Valentine, our 30-year-old mare, passed away tonight. She had had a virus for a couple of weeks, but seemed to have gotten over it about a week ago; last Tuesday I walked her around the block and she seemed her usual, feisty, chipper self, though she would be 31 in three weeks. On Saturday she was lethargic again, the fever had returned, and her appetite was off. Today she perked up a bit when we gave her some bran mash (her favorite!), but an hour after we left to get some lunch (we hadn't eaten all day) she fell and hit her head, and in just over an hour she was gone.

The relationship one has with a horse is very different than that with a dog or a cat - at least in our case. We will miss her dearly.

 

Sorry to hear that. My sympathies.

 

RIP, Valentine. My condolences to you and Marlana. She had a good life, Bill.

 

Thanks, guys.

Raptor: you're right, she had a good life. She was a wonderful horse: our first. We'll never have another quite like her.

With all of the other rotten things that go on in the world, it sometimes seems petty or trivial or selfish to feel so much grief over an animal. What can I say? Horses are special. They're just supposed to be livestock - tools that help people get around, do work on ranches, help police control crowds, and so on - but they turn out to be much more than that, for some reason.

(Bear in mind that this is coming from someone who twelve years ago had no interest in horses whatsoever. My wife changed that. For the better, times like this notwithstanding.)

 

Bill, Marianne and I send our condolences as well. I agree with Raptor, Valentine had a wonderful finish to her life. She had love heaped on her by you and Marlana. She couldn't have asked for more. We also fully understand the analogy to a horse being more like a friend than a pet. Cuddling up in bed with a "pet" horse just will not work, but a friend like Valentine can sure take you places.

Seeing this post makes me think I should go give our five hugs...

 

sorry bud

all pets are like family. A farmers sees a horse as nothing more than livestock, they obviously would not feel the same way you do...Your horse was your friend and companion. She will be waiting for you on the other side.

 

Sorry to hear about your loss.. I didn't know horses lived that long until I read your post. Animals certainly do become a part of the family for most people.

 

After losing Valentine in January, and looking for another horse since April - in earnest since May - Marlana and I finally found the right horse a week ago Saturday, and he passed the vet check today! We'll be picking him up and bringing him home next week.

He's a 9-year-old bay Polish Arabian gelding, who looks and acts remarkably like Val.

We're very happy.

As soon as Marlana gets the pictures off her camera and onto her computer I'll post one or two.

 

Please do! What a great addition to the family.

 

Congratulations, Bill, to you and Marlana!