The sky reminded me that there is a painter far more genius than I.
The sentinel tree heavy with mistletoe was the last picture I got before it was too dark for the camera. The loud frog chorus was a welcome relief to the cacophony of thoughts pounding at my consciousness.
I sat on the rock in the corral as the horses finished their dinner. Patrik came up and licked my hands and after he left, Sofi came up and positioned herself for a scratching.
My head was spinning because I received news today that Versano, the Lipizzan gelding, had been checked out by a vet. The vet recommended that he be put down. Even now, sitting at my computer in a nice cozy office there are so many different points of view that I can see in this situation that I don't know which path to follow.
What is the worth of a 13 year old gelding with probable ringbone arthritis in all of his legs and melanoma tumors which are usually harmless but were also found in his mouth and may require amputation of his sheath area and re-routing of his urinary tract, a $1,500 operation. All this for a horse who probably would be uncomfortable being ridden...his brightest future would be as a pasture pet. How many people are out there who are willing and able to take this on? Is it better to kill him and consider it less of a burden on society?
When I tried to find a better home for Sundance years ago, one of the people I gave her to had a vet evaluation done and it was recommended that she be put down. In fact, the vet was surprised that she hadn't been put down years ago due to her EPSM. When I heard this I was fortunate enough to be in a position to find her a new home. When that home didn't work out either, again I was fortunate enough to bring her back to live with me. I had found a place to live where my horses were welcomed and given the gift of a big pasture.
Sundance and I, last October in our gift pasture.
I don't know where this will end up. For now, I know that I am in a position to better be able to help make the decision for Versano than the family that was forced by their life circumstances to give him up. I also know that whatever decisions are made will be partly based on my own fortunateness of having some money in the bank, supportive people around me, stable ground underneath me, food in the stores, the gift of another heartbeat and lungs full of air. None of this can be taken for granted.
I just looked over at a friend's blog. I met Lynne Gerard through the Nevzorov Haute Ecole school. She has just written about something with a very similar feeling. I urge everyone to take the time to read her blog as well.
My head was spinning because I received news today that Versano, the Lipizzan gelding, had been checked out by a vet. The vet recommended that he be put down. Even now, sitting at my computer in a nice cozy office there are so many different points of view that I can see in this situation that I don't know which path to follow.
What is the worth of a 13 year old gelding with probable ringbone arthritis in all of his legs and melanoma tumors which are usually harmless but were also found in his mouth and may require amputation of his sheath area and re-routing of his urinary tract, a $1,500 operation. All this for a horse who probably would be uncomfortable being ridden...his brightest future would be as a pasture pet. How many people are out there who are willing and able to take this on? Is it better to kill him and consider it less of a burden on society?
When I tried to find a better home for Sundance years ago, one of the people I gave her to had a vet evaluation done and it was recommended that she be put down. In fact, the vet was surprised that she hadn't been put down years ago due to her EPSM. When I heard this I was fortunate enough to be in a position to find her a new home. When that home didn't work out either, again I was fortunate enough to bring her back to live with me. I had found a place to live where my horses were welcomed and given the gift of a big pasture.
Sundance and I, last October in our gift pasture.I don't know where this will end up. For now, I know that I am in a position to better be able to help make the decision for Versano than the family that was forced by their life circumstances to give him up. I also know that whatever decisions are made will be partly based on my own fortunateness of having some money in the bank, supportive people around me, stable ground underneath me, food in the stores, the gift of another heartbeat and lungs full of air. None of this can be taken for granted.
I just looked over at a friend's blog. I met Lynne Gerard through the Nevzorov Haute Ecole school. She has just written about something with a very similar feeling. I urge everyone to take the time to read her blog as well.
Thanks for sharing this blog Stormy. I enjoy reading you entries.
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