The Vinatge Magazine, Southwest Georgia, for Boomers and Beyond

July 2010

Gal Pals & Pound Puppies

The Gal Pals ride again! Albeit a smaller group, the Fearsome Foursome spent the last week of May riding Big South Fork and East Fork, Tenn.: Mary Ann, Lynn, Toni and I. (We numbered five one day when gal pal Angie rode with us.)

The weather was perfect — perfect because it threatened rain one day, which made us decide to go hiking instead of riding. We had so much fun hiking (and burning off some of the thousands of calories we were consuming) that we decided to make it an annual tradition: the Hiking Day!

The last day at East Fork was the most beautiful ride, and except for me losing Cole's bridle and reins, it was a perfect day — not too sunny, not too hot, not too buggy, with incredible views and a moderately challenging trail (for the horses anyway). How do you lose a bridle, you ask? Well, let's just say, against my initial inclination, I decided to take it off and put a nylon halter on him for the trailer ride back to camp … hung the bridle on the side of the trailer … and the rest is obvious. (Oh, I so hate getting old and absentminded!) At least it was at the end of the last day. I've now repurchased bridle, bit and reins (cha-ching).

I can't help but make a connection here to our cover story on Pet Rescue and Adoption, which I whole-heartedly support and will say why in a minute. While not everyone considers a horse a pet, I do, and it stands mentioning that equine rescue and adoption organizations abound and need your generous heart more than ever these days. If you are considering a trail buddy, a pasture ornament, or even a competition steed, it would be worth your while to look at the area equine rescue organizations before doling out dollars to a breeder.

Features

Too Many to Love

By Chip Jones

We all reached a point as children when we posed the question for mom and dad, “Can I have a puppy?”

“Are you ready for the responsibility?” would come the reply. We can make a difference in the pet overpopulation if the answer is “yes.” We can adopt. We can love this little fuzzy “thing” we take home, and make sure that he or she gets a good diet, sees the vet, has plenty of attention and hope for a healthy life. Great joy comes with setting these fine little creatures desperate for a home off on a better course.

Good health is our greatest asset. As youngsters, we take it for granted. As active adults, we are lucky to have it. As we get older, we are blessed by it. It should be no different for those blissful fur balls we embrace as our pets. They are lucky because we are there for them.

Unfortunately, the general pet population in every corner of the country is in a state of distress. Too many pet owners everywhere are allowing unaltered adults to reproduce randomly. There are seasonal offerings of puppies and kittens with nowhere to go, so the problem endures.