Joey At Cedar Creek

Hey y'all,

Sunday was a big day here at Cedar Creek. I got to check off a bucket-list item: Bring Joey to live with me.

If you're not familiar with the name Joey Joey and don't know our story, take a peek here.

In short: Joey is my blind black Quarter Horse. He is 13 years old (for the last three years I have said he's only 7. Wow, how time flies) and I've owned him for the last 9 of those years.
He was not blind when my parents purchased him as a Christmas/birthday gift to me. He retracted recurrent uveitis -- or moonblindness -- boarding in a dirty barn and eating contaminated hay.
Something like that is always hard to struggle through, especially because I was a new horse owner when it happened three months after we got him. I was also only 14, and my family was not horsey.

He immediately moved from the compromised boarding facility to our small paddock with the beginnings of a barn (literally the skeleton); and that's where he's been ever since.
My parents provided what they could in the way of feed, tack, shelter, and riding and turnout space. They have been complete angels of the guardian kind watching over and taking care of my boy as I've gone through those major life changes that occur at the end of the teen years: college, jobs, marriage, moving out, having a family. Never once have they talked about getting rid of my dead-beat horse whom nobody else could or would ride. They simply cared for him until I could get things smoothed out and routine enough to be able to take on the full care of my beloved and ever-patient equine friend. Thanks, Mom and Dad.

That day came Sunday; and I lost so much sleep all last week just waiting for it all to be over.
Joey had not been in a trailer in almost 10 years; and the last time had happened when he went blind, and it was not a great experience.
However, with minor difficulties, he loaded like a dream and completely enjoyed the excitement of the hour-long ride to his new home.

Our first ride together in a while. Stayed inside the paddock where he's familiar.
I was trying to capture the amazing sunrise. My most favorite time
of the day is when the sun comes up.

I knew Joey would be happy with his new and bigger pasture that we spent the last three weekends fencing. In his smaller paddock at my parents', nearly 10 years of constant grazing left almost no grass. His new paddock has a section almost 1/2 acre large of thick grass in the sunshine; but I was a little leary of the rest: a forest of pine trees. With him being blind, I was worried about him navigating all the trees.
I have never seen a horse settle in so quickly and so happily at a new home. My heart was bursting with joy and thankfulness as I watched him walk and trot around his new home for the first three hours he was here. Hardly interested in all the lush grazing around him, simply ecstatic to stretch his legs and explore.

The original amigos. Both of these fur kids came into my life around the same time in high school.

Just wait until we introduce some pasture-mates this weekend. His cup will be running over.

I'm so happy that my morning routine now includes some time spent breathing in the scent of horse and taking a good ride before my regular coffee date with my husband, even if it means waking up earlier. Taking care of Joey Joey is a huge source of joy to me; riding him is just the icing on the cake.
I know we will explore many happy trails for the rest of our days together.

This is what Joey thinks of our early-morning rides.

A huge shout-out and thank you thank you thank you to the men in my life who have worked so tirelessly to make my dream of bringing home Joey Joey a reality. That includes my dad and brothers who worked wicked fast to bring him home that first summer. I love all of you, and could never thank you enough.

Jacob only thinks he's seen my horse-crazy... heh heh heh