Farewell Jacob
Mar. 9th, 2019 08:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blueeowynAt the farm, they used to have foals and foals need babysitters. They bought a donkey (intact) with the idea of him fulfilling that role. After they got him home, they learned some of his traits (like he didn't lead ... they were told he lead like Mary and Joseph and it was true if you had someone on him urging him forward). He did learn to lead nicely and was gelded.
Many of the horses were NOT happy about his vocalizations when he first moved in, then they put him out and they saw his ears ... since ears are part of equine communication, his ear movements were "screaming" and if you added the braying of a donkey it was pretty intense. After awhile they all got to accept him.
For many years he would be out with the youngsters when they were weaned to give them company until they got big enough to push him around. Later he was a turn-out friend for Alvin. When Alvin died, Jacob started going out alone.
His braying was loud and he learned to try to nicker a bit (he tended to not be able to for long before giving into that great HHHHEEEEE-HAAOOOWWWWW he had. He had been quick to nip when they got him but learned over time to take his treats gently. He loved having me visit and give him scritches and treats and since for years he and Echo were in the same barn, he saw a lot of me. He got lyme disease and was a bit stiff after that. A few years ago he had a minor stroke and became rather one-sided but had good quality of life. Then he developed a tumor and it affected him as well but he still had good life and waited almost patiently for his turn when I visited the back barn.
Yesterday they had to put him down and it was time. They don't know for sure how old he was but they think he was upper 30s or even early 40s. They often referred to him as older than dirt.
He was sweet, intelligent, and a bit of a rascal at times. At least once he was playing keep-away with Peter but let me catch him. He was a fixture on the farm for decades and we will all miss him.
Farewinds Jaccky ... may you rest in peace.
Many of the horses were NOT happy about his vocalizations when he first moved in, then they put him out and they saw his ears ... since ears are part of equine communication, his ear movements were "screaming" and if you added the braying of a donkey it was pretty intense. After awhile they all got to accept him.
For many years he would be out with the youngsters when they were weaned to give them company until they got big enough to push him around. Later he was a turn-out friend for Alvin. When Alvin died, Jacob started going out alone.
His braying was loud and he learned to try to nicker a bit (he tended to not be able to for long before giving into that great HHHHEEEEE-HAAOOOWWWWW he had. He had been quick to nip when they got him but learned over time to take his treats gently. He loved having me visit and give him scritches and treats and since for years he and Echo were in the same barn, he saw a lot of me. He got lyme disease and was a bit stiff after that. A few years ago he had a minor stroke and became rather one-sided but had good quality of life. Then he developed a tumor and it affected him as well but he still had good life and waited almost patiently for his turn when I visited the back barn.
Yesterday they had to put him down and it was time. They don't know for sure how old he was but they think he was upper 30s or even early 40s. They often referred to him as older than dirt.
He was sweet, intelligent, and a bit of a rascal at times. At least once he was playing keep-away with Peter but let me catch him. He was a fixture on the farm for decades and we will all miss him.
Farewinds Jaccky ... may you rest in peace.
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Date: 2019-03-09 02:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-03-23 07:02 am (UTC)