We Love You, Dash

So much has happened since I wrote last. Many good things, and some sad things, for this post, I’m going to tell of the sad, and then I’ll write a good one. Yesterday, I was really gloomy all day, I thought that it was because it was cloudy and gray outside again, Rexburg weather and all. However, Mom called me last night with the answer to why I was gloomy. One of my first horses, Dash died last night. He was a great horse, and taught me many things. It’s hard to believe he is gone. He was an older horse, and died of old age, but it was still kind of sudden.

Dash has had a swollen leg for the last 2-3 years, (it’s been a while). We couldn’t figure out why, and finally decided that it was a protein build-up and that he needed to be exercised more. Soon after we decided that, I started teaching lessons to two little kids, and because he was getting ridden for at least an hour every week, it went down some. That summer we didn’t ride as much as we could, and it built up again. Then last winter he kicked the fence and tore a tendon in that leg. It took him a while to get better, and his leg has been really swollen since.

My little sisters still rode him, and would fight over who got to ride Dash, because he was the one that they weren’t afraid to ride him. Then a few weeks ago, DelRay built a pasture to keep them in so they can get more exercise, and his leg has getting better. Yesterday, the girls got up and went and checked on him, and he was fine. DelRay was down there until 2:30, and said that he was running around having a grand day, but when DelRay went down to feed last night, he was not breathing. I’m so glad that it was last night and not this morning when the girls would have found him. It’s a miracle that he was fine when they went down yesterday, and didn’t have to find their favorite horse dead when they went to check on him.

I’m so glad that he had a great day yesterday. He was running around and playing. He wasn’t in pain, and he was in the sun. My Great-Grandma Mary died a couple years ago square dancing, and we always said that she danced right into Grandpa Harold’s arms. Grandma Mary and Grandpa Harold were farmers, and always had horses. I’m sure that Dash and Lady (my other first horse that died a few years ago) are running through the green grass in heaven. I’m sure that they are both really pretty horses now that they aren’t skin and bones because they wouldn’t gain weight, or have a swollen ankle, or skin problems, and Grandma and Grandpa are taking great care of them.

Dash has taught me a lot in the 5 years I had him. I learned how to ride, I gained confidence in my riding when I was able to transform him into a good horse, he was a friend when no one else was, he was a great trail riding horse, he was the horse I did 4-h on, and he was the one that taught me that I could be a good horsewomen. But he also taught me responsibility, hard work (among other places I learned hard work), accountability, and trust. I’m grateful for the opportunity that I have had to take care of such a great horse. He will always have a special place in me heart.