Life on a quarter horse farm...
The most horrific day... Oct 29th
We awoke at 4.30am eager to see Cody and Little Cody, so without even stopping for breakfast, I went to the stables to make up Cody's feed and Michael went towards the paddock.
My pleadings of "wait for me" went ignored and he raced up to the paddock.
The next thing I heard over and over was... "PATTI!!!!!!" and he sounded so distressed.
I yelled back "WHAT!!! WHAT'S WRONG!!! IS IT THE FOAL??!" and immediately panicked at the thought of the foal...
As soon as I crested the rise over the foal paddock I saw Michael in the distance just drop to his knees and scream "IT'S CODY!!!!"
From that point everything went black. I remember screaming, running, tripping and the next thing, Michael was grabbing me. I was on the ground. I couldn't walk. We were both hysterical. I knew Cody was gone.
After who knows how long, my thoughts turned to the foal... Michael kept saying "the foal, the foal..." and through teary eyes I saw her, standing next to the big brown mound that was her dam, looking so lost.
I went to Cody and hugged her big belly, closed her eyes, stroked her neck, mane belly and cried for ages and ages... the foal stood back, looked at me and nickered. I was saying "Cody, Cody..." must have said it 100 times.
Somehow I got a halter on the foal, who put up no resistance - and put my arm around her withers... coaxing her down the pathway that I her dam had walked up only hours before. She seemed to be resolved to her dam's demise and made no attempt to look back. Something I find now, a few days later.... amazing.
She stopped at the sight of the stables, scared at the big thing in front of her. I didn't force her, we just stood there quietly, until she was ready to move forward. When she entered the yard, I shut the gate behind her.
My pleadings of "wait for me" went ignored and he raced up to the paddock.
The next thing I heard over and over was... "PATTI!!!!!!" and he sounded so distressed.
I yelled back "WHAT!!! WHAT'S WRONG!!! IS IT THE FOAL??!" and immediately panicked at the thought of the foal...
As soon as I crested the rise over the foal paddock I saw Michael in the distance just drop to his knees and scream "IT'S CODY!!!!"
From that point everything went black. I remember screaming, running, tripping and the next thing, Michael was grabbing me. I was on the ground. I couldn't walk. We were both hysterical. I knew Cody was gone.
After who knows how long, my thoughts turned to the foal... Michael kept saying "the foal, the foal..." and through teary eyes I saw her, standing next to the big brown mound that was her dam, looking so lost.
I went to Cody and hugged her big belly, closed her eyes, stroked her neck, mane belly and cried for ages and ages... the foal stood back, looked at me and nickered. I was saying "Cody, Cody..." must have said it 100 times.
Somehow I got a halter on the foal, who put up no resistance - and put my arm around her withers... coaxing her down the pathway that I her dam had walked up only hours before. She seemed to be resolved to her dam's demise and made no attempt to look back. Something I find now, a few days later.... amazing.
She stopped at the sight of the stables, scared at the big thing in front of her. I didn't force her, we just stood there quietly, until she was ready to move forward. When she entered the yard, I shut the gate behind her.
Total Comments 1
Comments
 | So sad. I know how you feel. We lost our best mare in '06, she became sick 2 days after foaling a beautiful stud colt and died nearly 24 hours later. Normally we would have put a horse in that situation to sleep, but we held on to hope for the colt's sake. After she was gone, my sis and I slept in the barn with the baby, bottle fed him, and basically we had a great time raising him. We still love him to death. I formed a really special bond with him because I took him and trained him up myself. We left him a stud until he was nearly 3, when he was cut earlier this year. He has adjusted really well to being a gelding and is such an absolute sweetheart. I love him to death and am so proud of him. We came in 2nd of 8 at a big show in July, and his first baby was born on the 10th of July, a gorgeous filly who is just like he is. We sold "Easy" to some wonderful people in Virginia, a decision I still regret, and miss him more than any horse we ever have or probably will sell. He has one more baby due November 5th out of my favorite mare, and we all hope it looks just like him and inherits his personality like the other baby. Again, sorry for the loss of your mare, but I hope you enjoy your orphan baby and form as much of a bond with her as I did with mine. It is something very special that not many share with a horse. |
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