It’s been a long winter, cold, wet, windy
and one filled with dread. Our Danny & Old Patches were having more and more problems and we knew that we would finally
have to have Dr. Randy euthanize them.
Patches was a Pergeron/Paint Mare - a big
ole thing. Of all the horses that I have owned - Arabians or Quarter Horses - Patches was the one that I got the most inquiries
about if she were for sale. What a roping horse she would have made - but she had been given to be by a family in Texas when
I was moving to this ranch with Tim in Arkansas. I had hoped to breed her to our Palomino Stallion - Skipper, and produce
a stout - big ole foal. But she was an older mare and just never settled. That was just fine because for the rest of life
she was Skipper’s companion mare - and was with him always. Over the last couple of years she just started to get old
and break down - her joints grew stiff and it was hard for her to get up after she laid down. One knee grew hard and stiff
and it was hard for her to walk except slowly, but Skipper never left her in the pasture. Over the last couple of months she
developed some other problems and we were faced with knowing that we would also have to put her down.
We began to recognize that Danny & Patches
were just growing worse we made the decision to euthanize them together and made arrangements with Dr. Randy. So this morning
we set them free from their pain. It was soo easy - they weren’t afraid - there was no pain or struggle. We buried them
in the corner of the pasture. It was sad and yet we were releived that they weren’t hurting anymore - and we will carry
them in our hearts forever. He was our Danny Boy & she was Ole Patches!
The Day After
The hardest part of having to euthanize Danny &
Patches was coming to terms with making the decision, giving up any hope that there wasn’t anything more you could do
for them. In your heart you know it’s the right thing to do, that you have to love them enough to let them go - set
them free from their pain, before it gets to a crises. I wanted to let them go gently with love. But each day before the appointed
day was harder knowing that it was one day closer to when they would be euthanized. Using that word was how you would muffle
the sharp reality that they would die. Each time I touched them I tried to absorb deep in my memory how they felt- what they
looked like - how beautiful Danny’s pale blue eyes were, giving him a dreamy sweet expression. I brushed Patches beautiful
long party colored tail - white, black & grey and felt how silky smooth it was. Doing these things - hurts - makes you
sad - - pulls you down - - positive thinking doesn’t help - it’s a sad time. A place in time that you just have
to FEEL.
Now it’s the day after. I woke up - they were
the first thought of my day - I felt drained - - kind of like being lost in a dream. I went outside to walk to the barn to
feed - - the early morning was full of the feel of spring on it’s way - the sun bright and warm and a gentle soft cool
breeze seemed to sooth my loss. Life goes on - filled with our precious memories - I wouldn’t have given up one second
of having Danny & Patches in my life to avoid the pain of the past few days - - I’m glad that they were put down
before it was an emergency situation filled with pain, and fear - - I’m glad that they drifted out of this world gently
and for that I feel relief and can let them go and begin to remember all the memories we had with them for all these years
and smile.
