I haven’t written about the advent of Anja yet…

Anja is now my younger daughter’s new horse.

She’s a Norwegian Fjord horse.

Just like my daughter’s previous therapy horse, Sonja (who died tragically from botulism poisoning in the Spring of 2018).

*****Post-April 24, 2018: “Sad, Sad, Gut-Wrenching & Sad”

Plus, Anja is also related to Sonja!              She really is!!!

I “happened” upon Anja’s “For Sale” ad…….in a South Dakota newspaper…….

…..(okay, I may have been scouring newspapers across the country…so it might not have been much of a “happenstance”…it was more of a nationwide/intensive search on my part).

You see, Poppy…….while being a great Haflinger pony…….turned out to be a not so great match for my younger daughter…….

…..maybe…….just maybe…….the double-barreled, well-aimed, back-hoof kick that landed on my daughter’s thighs might have had something to do with my warp-speed-overdrive decision…….

Poppy didn’t need to do that…….it was her little, blonde choice…….BUT, it was the last one she would make as my daughter’s horse…….

…..so I sought out and found Anja…….on a farm in Minnesota…….in a South Dakota newspaper/classified ad…….

…..I know all of you mothers out there would have done the exact same thing to try to keep your child safe.

What if my daughter had been bending over and it was her head and not her legs that were in Poppy’s trajectory!?!

Poppy had kicked her so hard that the silhouette of her hooves’ frogs were bruised onto my daughter’s legs for a week afterwards…

………….and as far as I could see…….there wasn’t a reason for the kick…….

I don’t mention it often, but my younger daughter has special needs and is visually impaired…….so a kicking pony does not fit into our game plan…….

………….Anja is in Florida now…….and she is as patient as the day is long…….my daughter has fallen in love with her and the two have bonded quickly…….

…..Anja reminds her of Sonja…….

…..She drives and rides…….and Sonja’s parade harness fits her perfectly…….

…..she even walks across the pasture to greet my daughter…….(and to check her pockets).

…..as a mother, you can never thoroughly trust a horse with your child…….but Anja goes a long way towards that trust…….she has a kind eye and a good heart……..

…..we will find a good home for Poppy…….she’s a good pony…….she’s just not a good fit for our daughter…….

…..once Anja finishes her botulism vaccination series at Suzanne Annette’s home, then she will be able to come home here to stay…….

…..and if we’re lucky………….life goes on…….