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COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL March 30, 2016 7A You owe it to the world to pursue your weirdness sional, visit a horse boarding facility and a knowledgeable “horse person”. “Always wear a helmet when riding,” insisted Joy. “I’ve only fallen off once, but that’s all it takes. Thankfully, I had my hel- met on and it did its job well by protecting my head. Guaranteed! Horse health problems are expensive! Before buying or gifting a horse, have a vet do a pre-check because they may have an issue that you can’t see or afford. Horses are mammals, like us. They experience heat and cold. Yes, horses in the wild stand under trees for shelter, but do- mesticated horses need solid shelters. One wall and a roof is better and kinder than nothing. Horses without protection from the weather can develop rain rot on their backs. Our horses needs are respected so they have a barn for shelter.” Medicine Horse “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” Winston S. Churchill “ A few years ago,” said Joy, “I was ill and unable to work. My horses are my pas- sion, but our family was fi nan- cially slipping, so I offered to let them go — the horses, that is! Horses are expensive and a lifetime commitment. They live 25-plus years. Monthly board- ing costs $375-$1000, and our two horses eat 1/2 a ton of hay a month, adding another $300. Horse hooves need trimming every 8-9 weeks, and Dixie has to have $90 shoes every two months. So you can see why I offered to sacrifi ce and sell them for my family’s well being. My husband, Dean, a kind and understanding man, said, ‘NO. Those horses keep you going.’ And they do. They are a pivot- al part of my healing medicine. He took over feeding and caring for the horses — never once a complaint. When I walk to the barn my pain decreases, my mood lifts and I feel better and can do so much more when I get to the barn. When I go back to the house, the pain comes back. Be- ing near horses somehow trig- gers my natural pain blocker. My horses are an answered prayer for a little girl who grew up immersed in poverty, where owning a horse was just a far- away dream. When I was 10 years old, I promised myself that I would own a horse. It took 30 years, but I did it! I have now been a happy horse keeper for 18 years. I love everything about hors- es: The way they smell (dirty or clean), look, feel, and how I feel near them. I love how they nicker when they see me com- ing. Nickering warms my heart, clear to the bottoms of my feet. It’s like cats purring that makes your heart smile. I also love grooming horses Courtesy Photo The hearts of Joy and Dixie, a 21-year-old Quarter horse, are deeply bonded. During Joy’s healing, Dixie is Joy’s “best medicine.” and even enjoy scooping their manure — it is such a good workout. Horses are herd animals and need a companion horse or an- other four-leg, grass-eating ani- mal like a goat or sheep. That is why we have two horses: Dixie, a 21-year-old Quarter horse, and Gabe, an 11-year-old Mustang. Dixie arrived with her name, but I named Gabe after Archangel Gabriel because he has white markings on each shoulder re- sembling angel wings. My horses have a game they love! They toss their 100-pound 4X6 foot rubber-stall mats around like playing cards. They grab them between their teeth and fl ing them around like noth- ing — even dragging them out of their stalls. I wish they would fi nd a new game because I need help dragging the mats back in the stalls.” A “Jolly Ball” was designed for horses, but Joy’s won’t play with it. They prefer their mats. But when her dog spots their ball, he steals it and plays with it while she cleans out stalls. “The thing I wish horses did do is...poop in one spot!” laughs Joy. “Manure mixes in with hay, wasting it, and makes it harder to clean up. It would be easier to pick up their manure if they could miraculously be trained to do it in one location. I don’t mind shoveling. It is great exer- cise and you don’t’ need a gym membership with hay and ma- nure to shovel and toss daily.” After 18 years, Joy is still pas- sionate about horses and amazed to have realized her seemingly im-paws-ible childhood dream! Tips Before becoming a horse’s life keeper, ask questions! Hors- es, as kind, loving and wonder- ful as horses are, they can be dangerous! Consult a profes- Pat in Chehalis, Washington wrote, “Many songs and music were inspired by horses. Listen to the music’s beat and you can clearly hear the rhythm of horse hooves. In America, as cowboys rode the range they created songs to the beat of their horse’s hooves. In some songs/music, you can hear the distinct beats of a trot, a gentle lope, or a gallop which adds another dimension to ani- mals and the world of music.” - If you enjoy reading Pet Tips ‘n’ Tales or are owned by a won- derful, crazy or unusual pet tell us! AngelScribe@msn.com “Follow” Pet Tips ‘n’ Tales on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ PetTipsandTales Adopt Loving Pets www.PetFinder.com Humane Society for Neuter/ Spay Assistance Program. (541) 942-2789 BY NED HICKSON News Media Corporation A s an Oregonian who spent several years living in Port- landia, I feel the city’s unoffi cial mantra “Keep Port- land Weird” is a noble pursuit. The world needs weird. Not the current presidential candidates kind of weird, which is like a Stephen-King-horror-novel-with-a-rabid-dog-and-ter- rifying-clown kind of weird. No, I’m talking about a less volatile, better coiffed and more enjoyable kind of weirdness that helps us keep a fresh perspective on daily life. Albert Einstein, Edgar Alan Poe, Leonardo da Vinci, Lu- cille Ball — all were geniuses in their own way who remind- ed us to see the world with wonderment by unapologetically pursuing their weirdness. I‘m no genius. I‘m reminded of this every time I spend fi ve minutes getting frustrated with the TV remote, then realize it‘s the garage door opener — usually after the neighbor calls to tell me our Labrador is repeatedly being knocked uncon- scious. Though I‘m no genius, I do consider myself weird. And so do others. Particularly my teenagers, who avoid eye contact whenever we‘re in public because they‘re afraid I‘ll do something weird that will embarrass them. Or as they jokingly say, „DESTROY OUR LIVES!“ Ha! Ha! Ok, maybe they‘re not joking. The truth is, though they may feel being in the car with Dad while he orders from the drive-thru in an Arnold Schwar- zenegger voice could have a lasting impact on their reputa- tions — or at the very least completely screw up our dinner order — I believe the example of infusing random acts of weirdness into daily life is an important one. That‘s because being weird requires looking at a common situation in an uncommon way. As a parent, there are few skills I want my children to develop that are more important than the ability to think unconventionally. It‘s that type of thinking that leads to technological breakthroughs, builds self-confi dence and develops problem-solving skills. Not counting me and my TV remote, of course. Being able to wield weirdness is like having Thor‘s mighty hammer to smash negativity and the mundane. Although if you think you‘re going to look as cool doing it, you‘re kid- ding yourself. Regardless, it‘s an effective way of turning a bad situation into a better situation; an unfortunate circum- stance into a laughable moment; Kanye West into... another laughable moment. You get the idea. The world is getting more plugged in and, coinciden- tally, more stressed out. Weirdness is a necessary coping mechanism that benefi ts everyone. So please do the respon- sible thing by embracing your weirdness. Or even someone else‘s. But if they‘re part of the Portland Naked Bike Ride, I’d have them put pants on fi rst. (Ned is a syndicated columnist with News Media Corpo- ration. His book, Humor at the Speed of Life, is available online at Port Hole Publications, Amazon Books and Barnes & Noble. Write to him at nedhickson@icloud.com) Birch Avenue Dental Park W. McClung, DDS • Tammy L. McClung, DDS Where dentistry is our profession but people are our focus WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS! 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