Ghost

If you've been reading the comments, you know that Fantastyk Voyage "Ghosted" me. I didn't know how to react. I don't have a ghostly image, and ghosts don't scare me. Like Grey Horse Matters, I have never seen Jesus in a potato chip. But then I thought of a real ghost story that happened to me. Emonic is letting me use this image of Jack: I tagged it as a favorite in my saved file when I saw it in Emonic's shop. Emonic lives in Milpitas, which is appropriate. The name of the main street in Milpitas is Calaveras Blvd. Spanish for skeleton. Emonic has a website and a space on deviantart

It's a great day for ghosting because the Indian Hill Ranch is having their annual Halloween Costume Contest today. It's the most interesting costume contest I've ever seen----you should see how everyone dresses up their horses! Somebody will take pictures and post them, I'll try to remember to post the link here.

My ghost story has two chapters.

Chapter 1, Livermore Ca, 1995

Janow was boarded at a small private training stable. The horse in the stall next to him, the "neigh"bor was an aging TB mare. Bella had chronic arthritis that cause a lot of pain and required daily doses of bute, an oral anti-inflammatory with a nasty flavor. It was a daily struggle to dose her. Her owner decided she would not have any quality of life without expensive and scary scary veterinary intervention. She was put down.

Later that day, I came to ride. After I rode, Jill came out to the barn to tell us not to ride in front of the house because that is where Belle had been put down. Sometimes horses get frightened and spook dangerously when near a place where a horse has recently died.

I told her that Janow had been in front of the house and he was fine with it. Belle was ready to go, so he was not sad.

Chapter 2, Milpitas Ca 1998

Janow was boarded at a big stable where he still lives today. I was riding him near the back field when he stopped and looked intently at a spot. He was not lloking for something sacry, as horses often do. There was nothing in that spot. He was motionless. I felt very sad. I felt like crying.

After years with Janow, I have experienced communication with him by feeling his emotions. I know it's weird, but there are still things we don't understand. Just because we have mapped the human genome and have grasped quantum physics, doesn't mean we know everything. When I have an incredible feeling that it would be fun to go faster, I know this is Janow and all I have to do is lighten my seat and we are off! So I know when I felt very sad, that it was Janow's feeling.

After standing a long time and gazing, motionless, ears forward, he turned his head and moved on.

Afterward, I mentioned this to Sarah who told me John's mare had colicked and been put down there that day. I said Janow didn't know the mare. Sarah told me he did. John had sometimes walked Janow for me and he had walked them together. Janow had been mourning the death of a friend who had died suddenly.

I'm glad I let him stay as long as he wanted.













The rules for Ghosting It Forward are:
1) Have a Ghostly Image and/or a story to pass along.
2) Tag three people (I'm doing four. Boo!) on your blog, with links to their blogs. Tell about what great folks they are, or offer to send them a Ghostly Treat. I will ghost anyone who would like to participate. I'm not going to pin it on anyone unsuspecting! Just let me know.
3) Include a link to Ghosting It Forward in your blog.