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EasternShowBarn · Dec 1, 2019 5:06 AM

Anyone else just think about how long your heart horse has left to live and you feel you entire insides sink when you think about losing them? You almost feel like you’ll be nothing without them in your future? Cause yeah I just did that and I probably cried harder than I have in a long time. So what are your best memories with your heart horses!? Mine was just this past summer with my girl, Bea. I’ve had her for three years and I’ve never had the confidence to canter any horse really, she’d be the first I’ve ever cantered officially, technically. I trail rode her many times before and we’ve trotted every time. Note that I would trust this mare with my life I just don’t trust myself, mostly because if literally anything happened to her it would be my fault. I finally built up the courage to ask her to canter and we cantered the entire field twice and it felt absolutely amazing!! She’s normally a turtle pony but once she got the idea she was speedy afterward and oh my! I have probably never been happier in my life! I apologize for putting sad thoughts in your mind but think happy thoughts!

FallenShadows714 · Dec 1, 2019 5:41 AM

I’ve never had a heart horse, but I rescued what I feel is my heart cat 2 years ago this month. My boyfriend found him starving under his Jeep, with a messed up paw. After the first two weeks, he became my shadow, completely in tune with me. He can’t stand being in a different room, and cuddles nonstop with me. If he falls asleep and wakes up and I’m not in the room, he wanders around meowing until he finds me. It makes my heart hurt every time I find a new grey hair in his black fur, because I was never really a cat person until we rescued him and now I can’t imagine life without him.

DivineDreams · Dec 1, 2019 5:42 AM

@EasternShowBarn
I have been blessed to have 2 heart horses. My Old Man, who passed in 2015, and my current mare who stumble into my life last november 2018.

I have lost my heart horse. A veey similar story to yours. I am a nervous rider, bur nowhere near as bad as I used to be. My old man changed my riding world. His steadfast nature, lightness in aids, and fun buttons made him beyond amazing. he was bombproof.

He got me from an indoor arena bound anxiety attack everytime I rode girl to a rider who rode rode bareback and in a rope halter on a rural highway.

He was a grumpy old man. He stood 14.1 and was copper penny chestnut, quarter type. I never really knew his age. He was supposed to have been 16. An ex reiner out of Quebec bought at auction by a dealer. When I bought him his name was Groucho. His ears were always pinned and nostrils snarled. He cribbed. He had attitude. God forbid you looked at his legs. There wasnt a straight one. BUT he was safe and never ever dirty. I named him Jesse, affectionately called the Old Man. Through patience and time we won each others hearts.

We trail road alone alot. We flat out galloped in fields. He got bored with western, so we did a wee bit of hunter! And without fail, he always knew when we were preparing for a show and always was lame/not severely injured. Lmao. Silly Old Man.

He loved anything orange flavoured. So he always got the orange gatorades out of the big packs. We rode to a chip truck and I bought him an orange crush and I had fries. He loved Arizona Green Iced Tea. He loved apple fritters from timmys and their cider. Parsnips were a favourite. In his last months he enjoyed gifts of lettuce from another boarder as a treat. Who knew? Not me. Lol.

He got the chiropractor, all the herbs and supplements I could afford. He had steroid injections and antihistamines. I did everything I could think of to prolong his life. He had heaves. He was managed well for 4 years. The last 2 he went down hill. He passed in my lap July 31 2015. I sang him "You are my sunshine" as he crossed rainbow bridge.

He was and still is my soul mate. Riding him was like we merged and were one. Rarely did I use aids. We had a language not just of words but of pure love. He is apart of my soul family.

My words of wisdom for you. Love your mare. Totally emerse yourself with her. Feel what she feels. Trust yourself first. Then trust her. Cherish her. Spoil her. And open your heart to her. Enjoy her. One of my last rides on him was a trail ride to a flooded quarry and we got to go swimming. That was a huge dream of mine.
He was my best friend. My teacher. My therapist. My Love.

Every minute is precious with them. And it is awful losing them but time allows for healing. I dont hysterically cry when I remember him anymore. I can remember the entirety of his death with watery eyes and a warm heart.
He was loved. And he knew it.

Sending you love hun.

