Taylor Richelle
Well-Known Member
I wrote this tonight as I decided after 2 years I needed to get the story written down. Now there are two parts too it. I am only posting the first part now as I am still working on the 2nd half. Please let me know what you think, I'll be sure to get the 2nd half to you as soon as I can, that is if you are interested...
He came into my life when I needed him most…
It was only 4 months after my beautiful Haflinger gelding, Buddy was put down due to cancer. I was in a state of depression. I hated going to the barn, all I had left was my old pony and mini who I couldn't really do much of anything with. All I could do was think "what if…" I knew deep down there was nothing we could have done for "Buddy" as it was too late by the time we found out what was wrong with him.
Let me just tell you about "Buddy" a bit before I get to my savior. I had bought "Buddy" only 5 months before. He was my dream horse per say. He was calm, gentle, faithful, beautiful. Everything I wanted in a riding horse. I had the most amazing summer with him. I felt so connected with him, like I could trust him with my life. I felt so alive when I was riding him."
My summer fun was about to take a turn for the worst when one Saturday afternoon. I decided to take a quick ride on him before I had to get home and get ready for a school dance. We were doing the usual trail ride. Everything was perfect, until he stopped suddenly. I tried to see what was bothering him and get his attention, but before he would listen to me a guy on a bike came up around the bend. It all happened so fast it's hard to remember. Buddy got spooked, and I mean spooked…he whirled around and took off towards home. I tried my best to regain control over him, but there was no use, he wasn't stopping for anything. He was running blind. I knew something bad was going to happen, and boy was I right. I could see the big pine looming in front of us. I quickly said my prayers as I thought this was going to be the end. We hit the tree broadside. I was thrown backwards from the impact. I hit the ground hard enough for it to knock the wind right out of me but not hard enough to see my horse go head first down the slope, flipping over twice before he came to a stop on his side with his saddle trapped under a fallen tree.
What seemed like hours but really only a few moments I made my way to my friend. He hadn't moved. I feared the worst. I was in shock , I had a million things running through my head at once. Once I got to him I noticed he was alive. Sobbing I started to remove his saddle so he could get up. Once the saddle slipped off him, he got up and stumbled back up the slope to the trail. Once he was there he waited for me. I ran to him as best as I could, crying, bleeding, still in shock. I threw my arms around him and cried. Meanwhile the guy on the bike had stopped and helped me bring my saddle back up the hill. I tossed it up on Buddy, thanked the man and walked home.
After all that Buddy had just scared up his face and legs a bit. I noticed though a week after that, he was acting strange. He would spook when I came to the fence, it was like he had no idea I was coming till I came to him and spoke. When I would take him for a ride just down the driveway, he was jumpy. Everyday I felt like I was losing him a bit more. I made the heartbreaking decision to call up his previous owner to see if she would like him back for free to keep for her future grandchildren. I knew he wouldn't be happy here with nothing to do. He loved to please. I cried and cried for the next week, knowing that he would be leaving me. I even thought about calling her up and saying no I will keep him. I knew though when everything was said and done, this would be the better choice for him.
So the day he left me was one of the hardest days of my young life. I loaded him up into the trailer that would take my friend away from me forever. I gave him one last kiss and hug goodbye and closed the trailer door. I collapsed to the ground as the trailer pulled out of my driveway. I was told I could come visit him anytime I want. I knew it would be along time before I saw him again as he lived 3 hours away. Little did I know I would never see him again.
Two weeks later I got the phone call that brought me to the floor, sobbing. My mother was calling to tell me she got off the phone with Amy, Buddy's owner. She had noticed even more changes in him since she had him home. She asked the vet to come out. When the vet came out they discovered a hole on the top of his mouth. Cancer was eating away my baby and I hadn't a clue. She had scheduled to have him put down in 2 days. I could hardly breathe as I hung up the phone. How could I have over looked this? The vet said he had, the cancer for along time. I never noticed anything wrong with him while I had him. He never once gave me a hard time, no matter how sick he must have been. He was always willing to please me, never once thought about himself. I cried myself to sleep for the next two nights. Dreading Monday, as I knew I couldn't make it to be with him as he took his last breath.
I had asked my mom if I could just skip school that day, she said no. So all I could do at school that day was cry. I was excused from class more then once. I was updated all day, by Amy through Facebook so I would know when the time came. I remember I was at lunch, when I logged on to check for updates. That's when I saw the status. He had been put down a half hour before. I lost it once again. The rest of the day was a blur. If someone had asked me what I did in school that day I wouldn't have remembered a thing. I just remember crying myself to sleep for a week straight. I eventually came to terms with everything. My only relief was knowing that my sweet boy would no longer be in any pain and that he was running free in heaven.
