We are planning a small Thanksgiving dinner this week with each other and a couple friends. Our small gathering should make for an intimate and relaxing holiday. The last several years we’ve hosted Thanksgiving for most of our immediate family and while it was wonderful to have everyone together, it also made for a hectic day – and days leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. Sometimes with all the effort and planning that goes into the holidays, the larger meaning of the holidays becomes lost: family, peace, thanks giving, charity.

We were speaking to a client at a recent appointment about her Thanksgiving plans. We asked the normal questions: Are you traveling for Thanksgiving or cooking at home? Do you have a big family dinner? My client’s answer was humbling: her and her daughter volunteer on Thanksgiving Day at a local soup kitchen, feeding the needy and hungry of Connecticut. My client continued, that she felt it was important to instill in her teenage daughter that she is to give selflessly to those less fortunate.  She went on to say that if she did not instill this sense of service and obligation in her daughter, she would have failed as a mother.

We are trying to keep this client in our mind as Thanksgiving approaches. We have much to be thankful for: a successful business; wonderful clients who care deeply for their horses; family who support us zealously. We are blessed in our personal and professional lives. Because we have been blessed, it is even more important that we follow our client’s example and fulfill our obligation to those less fortunate.

The worsening US economy also informs this discussion of charity. The difficult economic landscape makes our client’s example an imperative, for those that are able — financially, psychological, physically. As our economy worsens, those that are most in need will become more so. Our collective need expands and it will take more of us to give and fill this need.

This year we have chosen Heifer International for our holiday charitable giving. Heifer International is an organization that’s mission is to end world hunger and poverty. We have chosen Heifer because of its focus on the developing world and because its agriculture focus relates in a small way to the agricultural nature of our daily work. You donate to Heifer by purchasing one of their many “products,” a cow, water buffalo, ducks, rabbits, and many more. We have bought a cow and a sheep.

We are asking our clients to also donate to Heifer, if they are able. Please go to our gift registry at www.heifer.org/myregistry/egglestonequine and donate by purchasing a cow, or a “share” of a cow, or whatever you can afford. There are donation items both large and small. When you donate, from now through Christmas, and you are a client of Eggleston Equine, we will discount the ambulatory farm call fee of your next appointment (up to half the value of your donation).

Aimee Eggleston & Tim Ahearn

We have a new logo. Artist Alecia Underhill designed the logo for us. Alecia is an artist specializing in equine subject matter. You can see more of her work at her website www.aleciaunderhill.com.

With our new logo, we’ve also launched our new cafepress.com shop, where you can buy spiffy stuff (shirts, hats, totes) with the new logo. Click here to go to the shop now. Just in time for Christmas! Who wouldn’t love a t-shirt with our logo under the tree?!?

I can’t hardly believe this: link

Today I had the pleasure of witnessing something I have never seen in my 28 years associated with horses!  I saw a horse “Fetch” today!

At a routine appointment 3 weeks ago, Johanna Johnston explained to me how her 7 year old Thoroughbred mare, Angel, could fetch sticks.  I didn’t believe it as I had never heard of such a thing, never mind witnessed it — to make sure it wasn’t some doctored “You Tube” video!

But today, I saw it with my own eyes.  Johanna threw out Angel’s stick and said, “Go Fetch.”  Angel walked out, picked it up gently between her teeth, and brought it directly back to Johanna. Angel held it for her until Johanna gently grasped it from her.  Amazing!  At one point Angel even dropped the stick in front of Johanna. Most dog owners can’t get their fetch in this way! And then Angel, per Johanna’s request, actually picked the stick back up to hand to Johanna!

Johanna threw the stick another time and this time Angel didn’t see exactly where the stick landed.  Much to my wondering eyes, Angel snaked and circled the paddock until she could smell/see the stick — just like a hunting bird dog would do.

I told Johanna that she should tape Angel in action and send it to the Ellen Degeneres Show. They will be famous!  Maybe I could be their agent . . .