I haven’t been able to post before, not ready. My boy Irish has been with me since 1995, he was a yearling when I got him. Recently he lost his remaining vision, and wandered through a fence and hurt his leg. I had the vet out - the leg injury was painful but not serious. I confined him with his companion to a smaller paddock with few obstacles to let him hopefully get accustomed to his sightlessness. But slowly, over a couple weeks, he just stopped caring. He’d eat, but less than before. He was up and walking, but less than before. Saturday I went down with his breakfast, and he was up, but didn’t eat. I went down 90 minutes later to see if he’d eat then, and he was gone. He was my boy for 30 years. Goodbye, my Irish.
I’m sorry for your loss. You clearly did everything you could to give Irish his best possible life, and he passed without pain and with companionship, so take comfort in that.
What a heartbreaking story. You have my deepest condolences, and virtual hugs over the wires of the internet {{{ }}}.
Your story reminds me of how I lost my beloved Bernese Mountain Dog, Bernie. His problem wasn’t blindness, it was immobility due to a worsening and incurable neurological problem that made it more and more difficult for him to walk. Eventually he just gave up the will to live. Dogs and horses are much, much smarter than we give them credit for, in some ways perhaps smarter than we are. Unlike us, they know when it’s time to leave this vale of tears.
Way too late to edit my earlier post, but I didn’t even see that you had posted a link to an image. In honour of Irish, here is the image you had linked:
30 years is a long, long time. So very sorry for your loss.
I had a horse once. Nothing specific, she was a mixture of breeds. But she was pleasant-natured, and easy going, and we worked well together. We had many happy times, many happy rides, and I have many happy memories.
And when she passed, it was just like a close family member had passed.
I am sorry to hear the news, @StGermain . Take time to mourn your family member, and cherish your memories of him.
It’s so, so hard My horse is 25, and I bred him. I dread the moment his day comes, he’s been a part of my life for so long. Comfort yourself if you can by remembering that he knew he was loved, and that’s something too many beings on this earth don’t experience. You did right by him, and I’m very sorry his time with you has ended.
So sorry. It is a terrible loss. When my pony died I had a bracelet made of her tail hair and wore it everywhere. It felt like she was still with me, a tiny bit. My mare is only 14 so I hope we have many more years.
My horse is 25, and I bred him. I dread the moment his day comes, he’s been a part of my life for so long. Comfort yourself if you can by remembering that he knew he was loved, and that’s something too many beings on this earth don’t experience. You did right by him, and I’m very sorry his time with you has ended.