Weird and tingly Wednesday

I'm a scientist by training and inclination, so I'm not sure I believe in the supernatural. But there are some things that can't be explained by science, and so maybe there is more to the world. My current fav radio station does a section on Wednesday mornings where you can share your spooky stories. This would be my contribution-

I had never met a stallion in person. They just aren't that common around the horse world I move in. My coach had a retired dressage stallion at her place as his owner had moved overseas. We had jokingly talked about sending Possum to him to see if we could breed a great Kiwi eventer. I never took that seriously as I was having enough trouble with an older horse, let alone trying to take on a stroppy little warmblood.

I had been working crazy hours as we were flat out harvesting. Eventually I hit a wall after about three weeks without a day off. I got everyone up and running and gave myself the day off. On my way down the road, I decided to pay a visit to the stallion Limmy. I had thought I was going straight home for a sleep and some horse time, but something made me change my mind. Making my way up to the hills, rather than back into town, I had a lazy, picturesque drive through high country.

Having called ahead, I met H. my coach at the house. She led me to Limmy's paddock where the old boy was dozing in the sun. Lippizaner/TB cross, he was white-grey and speckled with chestnut freckles. He certainly didn't look like a savage dressage stallion and lipped at my proffered carrots with politeness. H. pointed out the lumps and bumps along his neck she had concerns about and mentioned the vet was visiting this week to check them out. We talked to him for as long as he was interested, then he wandered off to graze.

Impressed by meeting him, I thought I'd love to see him really move and decided I would have to come back to see him play with his paddock mate. A small part of me wondered what his foal would look like, with Possum as the mum. I made my slow, sleep-deprived way home somehow cheered by the experience.

The next day, they had to put him down as he was full of tumours.

I don't know what made me decide to drive the other way that Monday. Why I needed to meet him after hearing about him for nearly a year. But I am so glad I followed that impulse as it turned out to be our last chance to meet.