Conference noted::equitation

    Tina,
    
    My heart goes out to you, and to anyone who has ever lost a beloved
    horse. I was 12 when my first horse died, he was 32, and the vet said
    it was just plain old age. I will always remember that morning when I
    went into the barn and found him in his stall. Not as well as I
    remember all the fun I had with him, though. He took me merrily through
    many gymkhanas, and was my first horse after years of riding nasty
    little Shetland ponies and an occasional cow. He is buried on the farm
    where I grew up, and my parents still own. I think of him everytime I
    drive by the clearing beside the driveway, even now 23 years later. I
    find myself wondering occasionally how it will be when my current mare
    dies. She's absolutely the light of my life, and at 15 I still expect
    to have many good years with her, she full of p*ss and vinegar and
    the most unpredictable, spicy little thing on hooves, but I worship the
    ground she dances up and down on. Remember that in time, your grief
    will subside and your good memories will prevail. It seems impossible
    now, but it happens everytime. Horses have the wonderful effect on
    those who loved them.
    

    Thank you to all the people who wrote me.  It has meant a lot.
    
    Tina

    
    
    	Tina, I also would like to say how sorry I am to here of your
    	horses death.  Any death is hard to take be it family, friend
    	or animal *friend*.  I wish you that time will heal your wounds
    	and your heart will be filled with wonderful memories of your 
    	dear *friend*.
    
    	Take care,
    
    	Zina
                      

    Tina,
    
    I too am sorry to hear about your friend.....I too lost my old pony
    this week and it is never easy. After putting hm down I found myself
    going over and over in my mind....I could have done this and that to
    give old Randy more time....but I know it was for the best. 
    
    Randy was a good little shetland pony. He had the life. I had him for
    about 15 ro better years and he never did a thing in his life but eat
    and live with my sheep. He had a mind of his own and if he desided that
    he was tired of you...off he went draging you. He was the baby sitter
    formy sheep and the foals that we have had born at our place over the
    years. 
    
    He started having sesures (spelling) this summer.....he had
    two.....then he had another one this past weekend and it lasted about
    15 minutes. So they were getting longer. I was afraid that he would
    fall and get hurt during a spell and or have a prolonged sesure and be
    there in the field all day or night without anyone knowing about it
    where we work. I was also concerned about all the kids that come and
    go from my place that someone would get hurt in trying to help him. He
    broke my husbands toe in him trying to help him this past weekend.
    
    So the choice was hard but my vet agreed with me and my choice and felt
    it was for the best. I will miss him.....my husband misses him....they
    uses to drink together...and i mean beer. It was  funny to see him
    sitting there and this pony loving his beer too out of the can.
    
    Well, he will be with us.....I too have alot of land and we have a
    field where we bury all of our animals....there is now four
    horses/ponies out there (including a neighbors) and my dogs and cats
    through the years are there to.
    
    terry

    I too had an experience of greif this weekend, one of the horses where
    I keep my horse died yesterday, he was only 8, so they think it was a
    heart attack.  I felt terrable for the owner as she really loved that
    horse, and I would hate any thing like that to happen to me....
    

    tina,
    	Did you get another new horse? Do you board horses at your barn? I
    am looking to board my cob pony.....15 months old.
    
    

    My horse shared a pasture with our cows and had a 3 sided shelter with
    automatic water and we fed everyday, so it isn't suitable for boarding,
    since we don't have stalls or a ring to work in.
    
    An update on my personal situation.  After crying on and off for the
    last few weeks, I'm somewhat past that.  I do have moments of intense
    grief, after all, you don't love something for 22 years and get over it
    very quickly.  But I think the worst is over.  What I've done is
    contract for riding lessons for intermdiate to lower advance.  I had
    my first lesson on Saturday and I loved it!  It was real therapy and I
    rode a lovely horse.  The amazing thing for me is that I boarded my
    horse for a couple of months at this particular stable 8 years ago. 
    They had a lovely horse that looked a lot like my old horse, and in
    fact they were buddies.  Well, my biggest surprise was that this is now
    my lesson horse!  I know it doesn't make any logical sense, but I feel
    better knowing that this horse was a stable mate of my former horse and
    even look similiar, but not identical.  My saddle fits this horse, so I
    can use it, and I even bought some new winter riding boots on Sat.  
    
    So, at least I'm recovering and doing something good for myself and I
    don't feel so hopeless or depressed anymore.
    
    Once again, I want to thank everyone who wrote me such heartwarming
    mail messages - they *really* did help.
    
    Tina