One of the worst things that can happen to a horse-loving person is having their horse or pony die. My horse Woody was put down last year, and Kristen's pen-pal Jodie has with her horse Copla (both dedications can be found below). No one who hasn't had this happen to them can understand the pain that is involved. Please read the following dedications, and if you have any supportive comments to send, we will forward them for you. If you have a horse or pony who has passed away, send us their name, and the dedication, and we will post it here immidiately. We hope it will help ease the pain of your loss.

A SPECIAL DEDICATION TO JACKIES BAY SHADOW My friend and resident boss mare passed away sunday. I was not there to help her either. Mother & Daddy were there to be with her though. My last memory of her was rubbing her dark bay head between her beautifull , intelligent eyes and teasing/ scolding her for getting impatient at the vets facilities. Im ashamed to say as a business owner, I tried for two days to treat the loss as a business loss,Comforting myself with the thought that Jackie had many tims overpaid herself. My husband , Denny, unknowingly made me realize that it is OK to miss Jackie. He surprised me by buying me a wonderfull Filly with Jackie's Bloodlines. I call her Karma, She's Jackie's Karma. To anyone Who reads this, the next time you see your horse give him/her a big bear hug.......I know that hug will be from Jackie via you. Thanx, Sheila _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ A SPECIAL DEDICATION TO JUMPITER'S WISH My horse Jump (short for Jumpiter's wish) had a foal. The key word here is HAD. A sad thing happened during the foal's last momments on earth. I turned them out togather. Watching the foal check out all the new surroundings was cute and fun to watch. I left to get a bucket to sit on and watch. as I was gone The foal and mare was dangerously close to the fenced off briar patch. The foal who was named Jumpiters Wish Entangled his leg into a briar which was hanging out of the fence. the foal died. He struggled so much he got his whole leg gashed , cut , pulled, and broken. The efforts to save him did not help. And Jumpiter's wish wished his last wish. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ IN LOVING MEMORY OF OREO,KOEY,RUSTY,BAYSIDE HILL,TROTER,AND NIMBLE. These 7 horses I grew up with. They taught me so much. I started off on Rusty when I was 6, Then Koey, Then oreo, Then Troter, then Nimble, and finnally the hard to handle thoroughbred Bayside hill. Im 27 now and own my own stable close to the one I grew up on. At approx. 1:32 AM A fire broke out. I slept through the horror. Only to read about my childhood ponies and horses had burned. Bay Side Hill was saved but went right back in the flaming barn because of his herding instincts. Nothing was saved. And as I walk the The clearing of ashes I cry. The owners had moved and a wal-mart is now put there. In loving memory..... _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ IN MEMORY OF SULLEY. SULLEY was a 31 year old horse I rode. Im only 9 and just started riding. I wish SULLEY was back. He died of old age..... _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ IN MEMORY OF REBBECA THE MARE OF COLORS Reb as we called her was an appaloosa. She had almost every color on her. She was an AMAZING sight. Reb died at age 6 when we rescued her from someone who had abused , starved,and neglected her. She was on her way to recover when she collapsed. It was during the night. She died bacause those humans out there who are cold and cruel, decided they did not want the horse, and did not sell it. So they just left her in a small muddy pasture intill someone who felt sorry for her picked her up. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ IN MEMORY OF BRANDY Brandy was a welsh X arab. She was a Trillium hunter until the day she retired at age 16. She was a pretty little thing who was a pinkish tinge on a chestnut, and her coat gleamed in the sunlight. We bred Buns as we loved to call her, to a welsh section A stallion. All was going well, and we had even picked out a name for the foal. Petite Rouge, or Whiskey ( if a colt ) or Sherry ( if a filly ) to his/her pals. On Dec 31, I received the horrible news, I had lost my first pony. Sweet, bomb-proof old Buns, who I had been through everything with, and the only memory that could have been left of her, Rouge, died with his mummy ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ IN LOVING MEMORY OF COPLA EL BATEY ~ March 8, 1982 - May 3, 1998 Copla was a 16 yr. old Paso Fino mare. She was grey and was at a constant battle with heaves. She was willing to do anything for me. She would gallop down the road if I asked. At 16 she died of a snake bite. Everyone who knew her will never forget her. One little girl who rode her would lay on her back and fall asleep while she was in her field. Copla taught me everything I know about horses and horse care. I will miss her greatly. Johanna ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ IN LOVING MEMORY OF TOPPER, the first horse that I ever rode. During the summer of 1996 my family and I visited this couple who owned Topper, and I got to *ride* him (I sat an his back, being lead on a lead line). Once we got back, and he was settled in, I gave him a carrot, one last look, andf ollowed the adults. About one year later, after learning more about horses, I called the couple to ask what breed he is, what his name was, and what saddle I sat in. The man said "Appy, Topper, and Western" then said "But he is no longer on this earth, he was put down about six months earlier" I cried like crazy, wishing that at least I could say one last good-bye to him, and it brought back the memories of Tiger (an alley cat that attached itself to me) and Katie (my life long dog that my parents got only a few days before I was born), whom I never got a change to say goodbye too. All I can say is that I love and miss Tiger, Katie and Topper, and wish that these three deaths had not occurred.