Post by kelley05 on Apr 19, 2010 21:50:00 GMT -3
Sometime between 1970 and 1975, the most beautiful filly in the world was born. She was chestnut brown with a blonde mane and tail, big white blaze, 2 stockings and 1 white sock.
Throughout the next 25-30 years, she was somehow mistreated badly, abused and neglected. And then in 2005, she came to be with me. She was severely underweight, like 2-3 hundred pounds, you could wrap your fingers around each of her ribs, feel all the bones of her body structure, and yet, there was live in her eyes. I knew she wanted to live, not just be left to die or have been put down.
She got the best care a rescued animal could ever dream of, from all the grass she could eat, the feed she ever wanted, treats galore, and especially, lots of tender loving care. In time, she gained weight, got nice and plump, and I tried her out with light riding. She loved it, whether it be bareback, english or western, and had been the best horse I ever rode, knowing what I wanted her to do, through gentle voice, light touch of hands on reins, and very light use of legs and heels. I could hardly believe that she was so good with it, just wanted to please and see me happy.
I decided to share her story, from the harsh abuse to the gentle care, with others around. She did pony rides for young kids, was ever so sweet and gentle, like a big, friendly giant. She would lower her head to sniff and lick a small kid, gently take a treat from their hand with her big lips, never her teeth. She went so slow, hardly moved faster than a snail, and if ever a kid moved in the saddle, shed stop right away, look back at them and wait for them to say go on, before moving. She cared so much for them.
She would go out in gardens with other horses, trot around with the young foal or filly, and was like a babysitter to them, when I had their mom out in the round pen for training or riding.
Oh how I would have loved to let her have a foal or filly of her own, it would have been the spitten image of her, so adorably cute. But her past came with injuries, that would flare up at times, cause soreness and pain. Carrying a foal would have put a lot of stress of her, possibly even injuring her further, and I didn't want to take that chance. Due to past suffering and pain, she had injuries to her hind quarters, hips and legs. She had trouble getting up after getting down, and couldn't even take an afternoon lap, laying down, in the warm sun. I would have to help her up, take her for a short walk, and than give her stall rest for a while.
I knew that one day she would get down, to take a break from being on her legs, and it would be too much, her legs would give out and she wouldn't be able to get up again.
That day came on April 17th, 2010. I did not like to see her suffer in pain and with a simply injection, it all ended, no more pain and suffering, just pure bliss and happiness.
Her spirit rose up from her lifeless body, went into heaven and she runs through the tall grassy, fields, lays down in the afternoon sun and gets up so without ease, she has barrels of feed and treats waiting for everywhere, and does not feel pain anymore. I am happy for her now, though it hurts to have said good bye to such a sweet, loving horse like her.
And her name, Ginger, will be forever remembered, never forgotten, always to be cherished and loved.
She rests in the garden near the barn, the sight can be found easily by the small picket fence that surrounds it. Her stall plate is on a tree next to her. A flat rock is used as a headstone and has her name painted on it, and a jar of treats is lodged against it. Her favorite is green mints. Than a big rock is next to her, which has her face and name painted on it, and a flat part of it is for sitting and thinking on.
Oh how she will be loved and missed forever.
~* And P.S., if Ginger is reading this, somehow or someway, no other horse will ever be like you, nor can ever replace you. You truly are one of a kind. One day I will be with you again, and until then, know that I love you so much. XOXO *~
