On Wednesday, November 20th... we made one of our hardest calls. We put "Secrets Startlight" known to some as "Victoria" to others as "Tori" to rest.
She came to live with us in the summer of 2022. We knew that she had some physical challenges but were confident that we could manage them. She was wonderful from the minute we met her. Everyone fell in love with her sweet soul.
She quickly became everyone's favorite and my steady eddy for preschoolers.
She gave us our very special boy "Clark" in June of 2023. She loved being a mama and was such a natural. He was her first and her last foal.
When we weaned Clark in the first of the year, we started using her but noticed she was especially stiff. After a few weeks, we called our vet. We were disappointed to hear that her arthritis had advanced and there was nothing to be done but comfort measures.
This was fine, as we do alot of equine assisted psychotherapy and riding is not a part of that. We began doing red lights, hand walks, liniments, leg wraps and Magnawave. She would have a good day, followed by several bad days. I held out hope.
The last few farrier sessions, the vet had to numb her legs in order to trim her. I realized that I was going to have to make a hard decision. It felt selfish to keep her just because I loved her so much.
I finally decided to give her rest before the cold winter weather came in. She was loved to the very end.
As we enter the Thanksgiving season, it would be easy to focus on the loss. It would be easy to think about how unfair it is that we only had her for less than three years. It would be easy to be angry at what a hard year we have all had.
Instead, I choose to be thankful for all the beautiful moments I did have with her. What a gift she was! She was usually the first horse to greet all the visitors. She always came to the window for pets and interaction. She taught many kids that horses are not to be feared. Her gentle heart taught kids that they could be safe with her. She gave us the most beautiful boy. She was such a special one and I am so honored to have been her last home. It gives me joy to think of her running in deep grass-- with no pain, and as fast she wants to go! Until we meet again my love....
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