____________ _______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ IN LOVING MEMORY OF JOPPA Joppa was a young half Arabian stallion that I was attached to. He was a red roan with a spirited and feisty personality. Joppa was owned by Tara Manor Riding Academy. That's where I take lessons at. He picked his riders and the only one he liked having on his back was me. He was and still is one of the only horses that I was seriously attached to.On a cold winter night, Joppa died of colic. I'm only 11 years old but I know death. Joppa, I still love and wish you hadn't died. Joppa was one of the only horses I ever loved. He was kind to me. But once he ran away with someone and they fell and broke their arm although I'm not naming names. I wish that he had never died. I made a memory book in honor of Joppa with tons of pictures of us in shows. Joppa might be dead in the real world but he's not dead in my mind and heart.__________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ IN LOVING MEMORY OF STORM: 1992-1998 she was a beautuful quarter horse mare, but more than a horse she was my best friend. We did everything together but one day about a week ago we were going to a show when someone ran a stop sign and are trailer rolled, and Storm's back was broken. She died in my arms. Oh why did she have to die for someone to save a few secs. not stopping at a stop sign?!!_________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ This dedication is to Jenna who died september 9 while trying to give birth. Birthing for horses is a very dangerous thing. If things are not just right they die, there are no emergency c-sections or heroic measures to be taken. Often there is nothing that can be done. It is a tragic way to die in such pain, to watch someone you love die that kind of death is somthing you can never forget. Jenna was a 10 year old arabian mare owned by Nikki, 11 for the last 5yrs. they were inseperable our whole family loved her very much. Jenna never tired, ran as fast as the wind in games, jumped like a rabbit, bomb proof at parades, well manored, always afectionate, dependable and couragous on trails.______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ IN LOVING MEMORY OF WOODLAND BARS: April 1st 1964 - October 16th 1998 Woody was the sweetest most loving horse that ever lived. He had a very long life too...34 years. Woody and I always shared a special bond. He would probably have died for me if I had asked him to. He took me to my first show, and he was the first horse I ever rode. he always took care of me. He was a registered QH, and he was gorgeous! He was very muscualar, and he was a flaming chestnut with three sharp white socks. He placed 1st in more shows than I can count, and even made an appearence at Quarterama. I know that he is not in pain now, but I just wish that I had gotten the chance to say goodbye. I love you Woody and I'll never forget you. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ On a cold January afternoon in 1997 i went to go bring my new TB, Jekyll & Hyde, home to our barn. He was a beautiful bay that stood about 16 hands with a star, snip and white around 3 coronet bands. He had been abused...not fed, feet were curling up, never groomed and stood in a manure filled stall in a dark corner of the barn. One vet said that he was 15, another that he was more like 25. But it was ok because he was mine. I started down the long rode ahead, of feeding and caring for him...of working with vets and farriers to just make him better. As time went by...he started to improve..until he finally was the horse he was meant to be. Jekyll and I were the BEST FRIENDS you could ever ask for. He was very careful never to drop me and he knew how much i loved him. I could put anyone on him and knew I could trust him not to hurt them. Things were going very well, until we moved to a private farm...I lease the horse barn and pastures there and there are other people who live in the house. Anyway, it was October 16th, I will never forget that day for as long as i live...... I had taken my mom to go see "the new horse" cuz she hadn't seen him yet. When I walked into the barn, he was laying down in his stall, right away i knew something was wrong. COLIC. A few days before my Ap had coliced and couldn't figure it out. Upon questioning... I learned that the people in the house had been feeding my horses all kinds of stuff when I wasn't around. Well.....it was cold that night while walking him out in the moon light. Up then down, up then down. My feet were hurting from the rough ground but I knew I couldn't give up. It was a long 21 hours of nothing but walking. The vet was out 4 times. We tried everything.....walking Jekyll over to the vet and holding him for his last fate was the HARDEST thing I have ever had to do. Finding him, I had waited a whole lifetime for..but watching him die was the worst thing a person has to go thru. I wish to dedicate this to Jekyll and to say one more time...Thank you and I love you....I'm glad you're free and no one can or will ever hurt you again. Until...we meet again... I love you..................IN LOVING MEMORY OF JEKYLL & HYDE __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Scout
of the Seventh Michigan
Remembrances of a War Horse

