A Hard Good-Bye

It's been a long time since Filly has graced these pages.

We've battled warts & almost won.  The secret to battling the worst case of warts anyone has ever seen?  Monistat Cream!  That's right, everyone in WalMart would look at me REALLY funny as I bought every tube on their self.  The cashier, well into her 70s, wouldn't meet my eyes.  One time a woman actually asked me what i was going to do with all that Monistat.  LOL  You should have seen her face when I told her I was slathering Filly with it to rid her of warts.

The last rain of Mar 2016, brought trouble.  While playing, running, & bucking with her herdmates, Filly slipped & injured both stifles.  CMK knew then that Filly's future riding career was over.  As long as Filly would be pasture sound & happy, CMK would be happy.  It wasn't long before Filly was once again running & bucking.  Although only 98% sound, she was happy.  Always the first to come running when called, & always enjoying chasing the hay wagon, her Pasture Puff status fit her well.

I can remember hoping for a live foal because the mare was ill.  It was the middle of the night & I was all alone.  When the contractions stopped without a foal being born, all I could think of was that I had seen my vet pull a foal & he'd had to use chains & another man to help.  How was I going to get this foal into the world?  Sobbing & pulling, I can still close my eyes & feel how it felt to fly across the stall, landing on my butt, with a wet foal in my arms.  It's as if it were yesterday.  The filly of my dreams had arrived.

I still see her as the baby who smelled roses.  That first day out of the barn, enjoying the fresh air, she was fascinated by the roses.    

By the time Filly was three days old, I knew she had a problem.  It took the love & devotion of a special friend to help me save Filly.  Filly's grandpa also had a huge part in saving her.  Without the special people in my life, I would only have had Filly for a very short time.

It's been almost eight years.  Filly & I have been through a few trying times, but have always overcome.  Until now.  Just a few weeks ago, Filly reinjured her stifles.  I was hopeful, but not too optimistic.  My vet couldn't offer encouraging words other than saying "tincture of time".  But we'd already used that time healing from last year's injury.  Filly is no longer happy.  She no longer runs to greet me, no longer chases the hay wagon.  Ever so slowly she creeps across the pasture.  As she lays her head on my shoulder, I know Filly is in pain.  My heart is breaking, but I know it's time.  Time for the hardest thing I've ever had to do.  Time for A Hard Good-Bye.  I will always love you Filly.  CMK