And Then There Were Eight

We have one fewer horse today. Callisto left for her new home today.

She had only ever been on a trailer once before, coming to Virginia from Canada as a weanling 2.5 years ago. So we didn't know for sure how she would load. I was pretty confident, because I know how incredibly mellow she is. But you never know for sure until you try.

I led her to the trailer and she looked inside. I had a bucket of grain in my hand to coax her. She put one foot in, and it made a big stomping echoing sound on the trailer floor, so she took her foot back out.

I talked to her and showed her the grain again, and let her think about it. I never even tugged on the lead rope at all. She thought it over for a couple of minutes, and then one foot at a time, stomped up into the trailer, just as sweet as could be.

Once she was closed in to the little box stall area in the front of the trailer, she munched hay and looked around while we talked with her new owner for a few minutes more. She knew something was happening, but she was more interested than upset.

Pretty soon, they pulled down the driveway and she was gone. They even phoned when they arrived home to let us know they had gotten there safely and all was well.

Another one of my favorites, gone off to a nice new home without me.

I'll miss you, Callisto!