Meeting a RESKEW

I had a very strange experience today. I met a horse that was a RESKEW. I’m not exactly sure what that is, and I was afraid to ask on so short an acquaintancship . He arrived today while we were all turned out. I was astounded when a thin, dirty horse was unloaded out of one of the wheeled caves and led into the barn.

Shorty and I trotted along the fence and were horrified at his condition. He was thin and matted, his hooves long and scaly. I felt just awful for him! He disappeared into the barn with one of my human’s companions so we didn’t see him again until we were brought in for feeding.

When we were stalled for the night I discovered he was in the stall next to me, where Trooper usually stays when he is not on the show circuit. Shorty is on the other side of me, and Pebbles is across the aisle. We all ate quietly, but I could tell the others were watching the new horse as much as I was. He looked somewhat better, having had a bath and his mane combed. I heard the humans talking about the farrier coming out to see him, as well as the sticker man. I shuddered in sympathy.

When we had all finished eating and the barn lights were turned out I politely introduced myself. He relayed to me that he wasn’t quite sure what his name was now, although the human that had brought him in had been calling him Lucky. He didn’t remember his old name because he was never called by anything. This set my whiskers to quivering with indignation. How could a human demean a horse so as to not recognize his name?

We talked for quite some time and oh the horrors he told me. He hadn’t had his feet done in over a year. He hadn’t seen the sticker man in longer than that. He was so thin and starved I didn’t ask when he had last had regular feed. I can’t imagine my darling human ever letting me do without! I’m sure she would sell her man-thing first before letting me suffer. It’s late, and I’ll relate more of his story tomorrow. Poor Lucky, I’m sure I’ll have nightpeoples after his story! More later.