to soon to young

This morning after days of rain the sun came out. I woke up feeling inspired and full of life, ready to achieve all manner of things. Then i opened my phone, and read a text I'd received during the early hours of the morning. I sat back down on the bed, and the bright light of day suddenly faded, in a 160 little letters, i got news that broke my heart.

Every rider dreads losing a horse, its not just the animal, but the hopes, dreams, goals and the journey that goes with them. To lose a young horse, a talented horse, and one that you have waited and planned and dreamed about, is devastating beyond belief. My very good friend had just that happen to her today. Hearing her news broke my heart, i completely understand the pain, and numb sense of disbelief that this kind of thing brings. Although not my horse, it was a very special one, and a mare that i have had a lot to do with, riding and schooling her from time to time.

In fact, not three days ago, i took the wild stallion out for a ride with this mare and her rider who is a dear friend. We talked the whole time about our horses, how hers was developing from a lanky young horse into a little super star. how the stallion continued to amaze us with his temperament and trainability. We talked excitedly about how this mare was going to be a fantastic dressage horse to train through to grand prix, and all her little bits of progress. Most of all her rider talked about how she was enjoying the experience of having a young horse, and the journey of training her. That journey is now over. in one freak accident. Horses are like that. one minute your on top with a bright future, next you cant believe the depths of pain you can feel.

we had the worst storm i can ever remember last night. Thunder and lightening that shook the roof all night long. Sometime during the night this little mare ran through a fence and broke her neck, dieing instantly. just like that she was gone. The extra tragic part, is that this friend made the tough decision to put her faithful old pony to sleep earlier in the week, as it wasn't coping with the harsh winter. So within 1 week she lost the two horses that were most special to her. To make matters even worse, my friend was super excited to be taking this mare to a clinic with a favorite trainer this weekend. She got up early to go get horse, but instead of picking her up for the clinic, she was met by her mother with the tragic news that she would never be seeing her lovely mare alive again.

I'm sure every horse rider and animal lover understand the pain and shock. I know i felt absolutely crushed and couldn't help crying as i talked to her on the phone. Such a beautiful horse taken way to young. I did what i could to help, and loaded up our quiet old stock horse mare and took her over, to keep the now severely traumatised pony her four year old daughter rides company. Dont let anyone tell you horses dont feel sadness, or loss or pain. This little mare was constantly looking for her companion, trying to get to where her dead freind body lay. was only all the more sad to see. Every time we have lost a horse, i know it has upset the whole herd for days! Once we made the descision to put a sick broodmare to sleep, her foal stood on the spot where she was buried for four days without moving. Horses just like humans feel greif.

RIP Tommy Girl, so sad your gone, and to all of you who have lost a good horse way to soon. I feel you greif.