Uncle Skeeter

Published on by Amanda C

Some of you may have noticed me mention “Uncle Skeeter” in passing in a few of my Presto posts. Since Skeeter has now proven that he is, in fact, a very important part of the Presto family, I thought it was only fair that he get his own little post.

family meeting

When they first moved Sadie and Presto to an outside pen at the vet clinic, I felt sorry for whatever horse might end up next to them. Momma bear tends to be… well… a bear when it comes to her babies. She even gave serious what-for to her BFF Lissa at home when they were in paddocks next to each other with their babies, and there’s no one in the world that Sadie loves more than Lissa. So I was surprised to see that she was actually quite tolerant of Skeeter, the Cushings gelding that was in the pen next to them. She made some ugly faces at him the first couple days, but Skeeter was quite undeterred by her theatrics and that was pretty much the end of it.

Now Skeeter and Presto love to hang out. Presto will go over there and stick his nose into Skeeter’s pen to sniff him and say Hello. And Skeeter has taken it upon himself to be Presto’s protector. Any time a new horse gets put into the pen on the other side of Skeeter, he makes sure that the horse knows they have to stay at the opposite end of the pen from wherever Presto is. Especially that one polo mare that was there for a few days and, according to Skeeter, kept making very inappropriate eyes at Presto. He kept her herded up into a corner the whole time.

keeping watch during nap time

Skeeter is pretty severely Cushings, and has some kind of wound on his face. I don’t know much about him except that he’s been ready to go home for a couple weeks now but no one has come to pick him up yet. I think he’s just someone’s not-very-important pasture puff. I’m kinda glad they’ve left him there, though, because apparently Sadie thinks he’s a crucial family member, too.

They tried to move Skeeter somewhere else last week so they could thoroughly clean his pen (Cushings = pees a lot) and Sadie absolutely lost her mind. To the point where they just turned around and put him back in the pen because she was about to SadieSmash the barn to smithereens. I guess she has decided that Skeeter is the only approved babysitter and he isn’t allowed to leave.

I jokingly (or not) told Michelle that we may end up having to take Skeeter home with us if he still hasn’t been picked up by the time Presto is ready to come home. He seems perfectly suited for the role of babysitter.

43 thoughts on “Uncle Skeeter”

      1. Well, they haven’t come to pick him up yet, despite being ready to be picked up. To me, that kinda says I don’t really care/prioritize this horse. I think you could probably approach the owner about free leasing him. 🙂 Just explain the bond he has with your little family.

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  2. I love this. Skeeter seems like a pretty cool guy and while I’m sad his owner hasn’t picked him up, I’m glad that he’s been able to stay and babysit. Sounds like it’s been good for Skeeter, Sadie and Presto.

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  3. Awww, yeah! I kinda hope he isn´t going to be picked up and that your friend decides to adopt him! He will definitely be better cared for with Michelle and he´ll probably thrive as a babysitter, and a Sadie-approved one at that!
    Presto keeps looking better and better! I hope he is declared “out of the woods” soon!!

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  4. I have had to chuckle at the mentions of Skeeter since “Skeeter” is my brother’s nickname. I will be sure to tell my big brother that a very special horse has the same name.

    I love that Skeeter has taken Presto into his care and hope that he lands softly. (at Michelle’s with Presto would be the best place ever;)

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  5. I love this so much! I mean, he’s part of the family now, you can’t leave him. Sounds like he’s the perfect babysitter too.

    Unrelatedish (probably related to a lack of sleep and copious amounts of medication), I keep reading Presto’s name as Pesto and it makes me happy and giggle.

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  7. daw! Uncle Skeeter is sweet. Copper would like to be the uncle to the babies on the farm, but he’s that uncle…that would give them cigarettes and dirty magazines. So they aren’t allowed to hang out with him til they get a little older. Skeeter doesn’t seem to fit in that realm luckily. 😉

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  9. Aw he’s got such a sweet face. Presto obvi needs a kind old grand pop to show him the ropes and tell him old stories about walking to school uphill in both directions

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  11. OMG that is the sweetest!!!!!! ❤ I think he needs to come home with you. He can travel to shows with you and keep the horses calm, like how goats do for racehorses!

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  13. It’s so funny how mares act once they have a baby on the ground. My gelding is now very protective of my foal (even though V still tries to kill him) to the point that he attacked his old pasture mate for getting too close to the new baby.
    Skeeter seems like a sweet horse. It’s a shame that he hasn’t been picked up but like you said, it’s a bit of a blessing in disguise.

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  15. Can we please have one of those shirts like the coffee, wine, horses oes except make it like;
    PRESTO
    &SADIE
    &SKEETER
    &HENNY TOO.

    I would buy them in every colour you could offer. serious levels of just take my money.

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  20. Wow that tugged at my heartstrings hard when I read that Skeeter’s owners haven’t come for him 😦 he has such a wise, sweet face! I am so glad Presto is feeling better and I hope he continues! What an adorable bond he and Skeeter have made.

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  26. Ahhh that made my heart break. Poor Skeeter. Old dogs and old horses, my heart is in pieces. What a sweet little extended family you have there. ❤

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  27. I agree with Laura’s comment. there is a book here. Perhaps a children’s book or maybe one of those books that are both for children and adults. Aren’t horses amazing! Good to see Presto outside. And please take Skeeter home with you.

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  30. How am I just seeing this post now? Along with pretty much EVERYONE else, I agree that Skeeter has to go home with you. I’m happy to call his owner myself and explain to him how Skeeter has a new family and how he doesn’t have to pick him up, but yes, still has to pay the bill…

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