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 A Tribute

    Ulrich's Request--April 29,1985 to March 6,2010; 24 years 10 months

     A gentle mare who raised many fine foals and made many people,

 young and old happy.

    Also a kind thank you to Amanda and her young family for the loving and compassionate care they showed to Reba {as she was affectionately known}during the last hours of her life.

  And now the rest of the story:

                Amanda and her young family first came to the farm in October/09,after a number of phone conversations about her interest in appaloosa horses.

   She wanted an older quiet horse with experience, that her young family could use as a 4H horse to instil confidence in her young children on the care and use of light horses. The only horse I had that fit the bill was Reba, a retired brood mare that we used occasionally as a trail horse for lighter weight people. I saw right from the start that a certain chemistry was developing between Amanda her two older children and Reba as they brushed her and later led and rode her about the yard. They did this a few times and you could see the confidence building and I agreed to sell them the mare.

   I did not hear from them so I was sure that things were going fine. Assured in the end that things were going super with Reba and the children and that everyone was waiting for spring with great expectations.

  Then later in the afternoon on Sunday March 6,there was a quiet knock on my door and to my surprise there was Amanda and her children. I addressed them cheerfully but from their sullen expressions I could soon tell that something was amiss. With tearful eyes Amanda told me how her family insisted that they come in person to tell me that Reba had died.

    It seems that Friday being a nice sunny spring day the other horses at the farm along with Reba were kicking up their heels as horses are apt to do at times, happy for the sunny spring weather. But to her consternation in the late afternoon Amanda noticed that her favourite mare was not her perky self and seemed quite lethargic. After closer examination she was sure things were not right and on phoning the vet a number of times, she convinced him to come and check her and finally later

 in the evening he did come. After examining the mare, he was sure she had a twisted bowel but assured Amanda that in some cases it rights itself and everything is OK but as well ,often it is fatal, and after administering some medications he left.

   Of course Amanda hoped and prayed that with loving care she would save this mare and spent the whole night brushing and walking her about the yard as the vet had suggested and come morning it was looking as if she may succeed. She even loaded Reba on the trailer and give her a few mile ride thinking that the jostling may do the trick of untwisting her guts. She kept this up most of the day with help from the children but in late afternoon with Amanda at the halter Reba wandered off the path laid her head against Amanda's chest for a bit, laid down and had her last breath.

     I want to pay tribute to this young mother as well as her family for the love and  compassion they showed towards this mare in her last hours and I know that the mare died in a kind of peace that is possible for an equine animal.