My Horses: A Lifelong Love That Brings Me Joy
Why I Love Horses
There is not much more I love than watching my horses graze peacefully in the pasture beside my house. No matter what kind of day I’ve had, it is always better when I see “my boys” as they are affectionately called. They bring me joy every single day.
All of the best surprises in my life have been horse related. My grandpa got me my first pony named Little Joe. He was a sweet and smart little guy who lived into his thirties.
My best Christmas surprise ever was looking up and discovering my new Welsh pony named Ginger and her colt in the pasture on Christmas Eve.
And the best birthday gift I ever got was the night I met my horse of a lifetime.
My Once in a Lifetime Horse
While I love all of the horses and ponies in my life, there is one that will always hold the most special place in my heart.
My sister who was in vet school at the time called and asked if I would adopt a horse named Tally Ho. He was a Holsteiner (a warmblood breed of sport horse) originally imported from Germany for three day eventing. Unfortunately for the original owners, he could not compete. He turned out to have multiple heart problems.
Tally was donated to the vet school and spent several years serving as a blood donor in the vet school hospital and as a practice patient for vet students to perfect their examination skills. He needed a new home, and I was the one fortunate enough to have the opportunity to give him one.
Horse Love at First Sight
After going out to dinner for my birthday, I went by the vet school with my sister to meet Tally. I will always remember the exact stall he was in. I walked up to him and asked him if he would like to come live with me. He nodded his head once. That’s all it took for me to fall in love instantly with this horse.
I adopted him with the knowledge that due to his four separate heart problems, he could pass away suddenly at any time. Right away, I made it my mission to get him to at least thirty years of age.
Tally and I understood each other. Even though I could never ride him because of his heart problems, we had an extremely close bond. When I looked into his eyes, I truly did see his soul.
If I was having a stressful day, he always knew. He would rest his head on my shoulder. It was his way of letting me know it would all be okay.
In the end, he got an extra twelve years of life. I consider that one of my greatest accomplishments in life to help him live twenty eight years. I fell short of my goal of getting him to thirty, but it was really nothing short of a miracle that he lived as long as he did.
What I Gained from the Love of My Horse
When his heart finally started to fail and I knew it was time to let him go, it was the saddest day of my life. In my heart though, I knew that I gave him the best of care and that he felt loved and special. Taking care of him was one of my purposes in life.
The two horses I have now, Buck and Benedict, I love with all my heart. But Tally will always hold the most special place in my heart. If you are an animal lover, I hope that you have the chance to find your soulmate in the animal world.
Tally reminded me daily that with enough determination and dedication, you can achieve great things. He didn’t win an Olympic gold medal in eventing, but he showed it was possible to beat the odds and win at life.
He also taught me to fully appreciate the time I had with him, because I knew I could lose him at any moment.
It is always a good day when I’m with my horses. I hope you have a constant in your life that makes every day a good day for you.
Kristin
If you are new to horses and want to start learning more, then here is a great article to read as an introduction to the equine world.
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This is beautiful! Our animals are family, and letting them go is so hard. But they live on in our hearts….
Tally sounds like a very special one!
Thank you so much Danielle! Not one single day goes by that I don’t think about him. I agree – animals are family!
~ Kristin
Kristin,
Thank you for sharing your story. You are amazing!
Thank you for your kind words Tammy! I am thankful every single day for my time with my horses.