EasternShowBarn · Dec 2, 2019 1:11 AM

That’s adorable Fallen! I’m really glad you found your heart kitten!

EasternShowBarn · Dec 2, 2019 1:15 AM

DivineDreams I’m so sorry you had to go through him leaving but it sounds like you two had an amazing relationship! He really was loved and I’m glad that you found another heart horse. Thank you for sharing your guys story with me.

DivineDreams · Dec 2, 2019 4:43 PM

@EasternShowBarn he is always with me. Just like when your girl crosses the bridge. They are the best guardian angels.
I hope she has many many many years with you. That she remains healthy and sound until the day she peacefully goes many many years from now. This is my wish and blessing for you and her.

Take care. Sending lots of love. ❤️

Haltanny · Dec 3, 2019 11:18 PM

Mine already passed. I only had him for 11 months and he literally saved my life. Before I got him, i considered suicide multiple times weekly and I know I would have done it, if it wasn't for him. After i got him, it was, "if i'm gone, who will take care of Hal?", so i stayed. A few weeks after he passed, his last foal was born. She was awesome, but not my heart. I had her for 5 years until I was jobless and basically homeless. I wish I could find her.

Ellesmere022 · Dec 3, 2019 11:47 PM

I always thought of it as my ‘click’ horse. His name was crasher. He was 50% welsh cob section D, 25% thoroughbred and 25% Irish draft. He was a dark flea bitten grey at 15.1hh, possibly the longest eats I’ve ever seen on a horse, jogged mane, pulled tail and approximately 14 when he walked into my life. He had been a family friends quiet hacker for years (after retiring from semi-professional eventing) until she got too ill to ride. He was my step from small pony to big horse. First time I seen him, she had brought him to a fun ride for me to trail him. I thought he looked odd but cute. He was strutting his stuff being a new place and new people. I got on him and it was just an instant click. He was bunny hopping and dancing as we left and considering I was so nervous I’d often cry for no real reason at this point, I was enjoying his parade. A year went by and he taught me to jump (he had the jankiest jump I’ve ever experienced a creature do and nobody else seemed to be able to sit it) and we hunted and we worked as a team. I didn’t really need to prompt him to do things, he just sort of knew. One afternoon we were out on a family ride and he kept on stopping and spreading as though to pee but nothing was coming out. Once he did it was dark and smelt off. We knew something wasn’t right. After many vet tests we found he had cancer in his sheath. We opted to put him though an operation costing £2500 despite not officially owning him to try and save his life. I was so worried I was about to loose my baby. He pulled through the operation but it was not over. He had a 12 month recovery period. He spent the first three months on complete box rest. Without a sheath it gets messy so it was cleaning twice a day and a lot of sanitising everything. Then he had two months of field time in the day and sleeping in. Then there was seven months of field rest. (Still daily cleaning). One week before I could get back on him it all fell apart. Even all these years later I’ve never gotten over it. Crashers owner decided she wanted him back. We explained that we had spent significant amounts to prolong his life and that there was a teenage girl who was completely in love with him. Things got very nasty very quickly with police involvement and business reputation going down the drain. Next thing we know, he’s back in her possession. She hired a ‘black market’ vet to forge her some documents and she had him put down for insurance money. One day I was cuddling him all excited to be riding him next week and a few days later I returned and he was gone forever. I was beyond devastated. I will cherish that bond we had and every moment we had together forever for I know that when it’s my turn to cross the rainbow bridge, he’ll be there waiting for me.

Wildcat27 · Dec 5, 2019 3:39 AM

I found 2 heart horses. My 1st was a fire colored polish bred chestnut Arab gelding by Fire Alert ( full brother to Afire Bey V ). He was 6 & I was 14. He came from a huge show barn in Delaware with a show record of regional, top ten and top five wins a mile long. He was a donation to a childrens home that works with horses (99% of them are Arabs) and then after a year or so they sell the horses to help the program continue (awesome cause).I can't even descibe it, it just was and i knew when i saw him. No-one ever questioned our bond or connection. I didn't even have to think what I wanted, its like it was in my heart and he felt what I wanted and we were doing it. I only had him for a about a year. He passed 13 days before my bday. I quit riding for a year, then got back involved with our other horses. Then right after my 18th bday I found my heart girl. She was 16mos old and had been mistreated and misused. She was so afraid of people she was aggressive to the point of being dangerous. If you knew her then and looked at her now you would never know she was the same horse. We've competed in almost every western event possible and placed top five and top ten in really large classes. She is old now and retired. She will be 20 in April but you can't tell. She is the only one I trust to carry around and teach my almost 4 year old son how to ride. He loves "HIS" Daisy horse.

