Eli turned 20 yesterday. Well I guess technically all Thoroughbreds turn a year old on Jan 1, but I don't play that game. So I decorated his stall on Sunday. I baked a cake for all the barn people and brought that yesterday. I was riding Eli last night and for some reason I just got really sad. First I felt like he should have had the day off, but due to wet ground there was no turnout. So I rode him lightly. But for some reason I just kept thinking "he's 20". I don't know why this is so hard for me. Maybe because I feel like time is really ticking now. Maybe because I feel like he deserves a green pasture barn where he can enjoy horse life. My barn is more people-happy than horse happy. There's no denying that turnout sucks royally and is not something that a horse would enjoy in any capacity. So that weighs on my mind. It's just hitting me a lot harder than I thought and I was almost in tears last night as I was untacking him. I've had Eli since he was 7. It will be 13 years on Sat Patrick's Day this year. It's just been a long time and I've promised him a forever home. I just feel the need to give him that horse-happy home sometime soon. Not sure how soon is soon. . . . .
This is Eli as a 3 year old race horse
Yes his real name is Elisha, after one of the prophets in the bible I guess. I have always shown him as Elijah, cause people say Elisha similar to Alicia and that's too girly. When I bought him I couldn't stand the name Eli. But he was 7 and knew his name so I kept it. Funny how that works. I don't know why I didn't like it, cause it's a perfectly fine name! And now it's pretty popular with little boys.