For five years you carried me and the boys
Ted and Sean and I
Never failing, always ready
No cross days, no fits of temper
Even and steady
Patient and strong
You were my rock
Confederate gray or sabre dummy
Red Ribbon Week with the CHP
middle school demos
or NCWA
Crowds of people
Men, women and kids
Cheered and loved you
Me too
Now you're gone
No more midnight rides
No more cavalry weekends
No more exhibitions of skill
No more No more
But one day will come
We will meet again
Ride together like before
Drink coffee from a tin cup
Graze on green fields
At Fiddler's Green
Stablemates forever
Til then I'll miss you
And love you
Dear Friend.

*On December 24, 1997, Scout passed from the rolls of the 7th Michigan after succumbing to an intestinal tumor. He will be missed.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
TONY To Tony, Tony, you were the first pony I ever rode by myself. You taught me all the basics and helped me gain my confidence. I only rode you a couple of times, but I love you and you are sadly missed. I hope you are in that great big field up in the clouds, you deserve to be there as you have taught so many kids like me to ride. Love from Michelle and Everyone at Nara Riding School. (Tony died in 1997 from cancer at the age of 24)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
To my pretty star faced filly. You are missed. Love Marian
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
This is in memory of Justin, Stormy and Boo.

Justin was a 15yo Warmblood used by us for lessons and general trail riding. He was 17h and a very gentle giant. He was quiet enough for 4yo's to learn on. His only fear was THE VET!! ;) He almost pulled our barn down one day when I forgot and left him tied as the vet walked up to the barn!! Justin was a member of our family and is greatly missed.

Stormy was a 25yo Shetland pony. He'd been a breeding stallion until age 20. We bought him after he was gelded and he was a pleasure driving pony for us kids. At the ripe old age of 22 (I was 15) I decided to break him to saddle....but I think he broke me!! What a funny and precious pony he was. He was the "favorite" stablemate of all our Saddlebred Show Horses...to the point that we HAD to haul him to all the shows just to keep the others quiet and appeased. Stormy was another wonderful member of our family.

Boo was a 10 yo Five Gaited American Saddlebred. I'd had him for one year and only one show season when he started to lose feeling in his tail and hind legs. Sadly Boo collapsed one day at the barn during a workout and we had to put him down. An autopsy revealed a tumor on his spine and one in his brain that had caused his paralysis and demise. Boo was a real fighter and trooper to the end. I truly miss what could have been with this talented and special horse.
Jenna
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Yogi:
  Yogi was a Quarter Horse who was brave kind horse.One of the best horses I knew.He was the only horse who survived a big flood on our ranch.He showed me how to ride.Yogi would stand stock still for me when I was 3 yrs. old and he has NEVER run off with anyone. He used to be my father's BEST polo horse. He was loved and ridden by everyone since we could walk. Yogi died as peacefully as a old horse could but,he was nonetheless a great horse.Yogi was loved by everyone. Everyone rode him,even little babies that came to visit us,Yogi was a greeat horse and even though this tragedy happened 1/2 a year ago I am still VERY upset and think about him every night. _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Shawnee: Shawnee was a beautiful grade pony, a little bit of everything. He was also a little bit of everyone. He was sweet and willing. Everybody who knew him will always remember him as a cheerful little horse. May he be somehow rewarded for his great job as being a mount for Special Need riding program. He has changed the life of so many little children who would not have been able to ride.