PeppermintC · Dec 7, 2019 10:28 PM

I think about this a lot, actually, with all of my pets. I've had my current horse, a QH named Cal, about 7 years, and he is either 17 or 18 (records unclear). I have owned my lab/border collie cross (Pita) for 8 years (she is 8 years old), and my foster fail Joey (border collie/italian greyhound) for 4 years (he will be 14 in January according to the vet but I won't count him as that until Halloween, lol). Realistically Joey is the most likely to go. He is diabetic, blind, has chronic lyme, and many cysts and lumps. But none of my animals are young anymore.

MakeMeABird · Dec 10, 2019 12:07 AM

@easternshowbarn
I totally get where you are at. I lost my heart horse Hollywood's Buzz aka Buzzy Wazzy was so fuzzy. Yea I was corny with him.
I got Buzz when I was 11. We went to a auction for my first horse. The minute I seen that little palomino paint yearling. I knew that was my boy. It was the beginning of 17 year friendship apond the saddlehorn.
Buzz was my best friend. He was the horse ever little girl dreamed of. He was huge 16.2hh and build like a tank but his soul was so gentle. I used to sleep in his stall as a kid. He never stepped on me.
My favorite momory with him wasn't all the show or wins. Trust me we went to hundreds of shows form wellington FL to tower city MI. Even went to ny central park show and miami breach show. He was awesome.
Anyway. It snowed one day. It blankets the hills of PA. It was a winter wonder land. The moon came out and it just light up everything. I snuck out, grapped a halter with a rope and we where off. It was one of those moments in life that will always bring a smile to your heart. I still remember the sound of the snow crunching under his feet. The steam form his breath. Neither us made a sound. There was no need to. Our soul just seem to be one that night.
It just snow yesterday. There large moon out tonight. It takes me back to that day. All I can do is smile as I'm taken back in time.
I knew one day sooner then later I have to say good bye to him. His front legs where breaking down and there was nothing I could really do. It was hard but I know I made the right choice.
Remember not everyone gets to know their heart horse. She was placed there just when you needed her. She will go when she finished her job here but until then enjoy every day. You will look back one day and smile. Like Im doing tonight.

Wildland Acres · Dec 22, 2019 8:54 PM

Not a horse, but graduating college and thinking about those 6 years I lost with my heart goat Sif, and how she probably only has 2-4 years left when it will probably take that long for me to get to the point where I can have goats on my own place has defiantly put a bitter spin on graduation. Sif's mom was a true Roman and would attack all but the biggest kid she had each winter, and Sif's brother was larger, so... I found sif buried in the dirt and chilled right after she was born and spent nearly all day blowdrying her and getting her stabilized, though she still spent a week in my room till she was standing again and strong enough to go out into the barn, me having to get up to carry her and rock her and feed her every 2 hours or so until then with Mom telling me she wasn't going to make it and I should just put her down.
She lived, and now she is the 180 lb herd queen of the place even though it took her years to get over the confusion of the fact that I kept leaving her outside with goats instead of letting her stay with the people (Tried to board her somewhere else for a bit, and they said Sif got out, opened the sliding glass door, and they found her curled up in their living room, but we quickly found that everyone was happiest with Sif home). Really, I am so bad, whenever I come visit home after a semester of college people ask me if I am excited to see family, and really I am most excited to see Sif's face when she sees me again because she is always the most excited as she turns around and races back from the end of the pasture or away from the hay feeder to see me... Yeah, I am going to have to see if there is a way to board goats where I will be or something, because the idea of her dieting before I can get her back is heartbreaking, but too likely to be true. She is a good goat.

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