Jump to content

I Lost a Horse Today.


jdmidwest

Recommended Posts

Saturday started off normal.  Spent some time with the Grandkid and off to the farm for chores.  Luckily, he stayed behind with Grandma.  Stopped on the way and picked up lunch for Dad and I and fought the hurricane winds along the way, rocking the truck from side to side.

Rolled into the farm and Dad was on the tractor.  Doc was down and he needed me to open the gate.  ???  Tide had turned for the worse in a few seconds.  Down thru the barnyard and thru the gates into the horse yard.  Sure enough, the horse that Dad had been so proud of, Sired many a colt, and had been King of the barnyard was wallowing in a watering pond, barely holding his head above water.  I saw, and knew what was coming.  He had been in there a while, lungs filled with water and he was wore out.  Too far out to reach.  I sent Dad for a halter and some rope as I assessed the situation.  I knew how it was going to end, but I tried.  So did Doc.  I retreated for water boots and something else.

I got back down to the pond and Doc had done his best.  His last lunge brought his head back to the bank.  I worked his halter on, all I could do to lift his large head to get it under it.  He was slipping, strenght was gone.  We hooked him up to the tractor and drug him out.  His back leg was broke and twisted under, and looking at it, probably had been there all night.  I sent Dad off.  After he was out of sight, I did what had to been done.  I  stayed with him until his last breath.

We called an excavator and dug a hole, buried him there in the horse pasture.

Doc was born about the same time as my daughter.  Dad raised him from a Colt and he became a fine horse.  I have rode Doc too, as did my daughter.  He was a part of the family.

"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."

Hunter S. Thompson

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not in this case.  No Vet could have fixed that one.

I have put down pets before, but horses are something else.  They live a long time and seem to understand a person.  He gave that last little lunge out of the pond to make things easier for us it seemed.

"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."

Hunter S. Thompson

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.