The Ladybug

Tag: Animals

  • Pet Therapy: Something to be Thankful For! 

    Welcome to my first holiday post of the year!  I realize that the holidays can be stressful for many people, and so my intention with this post is to offer a little relief from some loveable creatures.  From my earliest days, I have been an animal lover, and I would like to reflect on some of my experiences with pets throughout my life who meant the world to me.  Unfortunately, there are so many animals that have made me smile, that I just cannot list them all.  But here is a sampling to make you smile, too! 

    Let us begin with Blackie, also known as my big brother!  My parents adopted a soft, black, sweet dog when I was about 7 years old, and I named him Blackie.  For an only child, he was everything.  My playmate, my comfort, my safe space, my troublemaker…I could go on.  Blackie lit up my adventures as a young child, and I felt like I had the best brother a girl could rely on.  By the time Blackie was getting grey and a bit sickly, I had already begun to refer to him as my “fur baby love of my life.”  Blackie lived to be about 13 years old, but I swear he lives on in my dreams even to this day.  God has him busy in doggy heaven as my constant protector still!  It makes my heart warm just to remember him. 

    Next, let us visit Ben…or as I liked to call him, Big Ben.  In this blog, The Ladybug, I have mentioned before that I rode horses when I was younger and that I still consider myself to be a “barn girl.”  Ben was a horse I leased from a very special woman, and with a very special trainer, when I was about 17 and 18 years old.  He was huge and, honestly, a bit much for me in both size and temperament.  But he was sweet, and I would creep into his stall after my lessons on him and cuddle with his soft ears, kiss his face, and tell him what a good boy he was.  Ben taught me an invaluable lesson in life: that being challenged can sometimes be exactly what you need.  Ben may have been the most difficult horse for me to ride as far as my skills are in the saddle, but he also became my favorite horse of all time.  My memories of him at the barn are still my “happy place” whenever I need to envision a moment of calm.  Never turn away from something big! 

    I could give each of my cats a full column of their own, because I loved them all so much.  However, I also want to end with a few words about my current fur baby.  So, I will simply say that cats are a whole other adventure from dogs and horses, and I love them just as much!  I have had 3 cats: Maddie, Ella, and Smokey.  Unfortunately, they are all in kitty heaven now, but each one brought something special into my life.  Cats are the rulers in the household, and we are lucky to serve them, ha-ha.  I hope that someday I may encounter another kitty to serve, but for now, my babies also still visit me in my sleep, bouncing around and calling all the shots! 

    Finally, let me speak for a moment about my current main man, Mickey.  He is technically my parents’ dog, and the three of us refer to him affectionately as “Mouse.”  We were gifted Mouse in 2019, and he is so affectionate and sweet.  I have already included his photo in so many blog posts on The Ladybug!  However, this is due to the large part of my heart that he holds.  I no longer have a pet of my own in my separate apartment.  So, when I stay with my parents, being around Mouse is a nice added bonus.  I can get my needed pet therapy time!  

    And pet therapy can be extremely beneficial.  While I have only showcased a few animals here, there have been many that I could smile and say made my life a little sweeter.  It is a privilege that animals let us live alongside them and come into our hearts and homes to make a family complete.  Do not take your animal(s) for granted! If you are having a bad day, scratch your cats’ ears, take your dog for a walk, gently approach your horse, or generally enjoy the company of whichever little creature you have made friends with.  Love your animals, and they will return that affection with a love that no human could reflect, because it is innocent and unconditional.   

    So, if you need something to be thankful for during the holidays this year, begin by thanking your pets.  And whisper a little prayer of gratitude to God for granting you the gift of them in your life!  Have a blessed Thanksgiving readers in the USA who are preparing to celebrate.  And enjoy some of my animal photos below. 

    With Gratitude and Love, G. 

    Blackie Dog, playing in the snow!

    Big Ben and me, around 2005!

    Me and my first cat, Maddie, around 2014.

    Recent photo of Mouse in his bed, so cute!

    https://secure.aspca.org/

    Follow the link to the ASPCA for resources and support! (Not sponsored!)

  • Once a Barn Girl, Always a Barn Girl

    As the seasons begin to change and the “ber” months arrive (September, October, etc.) I am thrilled with the cooler crisper air.  As a person living in New England, I relish the colder times of year.  For me, summer is my least favorite time, as my body struggles with the heat due to my chronic illnesses.  In the fall/winter months, I feel refreshed again.  I enjoy the holidays, as well as my birthday and those of my parents, which all fall in these months.  While I understand that some people detest the cold, I feel that I was prepped to cope with it in a special way while growing up. 

                            You see, I am a barn girl.  Completely and totally horse crazy.  I inherited this trait from my grandmother on my dad’s side, who was “half-horse.”  I began riding her horses when I was 3 years old and continued to be a “barn-rat” until age 23.  Unfortunately, both my health problems and my financial situation do not allow for me to interact with horses on a regular basis today, but I try to live out the important lessons from the barn in everyday life.

                            For example, the barn made me tough and yet gentle in important ways.  First, I became tough due to pushing my physical stamina to perform demanding tasks in all kinds of weather conditions.  From mucking out horse stalls, lifting hay bales, carrying water buckets, and turning out horses in extreme heat or freezing cold, my body had to adapt.  In addition, I worked as a groom at horse shows, polishing the horse’s coat and body until it shined as it competed at top levels.  The groom should support both horse and rider to do their best during competition, with no detail going unnoticed.  I also learned to braid manes for competitive horses, which was an art form.

                            Being gentle is also an important aspect of working with horses.  One must first and foremost remember that horses are beautiful precious animals that are to be always respected!  Never take your frustrations out on the horse!  A horse can be your best friend, and each one has its own personality and little quirks and traits.  You must learn to work alongside each horse with tender care, and you will be rewarded with the bond that is formed between you and that noble animal.  I absolutely found that the grueling physical labor of riding, barn work, and grooming was worth it due to the happiness of being in contact with horses as much as possible!  Some of the most joyous times of my life have been spent in a cold barn snuggled up to a gentle giant. 

                            Today, I am no longer in constant contact with horses, but I follow the professional sport on Facebook and Instagram.  I follow jumping, dressage, and eventing, as well as some equine therapy practices.  I enjoy seeing the incredible range of sport that horses can be trained to do, so long as they are handled properly and treated with the respect they deserve.  In addition, I visit horse rescue barns on occasion so that I may fill my nose with the wonderful smell of horse!  Being a barn girl taught me a form of endurance and resilience that has equipped me to handle difficult situations my whole life long.  The phrase “Once a barn girl, always a barn girl” is no joke!  When I face something tough, my barn girl days have provided me with the inner reserves to stop and say, “How would barn Gaelle handle this?”  There is always a do-able solution.  I hope horses are in my future in an even greater capacity, but for now, my precious memories and early training are enough to give me a firm foundation to stand on.

                            Thank you to all those who made barn girl Gaelle a reality, you know who you are!!  I will go forward with strength and perseverance!

                            With Gentle Toughness, G.

               PS The first photo is me with a draft horse at a rescue barn.

         The second photo is me with my parents’ dog walking on a recent chill morning in what my dad called my “barn girl” fashion.