Your story is one I can share and my heart grieves with you!!
Karen Everhart MEd Co-founder and Executive
Director Rainbow Meadows Rescue and Retirement, Inc. Serving the equine
companions who have so loyally served us... www.rainbowmeadowsranch.com 620-725-3402
Owner/Operator Horse Calls - Equine Management
Solutions Centered Riding Instructor Distance Horse Conditioning and
Training www.horsecalls.com 316-648-5082
On Monday, I had to say good bye to my partner, my dream come true,
my once in a lifetime horse, CBS Redman. I wanted the endurance
world to know one of the great ones has passed on.
He was almost 28 years old and was just hanging out at my farm enjoying
retirement. It had always been my goal with him to retire him from the
sport sound and happy, and I did. I won't list his accomplishments here,
but they were many. One of the accolades I felt very proud of was the
fact he won almost as many best condition awards throughout his career as he
did races. As all of you know, that's hard to do.
In the last few years, he began to lose his molars and had to be put on a
special, soft diet to keep his weight up. Winters were getting
harder. In April, he managed to injure his left hind leg. I never
knew how, but it was clearly very bad. I doctored him through it and got
him to a point where he was pretty comfortable and more than happy to be
alive. A few weeks ago, the leg took a turn for the worse. When
the vet looked at him and the injured leg, which was a horrific sight,
she said, "He's one tough horse." That's an understatement to be
sure.
But she and I decided that day that it wasn't time to say good bye
yet. He was still happy and not in much pain. She said I'd know
when it was time. This past Sunday, Redman gave me the look that told me
I had to make the call. We had climbed so many mountains, galloped so
many fields and crossed so many rivers together. It was time to cross
the last river together. I arranged it all in a rush on Monday, had a
horrific day at work and got home to walk the last walk with him. I
hugged him and thanked him for everything.
I knew him and he knew me with no words. He was part of my soul,
part of my identity, a member of my family. He was with me for 23
years. My youngest son, Joey, was 16 months old when I bought Red at an
auction. Joey just turned 24. My daughter, Sara (30 years old next
month), was in second grade when Red came into our lives. From the
beginning she said, "He has a very important face." Many would call it
the look of eagles.
Redman gave me the most wonderful thrills, adventures and memories.
My heart is broken. If you ever saw him or knew him, please remember him
with admiration and fondness.
