Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Phone Call You Dread
This morning we got the phone call everyone dreads. It was my barn owner telling us that Beau, our 13 year old Paint gelding was coughing. We raced down to the barn, which is about a 22 minute drive from our home to see him. After checking his temperature and other vitals signs and watching him for an hour we are pretty sure he is just fine.
Two years ago I got a phone call which didn't have such a good outcome. It was my barn owner, a different barn owner than today, calling to tell me that my horse, Image had been hurt in a pasture accident. Those next hours were the worst of my life and that cold evening ended with me on the ground wrapped around Image in grief. A hind leg had been shattered and we'd had to make the decision to have him euthanized.
When we got the call this morning, while it was certainly far less dire, it nevertheless brought up all those frightening feelings all over again. Image was my very first horse. He was the horse I learned to ride again on, and who took care of my husband while he learned to ride. He'd been a school horse and I bought him for the grand sum of $225. Even if we wouldn't be able to ride him very much I wanted to be sure that this wonderful horse had a grand retirement. Even though I know I couldn't prevent his accident I still and will always feel that I failed him. Rest in peace my beloved Image, rest in peace.
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Hey great blog, just love the picture of the guy kissing the horse on the nose.
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