Next half later…
He came into my life when I needed him most…
It was only 4 months after my beautiful Haflinger gelding, Buddy was put down due to cancer. I was in a state of depression. I hated going to the barn, all I had left was my old pony and mini who I couldn't really do much of anything with. All I could do was think "what if…" I knew deep down there was nothing we could have done for "Buddy" as it was too late by the time we found out what was wrong with him.
Let me just tell you about "Buddy" a bit before I get to my savior. I had bought "Buddy" only 5 months before. He was my dream horse per say. He was calm, gentle, faithful, beautiful. Everything I wanted in a riding horse. I had the most amazing summer with him. I felt so connected with him, like I could trust him with my life. I felt so alive when I was riding him."
My summer fun was about to take a turn for the worst when one Saturday afternoon. I decided to take a quick ride on him before I had to get home and get ready for a school dance. We were doing the usual trail ride. Everything was perfect, until he stopped suddenly. I tried to see what was bothering him and get his attention, but before he would listen to me a guy on a bike came up around the bend. It all happened so fast it's hard to remember. Buddy got spooked, and I mean spooked…he whirled around and took off towards home. I tried my best to regain control over him, but there was no use, he wasn't stopping for anything. He was running blind. I knew something bad was going to happen, and boy was I right. I could see the big pine looming in front of us. I quickly said my prayers as I thought this was going to be the end. We hit the tree broadside. I was thrown backwards from the impact. I hit the ground hard enough for it to knock the wind right out of me but not hard enough to see my horse go head first down the slope, flipping over twice before he came to a stop on his side with his saddle trapped under a fallen tree.
What seemed like hours but really only a few moments I made my way to my friend. He hadn't moved. I feared the worst. I was in shock , I had a million things running through my head at once. Once I got to him I noticed he was alive. Sobbing I started to remove his saddle so he could get up. Once the saddle slipped off him, he got up and stumbled back up the slope to the trail. Once he was there he waited for me. I ran to him as best as I could, crying, bleeding, still in shock. I threw my arms around him and cried. Meanwhile the guy on the bike had stopped and helped me bring my saddle back up the hill. I tossed it up on Buddy, thanked the man and walked home.
After all that Buddy had just scared up his face and legs a bit. I noticed though a week after that, he was acting strange. He would spook when I came to the fence, it was like he had no idea I was coming till I came to him and spoke. When I would take him for a ride just down the driveway, he was jumpy. Everyday I felt like I was losing him a bit more. I made the heartbreaking decision to call up his previous owner to see if she would like him back for free to keep for her future grandchildren. I knew he wouldn't be happy here with nothing to do. He loved to please. I cried and cried for the next week, knowing that he would be leaving me. I even thought about calling her up and saying no I will keep him. I knew though when everything was said and done, this would be the better choice for him.
So the day he left me was one of the hardest days of my young life. I loaded him up into the trailer that would take my friend away from me forever. I gave him one last kiss and hug goodbye and closed the trailer door. I collapsed to the ground as the trailer pulled out of my driveway. I was told I could come visit him anytime I want. I knew it would be along time before I saw him again as he lived 3 hours away. Little did I know I would never see him again.
Two weeks later I got the phone call that brought me to the floor, sobbing. My mother was calling to tell me she got off the phone with Amy, Buddy's owner. She had noticed even more changes in him since she had him home. She asked the vet to come out. When the vet came out they discovered a hole on the top of his mouth. Cancer was eating away my baby and I hadn't a clue. She had scheduled to have him put down in 2 days. I could hardly breathe as I hung up the phone. How could I have over looked this? The vet said he had, the cancer for along time. I never noticed anything wrong with him while I had him. He never once gave me a hard time, no matter how sick he must have been. He was always willing to please me, never once thought about himself. I cried myself to sleep for the next two nights. Dreading Monday, as I knew I couldn't make it to be with him as he took his last breath.
I had asked my mom if I could just skip school that day, she said no. So all I could do at school that day was cry. I was excused from class more then once. I was updated all day, by Amy through Facebook so I would know when the time came. I remember I was at lunch, when I logged on to check for updates. That's when I saw the status. He had been put down a half hour before. I lost it once again. The rest of the day was a blur. If someone had asked me what I did in school that day I wouldn't have remembered a thing. I just remember crying myself to sleep for a week straight. I eventually came to terms with everything. My only relief was knowing that my sweet boy would no longer be in any pain and that he was running free in heaven.
Next half later…
Last edited by a moderator:
