MATTERS OF THE HEART
zMe with my beloved Basset Hound, Humphrey Bogart.
it’s never easy to say goodbye to a loved one, whether it’s a horse, dog, or family member. For most of us, our animals feel like family—our dogs and cats live and sometimes even sleep with us, and their schedules run parallel to ours. They are the first ones to greet you at the door when you arrive home after a stressful workday, and are always at your side, loving you unconditionally. nine years ago, we had to say goodbye to our family horse—my husband’s horse of 14 years—and it wasn’t easy. she was about 32 years old at the time, lived a good life, and was the best partner my husband could ask for growing up. although she could be your typical spooky mare (and was terrified of cameras), he didn’t fall off her once. He took care of her and she took care of him. later in her life, when winnie was unable to show, my mother-in-law did some light riding on her, and when she moved down to georgia and i moved into the picture and married my husband, my dreams came true of owning a horse when i “inherited” winnie. At the time, she was no longer fit for riding, but it didn’t matter to me. I spent my days at the barn grooming her coat that had become thick from Cushing’s disease, and in the summer, i would be glad to simply bathe her or hose her down on hot days and meander around the barn with her while she grazed. it wasn’t easy to say goodbye to her. we knew that she had developed cancer, and that eventually it would be time to let her go, but we were unsure of when that time would come. eventually it did, and although i was afraid to stay with her when the vet came to put her down in the evening, i said my goodbyes to her with a kiss on the muzzle. it was extremely difficult for me to let her go, but I wanted to give my husband some privacy with his best friend of 14 years, the “woman” who had preceded me. i was recently reminded of this turn of events a couple weeks ago when my husband and i lost our beloved basset hound, who we referred to as bogie. we had gotten him within the first year we were married, and he was the “other” love of my life. He was mischievous, energetic, and stubborn, all wrapped into a small package of love. From the time we got him, he was dealt a bad hand when it came to his health, but JP and i made sure that he received the care that he deserved, and because of that, we were lucky enough to spend close to 10 amazing years with him. due to his poor health from an early age, we were not surprised when, a couple months ago, we took him to tufts Cummings school of veterinary Medicine, and he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. My husband and i were both devastated, but we tried to mentally prepare ourselves for what was coming. i prayed that we would be able to keep him through the holidays, and we were able to spend Christmas with him. a few short days later, his health quickly deteriorated, and on december 29, it was time. overnight, he was unable to walk, and we knew that if we tried to hold onto him any longer, it would have been selfish of us. no matter how much we tried to mentally prepare to say goodbye, it wasn’t enough. it never is, and it never will be. But as difficult of a time this has been, I know I am not alone. the equestrian community is wonderful, as we know how to pick one another up when we are down, and we share the same passion and love for animals. i am thankful to my pets for always teaching me about unconditional love, but i am also forever thankful to my peers, friends, and co-workers for sharing their sympathies and their own experiences with me. together, we can pick one another up, even in the hardest of times.
executive editor
16
equine Journal
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PHOTO: MicHaela cOleMan
Saying goodbye
| February 2017
1/11/17 10:35:35 AM 1/10/17 9:59:52 AM