Senior equines have a special place in my heart. They are trained to serve us; they work hard their whole lives, and when they come to their end days- it’s our turn to serve them. Sometimes that means spending money on medicine or a special diet, or sometimes that means ending their suffering.
A few days ago, my father, sister, and I went out to ride horses, but that didn’t happen because we found Charles laying down in the field. I went to go get him, but he couldn’t stand up. After many attempts with human and tractor help, and a call to the vet, we got him up, but he fell right back down. He was too weak to stand and had exhausted all his efforts. We gave him food, water, and time, but this sweet guy was just too weak, not to mention he is at least 36 years old.
When we came back to check on him, it was pouring and cold. It was a tough call to make, but for a horse who had worked so hard and lived so long, it was the least I could do to not let him suffer.
Charles, my first Tennessee Walker, was always a happy and content horse. He had a positive disposition about him that made you want to smile. I will/do miss this guy a lot, and will visit his grave often.
Horse’s truly are wonderful creatures. I am so glad that I have the privilege of having them in my life. The responsibility of caring for such majestic animals is trying at times. Domestic horses are completely dependent on their owners for their livelihood. Caring for equines is a big, yet rewarding task. The passing of Charles got me thinking about my history with horses and all that these special animals have taught me. It really is a privilege to have horses in my life. Because through the years, horses have taught me a lot. When I think back to the first horse I ever got, I see how much knowledge and experience I have gained- and still have to gain. Sometimes it takes looking back, to realize how far we have come (said some famous person I am sure). So buckle up, because it’s time for a story.
Roomer
Before I even got a horse, I got a saddle. I wanted a horse soooo bad. Sevenish year old me had been going to horse riding lessons at a little stable in Ozark MO. I had learned to stop and go, to weave in between poles, and I had even cantered once when the pony I was riding got spooked by a dump truck passing by on the nearby road. I could totally handle my own horse by now I told my parents. However, my parents pointed out that even though I could ride a horse, I didn’t know what it took to care for one. So before buying me a nice, well trained horse, they found a $75 horse on ebay. I think this was so that I could understand what it meant to care for a horse. We got in the truck and picked her up on a warm fall day. She was super old and her owners were moving and couldn’t take her with them.
Her name was Roomer. I never did put a saddle on Roomer. *I was sevenish so I couldn’t have reached if I tried * My father would lift me up to sit on her back, but for the most part I brushed her and gave her baths in the summer. She was my first horse and really sparked my imagination & desire to care for and love horses.
Penny
This stubborn, sorrel quarter horse was named by my sister. She is still alive and is currently “owned” by my other sister. After my family moved back to our farm in southern Mo, we got Penny so that I could continue to ride horses. (we moved too far away for me to keep taking lessons at the little stable) One thing this horse did teach me was to keep on tracking: to never give up and to always get back on.
Penny might have been the first horse to buck me off, but NOT the last. While I truly enjoy the memories I have made and continue to make with this horse, I realize all we have been through together. I remember all the times her stubbornness or my own failure made me cry. But Penny never gave up on me, even when I wouldn’t ride her for long periods of time or brush her like I knew I should, she hung with me and I with her. She taught me that if it’s been a month since our last ride, to just go for it. To get back on and see what happens, and even when it all goes wrong, to get back on.
Phoenix
As time progressed, beloved and gentle Roomer passed away from old age. I kept learning more and more about horses by attending a week long summer camp a few years in a row, went on some great long trail rides with family & friends, and picked up a few extra horses. *ya know how it is, ya can’t just stop at one. Who can just have one piece of pizza when the whole box is right there!?!* So for my 11th birthday I got a new horse, giving Penny to my sister. His name was Phoenix. Read more about this amazing guy here.
This beautiful Rocky Mountain horse taught me a huge lesson- patience. Let’s face it, I was a little girl on a BIG horse. This horse has a big personality that requires a lot of patience to keep in check. Because of this, I have learned to be patient with my equines. They aren’t people; they are animals and will act as such. It took some tears and some falls, but with the help of Phoenix, I learned to be patient with my beloved equines and respect their horse tendencies while still being in charge of them.
Max
Max was purchased by my parents when they bought a nearby farm about 3 years ago. Small in size, yet big in heart, Max is still teaching me this very important lesson: relationships take work. You would have thought it was a no brainer really. You can’t just feed your horse, ride it, and except to have a relationship. Yet this is often the case, with people too I think. Relationships take work, take time, take effort, take resources.
Max, more about this dude here, is a complicated fellow. My other horses are easy to catch, come right up to you, yet Max lingers back and plays it safe. Once caught, he is easy to saddle and mount, however; he acts differently than the other horses- less trusting, more like he just wants to get this over with. He doesn’t want me to be in charge, to control his body, his movements. This might stem from the fact that he was abused as a colt. Whatever the reason, I realized that in order to be able to “ride” this horse, I needed to gain his trust- to work hard to form a relationship with him. Our relationship is in the making, and I can’t wait for the work to pay off, but if it never does: if Max never comes to fully trust me, well I will still be glad for the life lesson he taught me.
These are just some of the things horses have taught me. I wanted to share them with you so that you could fully understand the place horses have in my heart. The place Charles has in my heart, because this guy taught me a lesson too. He showed what it means to be content, you could see it in his eyes- happiness for just being a horse.
Tails & trails,
Reese