He is 44 years old and the type of horse who needs to feel needed in the riding school. He becomes very depressed if he does not work. Thankfully we have a little boy by the name of Jacques who comes twice a month to ride and he only walks around for 30 minutes during his horse riding lesson. That gives Toby a sense of usefulness and he is a great teacher. To see the interaction and love between old and young is a sight to behold. During December /January the riding school horses are given a holiday therefore little Jacques didn’t come and ride. A month is a long time for an old timer and Toby although he gets an abundance of love and attention felt a little useless. This all with great sadness resulted in him giving up on life. He was not ill, but lost interest in eating, drinking and living.
Toby lay down and I sat with him, his head on my lap, just loving him and thanking him for being such an amazing trusted friend in my life and that of so many children and adults that have been part of my stables for the past 10 years or so. Although heartbroken I accepted that this is maybe his time to go, that he is tired and he has had a very good innings, especially considering he suffers from Congestive Heart failure. After being down for some time his breathing became laboured, he tried to get up a few times but failed. I was saying my last farewell to him, really believing that the next morning he would be in horse heaven.
To my amazement he tried a fifth time to get up, with a huge effort he managed to stand but was very unsteady on his feet. He went over to drink some water and a little later I took him to his stable and he ate all his food, which can only excite a mommy and horse owner. Still didn’t think I would see him alive the next day. For a week he seemed to be almost completely blind and deaf. Miracles do happen, his eyesight has returned and only seems hard of hearing in his right ear. Little Jacques mom and grandmother brought him often to come and visit Toby spoiling him with grated apples and carrots. Toby livened up and even though he lost a tremendous amount of condition he has already picked up some weight, which is unbelievable for such an old horse.
An abundance of love and care from all my stablers, students and ex-stablers has given Toby a new lease on life, knowing that even if he is not ‘working’, he is loved, needed and wanted which seems to have made a difference to his mental state and he continues to bring us joy. He is such a blessing and grateful for every extra day I get to spend with him.
- he just keeps going and going and going.
Toby lay down and I sat with him, his head on my lap, just loving him and thanking him for being such an amazing trusted friend in my life and that of so many children and adults that have been part of my stables for the past 10 years or so. Although heartbroken I accepted that this is maybe his time to go, that he is tired and he has had a very good innings, especially considering he suffers from Congestive Heart failure. After being down for some time his breathing became laboured, he tried to get up a few times but failed. I was saying my last farewell to him, really believing that the next morning he would be in horse heaven.
To my amazement he tried a fifth time to get up, with a huge effort he managed to stand but was very unsteady on his feet. He went over to drink some water and a little later I took him to his stable and he ate all his food, which can only excite a mommy and horse owner. Still didn’t think I would see him alive the next day. For a week he seemed to be almost completely blind and deaf. Miracles do happen, his eyesight has returned and only seems hard of hearing in his right ear. Little Jacques mom and grandmother brought him often to come and visit Toby spoiling him with grated apples and carrots. Toby livened up and even though he lost a tremendous amount of condition he has already picked up some weight, which is unbelievable for such an old horse.
An abundance of love and care from all my stablers, students and ex-stablers has given Toby a new lease on life, knowing that even if he is not ‘working’, he is loved, needed and wanted which seems to have made a difference to his mental state and he continues to bring us joy. He is such a blessing and grateful for every extra day I get to spend with him.
- he just keeps going and going and going.
 26 December 2015 |  |
Jacques feeding Toby grated carrots that he grated himself.
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