Rothasay Bay: Rosy, as we called her, was a race horse. She had the best temperament and configuration in a thoroughbred as I have ever seen. She died during a difficult foaling, in which Rothasays Bayby(as he was called) also died. May she and her foal have green pastures for evermore.

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

TO MY LOVING SUGARBEAR, A BLUE ROAM APP WHO I HAVE HAD SINCE WE WERE 3 Y OLD TOGETHER AND WHO DIED WHEN WE WHERE 18 TOGETHER IT TOOK ME THREE YEARS TO GET OVER MY LOST, HOW THE DAYS WENT BY THAT I WISHED YOU HERE WITH ME, YOU TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING I COULD EVER LEARN THAT THERE WAS TO LEARN ABOUT HORSES, AND WHEN TIME WENT BY WHEN WE WERE LOW ON MONEY AND WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO SELL YOU IT NEVER HAPPENED, AND FROM THAT MOMENT ON I JUST KNEW WE WERE MENT TO BE THREW THE GOOD AND THE BAD WE ALWAYS STUCK TOGETHER AND WHEN THAT DAY I KNEW YOU WERE NOT FEELING GOOD YOU WERE DIAGNOSED WITH EMPHYSEMA AND HOW MY HEART SANKED WHEN I KNEW WE COULDN'T RUN LIKED THE WAY WE ALWAYS DID, YOU COULD ALWAYS OUT RUN ANY OTHER HORSE ON THE PROPERTY, BUT YOU KEPT ON MAKING ME HAPPY EVEN IF I COULD ONLY RIDE YOU DURING THE WINTER AND NOT THE SUMMER, AND FINALLY THAT DAY CAME TO PASS THE NIGHT BEFORE I COULD SINCE SOMETHING WAS WRONG BECAUSE THATS WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU LOVE SOMETHING SO DEAR YOU JUST KNOW. YOU TRY TO GIVE ME MY LAST RIDE BUT I COULD SEE IT IN YOUR EYES THAT YOU WERE SAYING GOOD BYE, DAD TOLD ME TO LET YOU OUT OF THE CORRAL TO BE WITH THE OTHERS BECAUSE A STORM WAS COMING IN BUT NOW I WISHED I HADNT BECAUSE I NEVER GOT TO SAY GOOD BYE, WHEN MORNING CAME AND I HADNT SEEN YOU ALL MORNING I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG BUT DAD CONVEINCED ME YOU WERE ALL RIGHT, THEN WHEN I GOT HOME FROM WORK DAD TOLD ME YOU WERE GONE AT FIRST I THOUGHT HE WAS JOKING, LIKE HE NORMALLY DOES BUT THE LOOK IN HIS EYES I KNEW HE WASN'T, SO WHEN MORNING CAME I HAD TO SEE FOR MY SELF SO WITH LUCK SUNDANCE(SUNNY) CAME UP TO THE HOUSE AND GAVE ME A RIDE AND I BURSTED IN TEARS WHEN I SAW YOU AND I THOUGHT I COULD NEVER FIND ANOTHER LIKE YOU, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A LIFT UP ON SUNNY BECAUSE OF MY DISABILITY I CANT GET UP ON A HORSE WITH OUT A STOOL BUT I KNOW YOU WHERE THERE GIVING ME A LEG UP. I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER FIND ANOTHER LIKE YOU AND ITS TRUE NO ONE CAN COMPARE TO YOU. I BOUGHT 2 YOUNG HORSES DUSTY A NOW 2 Y. OLD BREEDING STOCK PAINT FILLY AND A NOW 1 YEAR OLD MUSTANG/APP STUD SHADOW, WHO IN DEDICATION TO YOU WILL PRODUCE SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BABIES FOR MY FUTURE DREAM FARM WHICH I CALL SUGARBEAR FARMS IN LOVING MEMORY OF YOU.... SUGARBEAR MY LOVE MY ONE & ONLY TRUEST LOVE I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU....

