Tragedy!

So this weekend was a particularly hard weekend. Let me tell you why . . .

Have you ever been on top of the world, not emotionally,but literally- so high up you feel you can see everything. That's how it was riding Mikey-- Mikey was such a big giant horse-- 17 1/2 hands (I think that is right) and to any one who doesn'tknow what that means, it translates directly into big ass horse. To get on to Mikey --I had to use a bucket -- andthat just got me closer to the stirrup-- so I wasn't reaching over my head with my foot. Coming down off Mikey was a whole other story-- literally my foot was over my head as I dismounted. Big Big Horse.

Mikey was given to my Dad from a riding stable. Mikey used to be a stick jumping horse,but he was too clunky--so he had been "put out to pasture". Mikey was a hard keeper (meaning he lost weight really easy). So he came to us super skinny. We all tried our best to get Mikey back into good shape. Mikey was such a nice guy-- we could put the little kids on his back andwalk him around-- he loved it-- never would make you nervous that he'd hop or buck and knock the kids off- always calm-- andwalked super slow. Good horse.

Mikey had arthritis in his legs or knees or something? But that didn't stop him.

2 Weeks agoIwentout to feed in the morning and Mikey was laying down-- it was a particularly cold morning-- and I thought the worst-- he wouldn't getup to comeandeat-- I called my dad-- and he cameover to see what was going on. By then I had Mikey up-- but he was stiff and cold. Poor skinny guy didn't have any fat to keep him warm. My dad got Mikey a big huge horse blanket-- and that seemed to help.

Sunday was my parent's church choir production-- every year we go- it helps to get you into the spirit- Chet went out to feed a we were leaving-- and came back in saying Mikey wouldn't getup. I went ahead to church and Chet stayed to help out his pal Mikey.

At church we were singing away in manger-- andthe part where they say asleep in the hay, got me-- I started to cry-- poor Mikey-- Chet texted me later saying Mikey was up but not doing well.

That night was the Thompson Christmas Party. When we got home- Mikey was in bad shape. He was all sweaty and breathing hard, we knew he was suffering--what to do? Chet told me to go and say good bye-- I cried the whole way out to the barn-- poor Mikey-- when I saw him I felt even worse-- he was soo sad--

Mikey died that night---

Molly and Mitzi (other horses) are still having a hard time with not having Mikey around. Mollycries and screams,andthey both circle aroundwhere Mikey should be.

Sad days,but Mikey is happier now!!!