew them are long out of print but they have all been reprinted in various forms. Now there is even a Facebook page for the series.

It is always good to go back and read them and remember the familiar characters - both people and animals.

Saying goodbye and hello

It is always difficult to say goodbye to an animal companion - either small or large.

I wrote earlier this year about the two condo cats - brothers they were - that I looked after for a bit while their mom and dad were away. Unfortunately Harley got very sick and he had to be put down. His brother misses him a whole bunch. Mom and dad put out a nice picture of Harley where he used to like to sit.

An online friend had a rescue dog who was a real character. The dog was having major health issues. Unfortunately she had an accident and she had to be put down.

Owners really miss their animals when they are gone.

Benny - really Benedict - the condo cat - will be having a new little kitten sister in the New Year. Her name is Kaitlin - so there will be a team of Benny and Katie!

I might have mentioned how Abracdabra came to be part of my life. When I had to put Bishop down she came into my life as a very welcome addition.

I do have lots of pictures of Bishop and his predecessor - Charisma. It is a good way to remember them.

Images of different kinds

I was reading about images of God and different ways of praying.

*****

This made me think of animals who have their own personalities and ways of being themselves.

Dillinger - one of the next door puppies - was lying by the window when I came close by. He barked. He stopped barking when he saw it was me. Then his tail started wagging. He knew I was a friend. I have seen him just lying there over the back of the chair.

Images from being protective to being friendly and then relaxed.

Horses also have their own image to keep up with. Abra is a warm and friendly horse. So was Bishop. I would say that Cari was less so - she was lively and very pretty.

*****

People have images too.

I am sure that many have heard it as they were growing up - my how you have grown. She looks just like her mother.

Then later on - she does not look older or she has not changed a bit.

*****

How you look and how you others see you is an interesting study in personality - for people and animals.

Images in prayer is a whole different area of interest.
　

Horsy novels

I have started to read some horsy novels. There are lots of them for the younger crowd but I am finding some quite good ones for adults.

So the Ottawa Public Library has redesigned their catalogue and web site. Now you can make lists for yourself or to share with others. I started one for Horse novels. I added several older items that are on my shelves.

I also found a few lists to help get me started. I will consult them as I pursue this interest in reading and horses.

Gallop for the Guineas

It seems that the Queen may be attending the Queen’s Plate when she comes to Canada. The date has been set as July 4th. It will be a big anniversary this year - 150 years of this horse race.

Stay tuned for more from Buckingham Palace about the exact itinerary - says Abracadabra who does not race - I hope not - but is interested.

Street names - horsey

I was looking on a map for a street name and I found a good collection.

Equestrian Drive
Harness Lane
Stable Way
Pommel Crescent
Pacer Place
Saddlehorn Crescent
Rein Terrace

In another part of Ottawa and close to where Abracadabra lives.

Hunt Club Road
Pimlico Crescent
Saratoga Place
Bridle Path Drive
Farriers Lane
Hunters Point Crescent

*****

Place and street names are interesting to reflect on.

Lachute has some streets like Grace and Robert and Sydney. I believe they were named after original inhabitants of the area.

In Ottawa when amalgamation happened streets had to be renamed. Some kept their names so we have Main Street, Main Street Manotick and probably a few more variations.

Vets or vets??

When I am reading the headlines of the local newspapers - and I do read the Ottawa Sun online as well as the Ottawa Citizen - a familiar word will catch my eye.

Vets to share…was one of the latest.

Is was not about war veterans as some stories will probably be closer to November 11. It is about veterinarians like the ones who look after Abracadabra and the famous ones depicted in All Creatures Great and Small.

Red Serge: Kathi's horse

Missing and remembering again

It was a difficult day at the stables last week. A horse was very sick and the owner had to get the vet to come. When I left the barn the vet was there checking him out. It was a female vet which is always nice to see.

I asked abut the horse the next time I was at the barn. The horse did not make it. They think he had a stroke which seems unusual for a horse.

The barn staff member who was around that day said it was quite upsetting. She was there helping the owner with what she needed. She said - I did not get any work done that day. What I thought - that was the work she needed to do - to be there and help out with the horse and the owner as well.

She told me that she had gone with Bishop when he was taken to the vet in Napanee. Then I felt sad and I missed him again. The nice part of the story is that she was the person walking Abracadabra when I first met her.

