I'm not sure where to start. I used to be on a PMU list, and saw all the beautiful babies that needed homes. I wanted to help, but never could seem to come up with the money they needed. Somehow, don't remember exactly how it happened, I found Casey Creek. I thought, "I may not be able to help one of the PMU babies, but I bet I can save one of these precious ones." They were all so beautiful. I got onto the Foal Rescue list, and found that everyone was SO nice, and so patient in answering all my questions. And believe me there were a bunch of them. I was concerned about the fact that, with my schedule, I would not be able to feed the baby as often as it needed to be fed. But everyone assured me that sometimes there are older babies that come in, that don't need to be fed as often. So I started litterally saving my pennies. I started paying for everything with bills instead of change, and all my change went into a large water jug. I kept watching all the beautiful babies coming in and going to new homes. A lot of them were exactly what I was hoping for. Spotted drafts. I started getting very discouraged, but everyone kept telling me it would work out, and to hang in there. It was really hard. Then one day, I was looking at the foal pictures for about the millionth time, and there was this beautiful little Palomino filly. TWH/Belgian cross. There was something about her that I just fell in love with. You have to understand that I have never really been a Palomino person. (And she didn't have spots!) I mean I've always thought they were pretty, but just not my thing. And if I were to pick a Palomino, I would pick a darker one. I like contrasting colors. So why this little cream colored girl grabbed my heart, I have no idea. But she did, and she grabbed it hard. I wrote to Jeannie telling her everything that I could think of why this little girl would be perfect for me. She was the same age as my sister's filly who would be coming home to our house soon. So she would have company, and they could grow up together. She was half draft. She was almost 4 mos. old and on two feedings a day. Etc. etc. Jeannie told me that she was already scheduled to go to the Foal Show as an auction baby. I tried again. But Jeannie was holding her ground. <G> So I gave up. I was planning on going to the Foal Show, and was very excited about getting to meet all the people that I had been talking to, on line, for so long. But gave up on the beautiful little palomino filly. When I got ready to head out to the Foal Show, I took my "water bottle" money along in case I had trouble on the road. Getting to meet everyone was wonderful, and I had a ball at the Foal Show, but then the time came to auction off my little Palomino filly. By this time she was a registered Palomino, named Casey Creeks Champagne Dreams. And I was going to watch someone else take her home. I kept watching the bid list and no one was bidding on her. And I got to thinking...."Maybe I can get her after all." I only had just so much money, and was afraid if I put down a bid, someone would out bid me. So I decided to wait until just before the bidding was closed and put my bid in. I watched that bid list like a hawk, and got more and more excited the closer time got to bid closing. I was going up to put my bid in and there was Caroline putting a bid in on my baby. My heart sank. But when Caroline found out that I was wanting her. She changed the name on the list from Caroline to Carolyn. <G> I will be forever grateful for that unbelievably generous gesture.
So I had my baby. But I still had to get her home. So when I got back to North Carolina, I started working on it. But everything kept falling through. It was one disappointment after another. Caroline kept telling me that one way or another we would get my baby home. My sister got busy and got her truck and trailer ready for the trip. And Caroline and Ken set up a relay. Ken brought her to Caroline & Gretchen. And Caroline & Gretchen met my sister and I half way, where we made the switch. She made the trip like a trooper. And seemed to know she was mine. Jacque said that she would watch for me when we stopped for rest/feeding, and I would go off to the bathroom. I felt bad for her when I got her home, because we were afraid to put her out with the big girls, and my sisters filly still wasn't home yet. But she was in my mom's back yard and there is an adjoining fence between there and the pasture where the adult horses are. So she hung around that fence, and they took turns babysitting with her. It was so cute.
I had a hard time coming up with a "call" name for her, but decided to call her Sima. It means "treasure" in Hebrew. And I think it describes her perfectly. She IS my treasure. She is funny, and beautiful, and snuggly, and I can't imagine life without her now. I will be forever grateful to Ken & Jeannie, and all the wonderful members of the Foal Rescue group, for making it all come true. The long wait was worth it. |
