Many parents have had help raising their children from a horse or pony. These wonderful animals surely deserve to become members of the Legion of the Unicorn. Here is what one mother wrote:
We made the decision early on to raise our daughters riding horses. We live in rural Oregon and there are not many after school activities or close neighbors to keep young girls busy! We began with two wonderful horses, Takara Bluson, a Raffle bred Arab and Lane’s BlackJack, a section A Welsh Pony. Our daughters Jenny (oldest) and Megan (middle) had lessons with their trainer 3 days a week. We quickly entered the world of showing horses. Our youngest daughter, Marissa was in lead-line classes with her Daddy. The girls loved their horses and the horse show world.
Beau (the Arab) was a wonderful horse, he loved his girls and saved Jenny more than once in the show ring. Once her stirrup broke in a saddle-seat class, she fell in the arena with a pounding herd of horses thundering by. Beau immediately positioned himself over Jenny, protecting her from the oncoming horses. Everyone in arena held their breath, while the horses cleared them. After they passed, Beau nuzzled Jenny. As she stood and fixed her stirrup the audience broke into applause. Amazed by the beautiful little gray Arab who so lovingly cared for his rider.
Lane’s Blackjack, Jack, was a great little true black Welsh. He drove, went western and hunt. He and Megan were quite the team. Together they represented the Welsh breed in the Oregon Horseman’s Battle of the Breeds. Megan was seven years old in a field on adults on full-sized horses. It was such fun to watch my little girl and her beloved pony place in class after class against the ‘big guys’! Jack represented his breed well that weekend!
My girls soon out grew Beau and Jack and they were passed down to Marissa who campaigned both with great joy at finally being ‘in the big girl classes’. Jenny and Megan both got National Show Horses Pintos and we did the Pinto circuit for many years bringing Marissa in with a National Show Horse of her own. Megan and Jenny were both nationally ranked riders in their age group. They loved their beautiful Pintos but their hearts were always with Beau and Jack. We moved Beau and Jack home to our barn were they lived as pampered pets. With my daughters and later on grandchildren riding them bareback and lovingly caring for them over the years.
Last week we made the horrendous decision, that at 35 and 34 years of age their quality of life had changed drastically this winter. We euthanized Beau and Jack on Friday. Jim and I each held on to one of them, loving them and thanking them for being a part of our family over the last thirty years. Doing what you know is right does not make it any easier. We buried Beau and Jack in the pasture they had spent the last 15 years in. As I look out to my empty pasture each morning, I think of all the lessons these wonderful horses taught my daughters. I concentrate on how lucky we were to have been a part of their lives. I miss them so much! We have a new horse in our lives. My daughter Megan bought her daughter, Bella a little palomino Paint for Christmas. The horse is boarded near by, we have high hopes that she will give to Bella what Beau and Jack gave to their girls.
Wow, this was rather cathartic to write down today! It was helpful to get their passing down on paper. Margie McNutt
Reading is almost as important as riding so order your copy of Behind The Mist for yourself or your children. Available from the website or wherever fine books are sold.
To Order Behind the Mist, Click Here:
No comments:
Post a Comment