By Patty Wilber
I was not going to have Gette shipped from Thunderstruck Ranch in Canada to NM until midsummer 2023, but Christy wanted to get her colt, Gino, down here sooner, so we ended up getting them in Dec. 2021!
I don’t regret it! It is a lot of fun hanging around with this goober head!
She follows me (or Jim) everywhere when we are at the barn and is constantly insisting that SHE is a BIG GIRL and we should be paying attention to her, like right now, and the heck with the other horses!
Gette–Hard to get good pictures because she keeps getting too close!
Gette says, “here i can help you with Sonora! and also eat saddle strings if u are not looking…!”
Gette says, “WAIT! i need to be coming with you!!!!!”
A few days ago, she marched herself into the saddling area when I went in. I thought if she was so gung ho to be a big horse, I’d just slap a bareback pad on her and see what she thought.
I did not halter her. I pulled out the pad, flopped it on her, and cinched it up. She stood quite still, (“thank-you very much, i told u i can do this!”, she said). And then I kicked her out with the other horses to let her wear if for a few hours.
Bareback pad on! Who needs to halter for that?!
She did not run off, or buck, or swish her tail, or pin her ears, or show any signs of unease at all. She walked around looking mighty proud of herself and did try to eat the latigo straps, because, I mean, they were RIGHT THERE!
I think this filly is going to be super fun to start under saddle, since she is brave, curious and easy going, loves people, and wants attention! She ought to be able to watch a cow really well, and I think she will enjoy the ranch horse classes as well as handling the back country.
She has already been on several Back Country Horsemen projects and her vibe was “this is pretty cool!”
Gette is going to fit right in with my other fabulous mares, LT, Lucy and Penny!
I don’t plan to get on her until she is two and a half, but it is going to be hard to wait with her insisting she is ready all the time! That’s ok! She is super entertaining in the interim! Glad we have her down here!
Cancer treatment update. Two of the nasty treatments down. Two to go. Nov. 3rd is number 3. I avoided headaches on treatment 2, but for #3, hope to better manage the frequently-just-a-bit-queasy stomach. Treatment effects are cumulative they say, and I am more tired, but still able to go to work, give some lessons, and ride the youngsters! I am being extra careful to keep from over doing and my own horses are not getting much riding. They do not seem to be complaining. I also have taken NAPS!
I am into the cue-ball-like no-hair phase. That will last at least until the nasty treatments are done. I will not be wearing any wigs but I will be wearing beanies to keep my head warm! In December, I will start on the second phase with 12 weekly HER2 receptor-targeted infusions. Those are not supposed to be so draining!
The tumor is still shrinking and maybe completely gone by the end of the HER2 infusions! Doc says we are going for a complete cure, and reading about this online suggests that is the outcome in 97%+ cases, which makes the whole thing way less scary and much more like a long march with a heavy pack through sand.
On the other hand, my treatment is so much more mild than so many others that have reached out to encourage me. They made it through, and are inspiring me!!
Thank-you to the many amazing people who have reached out! I am surrounded by wonderful folks. It is humbling!
