Thank you both for your kind words. This is a bit about my dear mare, I wish you all could have met her.
I first met Copper in Oct of 2005 when she’d come in with a batch of others to be sold from a distressed owner situation. A young girl was planning to rehab her but somehow never seemed to make any progress. I knew Copper was mine and only a matter of time before I could somehow convince the girl to let me take her. It took until April 2006 for me to bring her home with us.
She was already down over 200 lbs. the first time I saw her and was barely holding her own and failing by the day. The shaggy, little red mare tugged at my heartstrings seeing her at what I thought was yet another home with someone who cared even less for her than the previous one.
One day I saw her with head up calling to one of the horses she'd come in with. She was beautiful, no other word for it, just beautiful for a single moment in time she was young and proud again. Then she descended back into her malnourished stupor. I couldn't get her out of my mind and I tried several times to buy her but my offers were rejected. "Were going to get some good money for that one, she's got good lines, someone can breed her," I was told. Her owner didn't even bother to give her a name, she was only called the skinny mare.
Things continued to get worse for her, if that was possible. She endured drenching rain, thick mud up to her hocks and poor feed what little there was that she was able to grab before being driven off by the other horses. The light was leaving her eyes and it was all I could do not to cry every time I saw her. Finally, the day came when I had to move my other horses to our summer place. I tossed and turned all night and knew I had to find some way to take her with me. I made one last desperate attempt to purchase her and for some reason it was accepted. It's my fear, and relief, that I'd out bid the packer by just hours. She'd been scheduled to be picked up by the truck later that day. Those good lines didn't seem to matter anymore, she was too far gone.
I cried some very happy tears that day. As I loaded her onto my trailer she dutifully followed me in and looked resigned to whatever fate awaited her as I closed the divider and shut the door. In 3-4 months no one recognized her. She’d become the horse of my dreams and almost completely restored to good health. She got her name Copper when I washed the mud off her she shined like a new penny. I've spent thousands upon thousands for other horses that couldn't hold a candle to her. She was exquisitely trained with beautiful manners and the heart of a lioness. I promised her she’d be my companion to the end and no longer anyone's throw away horse.
This was her the day I brought her home 4/23/06...
About a week into her rehab, she was so weak still she almost fell on the farrier while getting her feet trimmed. Her shoes had been on at least a year…
And about
4 3 months (can't count to save my life sometimes) to the day when she got well… (7/24/06)...
My beautiful girl just a few weeks ago as we prepared for the 2009 SAFE show…
8-19-09
I lost my baby girl last Sunday, to what I may never know for sure. She bravely endured all that veterinary science could throw at her and it just wasn’t enough. Her eyes told me that nothing more could be done and I knew I could only do what she needed, to let her go.
Like all of them, she was special, but more so she was incredibly kind right down to her very core. All that met her knew she was special right down to the man who picked her body up. He felt my pain, hugged me tight and shed tears for her. How rare and special that was for even a complete stranger to feel her goodness.
She taught me so much, mostly about what love really is, and I was with her as I promised, to the very end. She was treasured from the moment I took her, never to be a throw away horse again.
Copper will be at the 2009 SAFE horse show with me in spirit as I applaud all of you who do this loving vocation with your own. Peace and blessings to you all, Shirley