Wednesday started with a trip to the vet to get Leo his new Coggins blood test,  a strangles vaccine and a West Nile vaccine.  Might not have done that and spent $100 if I had known how the day would end.

Then Lauren and I did a quick video of Feather loading so Dev would know the procedure to work on while we were gone.  Then we bathed her, loaded her, her feed, and necessary belongings for ten days at Dev’s.  We made the two-hundred mile round trip in pretty good time.  It was gratifying that when we got to the new barn, Feather just went in a stall, started eating hay and settled in.  I was proud of her.  I wish I had a mini-cam to watch her progress over the next two weeks.  I know she will do well.

On the way home, I got a call from the people interested in Leo.  We agreed they could come see him.  When we got home, we bathed him and brushed him so he would look nice.  Keith and Kandice seemed to like the big gelding.  Lauren rode him.  They agreed to take him.  We loaded him in their stock trailer and we cried our eyes out as he rode away.  He should have been perfect, with his lineage and size.  I feel like I let the big guy down sending him away.  I do think they will give him a good home with lots of pasture, love and a pond.  Still, it broke my heart to see him leave. As I told Lauren the hardest decisions are often the best.  Still…

Later we bathed Mickey and led him back to the barn.  He seemed to look at us and say,” Hey, you bathed Feather and Leo and they are gone.  You are making the wrong decision, if you are sending me away and keeping Kid”.  We assured Mick and Kid that they were not going anywhere-at least not if we could help it.

We left for Denver yesterday.  Today I spent packing my mother’s things and watching all the people that love her start to say goodbye.  From her dear hair dresser to the favorite waitress at their favorite restaurant, people love her and will miss her.  Even though she is mad at Jim, she will miss these lunches with a glass of wine and he with his Blue Moon beer.  Dear God, what am I doing taking her away?

Finally, our wonderful friend Caroline took her seven-year old mare to the specialty vet in Waller today.  This little mare was honestly ridiculously untrained when Caroline got her.  I remember their first show with tall Caroline riding the small mare so she could train her for her daughter.  The mare did not jump well.  She was not nice to deal with-she pushed the other horses all over the pasture and never let anyone have any peace.  Caroline and then Arianna got her going, though, turning her into a fine jumper.  Even at seven years of age, placing well enough to have held some top year-end spots in the schooling associations.  Arianna started in the Greater Houston jumpers and did well.  Winning more often than not.  But Arianna got thrown from the mare a few too many times and did not want to ride her anymore.  So, Caroline stepped back on the mare and kept their points going, looking to secure a another top spot this year.

The vet was working with them to help Cheyenne with horrible allergies that made her dependent on shots and long days stall bound when the allergy level was too high.  Caroline suspected something might be wrong with Cheyenne’s back.  They were referred to the specialists and I know Caroline dreaded what they would learn.

Well, the news was bad.  Another one of those, the hard decision is the best one to make.  And now Cheyenne, just seven years old is gone.  Caroline, I think identified some with the mare that was so difficult.  The harder it was to be her friend, the harder Caroline tried.  And the more pieces her heart is torn into tonight and the more she grieves for the little mare.

So, for Leo and Cheyenne, who went two different places these last two days, neither is less lost to the hopes and dreams we had for them.

I know that owning and loving an animal is, for me allowing that animal to take a piece of my heart.  It hurts so much to lose them.  Especially, when they are like Cheyenne, young and beautiful and free spirited.  God, take Cheyenne to your green pastures and let her run and jump without pain and without worry.  Thank you for the time we had with her.