*****

I make a point of reading the obituaries in the local paper. In the last while there have been several people I know who have died.

It is good to remember one’s connections with these former neighbours and church, work and riding friends. Some were folks I saw often and then there were those from my past.

I remember with fondness James - a riding colleague; very English and lots of fun to be around. Then Myrtle whom I worked with at Labour Canada and she was a great help to me when I started working there. James was 81 and Myrtle was 85.

It is sadder to remember those who died in their 50s or 60s. I think they still had a lot of living still to do.

As someone said after a funeral - I wish I had got to known Drummond; I do not think we every had a conversation; From his eulogies he sounded like a very interesting person.

That makes me stop and think about how I am involved with people and just making time to know them through whatever connections we have.

Kids Day at St. John's

An old print that I found in a file folder when I was looking for something else.

Some years in the past St. John’s had a Kids’ Day in the fall with lots of free activities. One of them was pony rides and the ponies came from the stable when Abracadabra lives. The rides were given on the side lawn beside the church. The kids all enjoyed it a lot and so did the ponies.

Therapeutic riding

I went yesterday to visit a friend whom I had not seen in several years. She has a very nice facility close to the Ottawa River. I had driven there before and it was not too difficult to find again.

She has a therapeutic riding facility. I watched one of the horses and riders being instructed. Both did very well. The rider did what he could. The horse was very calm and not excitable at all.

Many years ago a similar riding program started at Greenbelt. When I was talking with a good friend about the program she told me that her son was to be one of the first riders.

The program stayed at Greenbelt for a few years. I helped with walking beside the horse and helping the rider. The arena was built because of this program. It has been very well used over the years after the program left.

The program is now not too far away from Greenbelt. In the winter of 2007/2008 they had a disaster with their arena - with all the snow and ice build up it collapsed. So they were asking for donations to help rebuild and I made a small contribution. I went to visit the stables and see what was going on. Everything looked to be quite impressive.

Horses then and now

The Queen who has always been interested in horses was recently given another one by the RCMP. They had quite simple names:

1. Burmese - 1969
2. Centennial - 1973
3. Saint James - 1998
4. George - 2009

Her daughter Princess Anne and granddaughter Zara Phillips have progressed to high levels of competition in the horse world.

*****

From Ballykissangel:
Liam - I know about horses. I grew up with them.
Donal - What? Rocking horses?
　

*****

From a long time in my past and Kathi was quite young. There was a visit to a house down the street where there was a place to play. There was a rocking horse and Kathi had a nice ride.

I also remember her having nice rides on the ponies at Granby Zoo.

At that time I did not join her in these horsy activities.
　
*****

So Kathi is visiting me in Ottawa this weekend. A trip to the stables to meet Abracadabra was in order. A ride on Abracadabra was also in order. She quite enjoyed her and I am sure that Abra enjoyed meeting her too.
　

Hospitals then and now

In one of my blogs there was a posting about a new book about hospitals that sounded interesting. I borrowed it on interlibrary loan from my local public library. It was about the history of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal from the point of view of the patients, the nurses and the doctors.

Then I became more interested in learning more about my local hospitals. I read a couple of short histories. Hospitals are always changing and growing - just walk by any hospital in Ottawa these days.

The Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal cannot be updated to modern standards. I wonder what will happen with the buildings - they are so distinctive on the Montreal skyline.

“Resources within the hospital continue to be strained.” This is a quote from the 1970s but it could have been written yesterday.

There was a small hospital next door to us in Lachute. My first and only visit there for medical attention was when I fell off the neighbour’s slide and cut my nose. I took my doll - Joey - with me and he got a Band-Aid on his nose. I had to have a couple of stitches. The mark stayed on my nose for many years later.

My more recent visits to the hospital with injuries have been because of falls, bumps, etc. from horses. The worst injury I had was a hairline fracture. I got too close to another horse when I was riding and the other horse kicked mine. I needed a cast as a result of this misadventure.

I had this accident in the winter and many times I had to tell folks that I had the injury with a horse rather than skiing. This was the worst winter for snow in Montreal - 1971 - and the civic workers were on strike. It was quite tricky getting around with crutches and a cast in all that snow.

I did recover easily and I went back to riding as soon as I could. A few years later I was in England and the ankle did not feel right. That was because of the damp English weather.