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

TO THE ONE AND ONLY TRIGGER MAY YOU NOT BE IN PAIN ANYMORE AND HOW I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE TRULY MISSED I HOPE YOU AND SUGARBEAR ARE HAPPY AND DOING WELL TELL HIM I LOVE HIM AND I LOVE YOU TO. EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE NOT MINE IT SURE DID FEEL LIKE IT BECAUSE I WAS THE ONE TAKING MORE CARE OF YOU THAN YOUR TRUE OWNERS, I WISH YOU WERE STILL HERE THOUGH SO YOU COULD SEEN DUSTY AND SHADOW I THINK THEY WOULD LIKED YOU, I'LL BE GLAD WHEN THE TIME COMES AND WE CAN RIDE TOGETHER AGAIN ME YOU AND SUGARBEAR , AND LET ME SAY FOR AN OLD MAN WITH ARTHERIST YOU STILL HAD SPUNK, I LOVE YOU LIKE MY OWN AND MAY YOU BE FOREVER HAPPY IN YOUR MANY YEARS OF LONG LASTING JOY.......
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

In Loving Memory of Li'l Irish Nip It was a rainy summer night.I was spending the night over at the farm where I rode when some kids came around in the middle of the night.These kids got a kick out of spooking horses.All the horses were out in the paddocks that night.I don't know why they had put the horses out that night,it was raining so bad.We didn't know those kids were there until BANG!A gunshot went off.I ran outside into the pouring rain with my friends,shouting at the kids to stop it.They just laughed and kept firing the gun.Suddenly we all heard a screaming noise over everything.We knew for sure that a horse had been shot. We all ran to the injured animal.There,on the ground,lay Nips,my horse.MY HORSE.And she was bleeding.I dropped down and cried and held my horse,muddying my wet bathrobe.I remember one of my friends running to get the owner of the stables to call the vet.The kids who shot Nips were silent as another friend of mine yelled at them.All the other horses were huddled into a corner of the paddock. I felt Nips's heart stop.She lay perfectly still."Nips?"I said."Nips!"Everyone looked at me."She's dead,"I sobbed."She's dead!"And as the rain fell down that night,everyone watched me cry in pain.The police came,the vet came,my parents came.But they came too late. It's been two years since Nips has been dead.She was an awesome horse.Was.Now she's an awesome horse-angel.Those kids payed for their crime according to the law,but for me,they can never pay for what they did.They took my horse from me.I still want her back.There is no realjustice. I love you,Nips.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

my trainer had a horse. he was really sweet and gentle and loving. Happy was a gorgeos chestnut saddlebred. Sadly he died of colic. Cathy, if you read this Im sorry about Happy.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

In Loving Memory Of Robby
Robby was my friend's horse. He died in late February, when he was sent to the meat factory. His father decided that he didn't want to look after the horse on their farm. My friend was actually boarding his other horse so he could take lessons with me and a couple of my friends. One day he came home to find his horse was gone and upon finding out stormed off to his room. The reason Robby wasn't being boarded was because he was lame with some permanent disease and couldn't be ridden, so my friend's father seemed to think the horse was useless. WE'LL ALWAYS MISS YOU ROBBY!
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

In loving memory of my mare "Tosca" (Tosca of Kingcroft) who died from complications from a flu virus in November of 1993 at six years of age.  "Bunny" (Capriole) my seventeen year old mare who died two weeks after giving birth to "Babe" in 1997.  She was the most bullish, obstinate, pig headed "cow" that was the foundation for all that I am today in my riding and coaching.  I loved her very, very much.  "Babe", Bunny's filly whom we lost at six weeks of age do to loss of colostrum.  And "Tory" (Victoria Day) Bunny's three year old filly that we lost shortly after Bunny and Babe due to a tragic injury of her leg.  She severely lacerated it out in the paddock (unknown as to how or why) and had to be "put down"  after the infection could not be contained.  I lost "all my girls" but they all have a special place in my heart...it's a funny thing, the heart, it has quite the capacity and there is always room for one more.  It never diminishes the feeling you have for each one but seems to expand to emcompass more and more.  I will always remember each of my girls for all they allowed me to become...they will live in my thoughts forever....until we meet again.. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

IN LOVING MEMORY OF BELLE BORN 1971 DIED 1996, SHE WAS THE MOST SOUNDEST BEAUTIFULIST HORSE THE EARTH HAS EVER KNOWN. ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Lope Back To