Horsin' Around Canine Style

[kejedo]

 

Horsin' Around Canine Style

      My little dog is Baby Girl. She makes me think about horse racing.

           In the 1970s, I was co-owner of a race horse named Brian B. Run. He was a gelding, which was common for horses that were not being used for breeding, Sorry Brian.

I was not a fan of the grandstand with its foul smell and language, but did like the back of the house: Shed Rows, Groomers, Trainers, Tack Rooms, Walking rings, Veterinarians, Farriers .Hot walkers.

         Never, personally functioning as a hot walker, I was fascinated by this occupation.  Usually an entry level position to the equine management system; the hot walker's job was to calm and settle down a horse after it had raced or trained to race. The horse would demonstrate deep chested breathing and shining slick wet hair. The walker would  guide the overheated animal with a leading rope and in tandem with the hot horse, seeming to mimic its exact respiration and footfalls. Having established congruency with the overheated animal, the walker would gradually decrease his or her own breathing and walking pattern as the pony did the same. By the time the horse's hair had dried, it had generally resumed normal functioning. Walking hots demonstrated an observable physical  change without the measurements of medical scans.

       Off stream and into tributary: My entire family of origin have emotional makeup that runs the gamut from high anxiety to red alert. We are all insomniacs and most have additional sleep disorders.  Achieving a good night's sleep is to dream the impossible dream.

     My little dog, Baby Girl, seems to have an innate sense of diagnosing my stress level without instrumentation. Whether on the couch or in my bed, she puts her little body next to mine. In minutes, she seems to have matched her breathing rate to mine. She slowly relaxes and gets ready for her night's sleep. It is not instant deceleration, but I do feel my body functions slowing down as hers do, and getting to relax a bit, even if not achieving delta or rem sleep. Her soft snoring, at least, makes me feel that I m resting some.

      She's a patient pet, and If I do not feel like getting up at the crack of dawn for an early run, she will wait it out until I am at least partially functioning. She seems to be able to slip back into sleep, not a talent that I have mastered. When I drag myself up, feed her, and get ready to go, she is always ready.

      Sleep aside, when I need a hand,I know of a paw that is always there for me. Her papers state chihuahua blend. She appears to be be part Jack Russell and part chihuahua. To me she's a thoroughbred.

Edited March 22, 2020 by kejedo

[kejedo]

"back of the house' is from my restaurant memories. For the track, it was 'backside.'