Post by marcsayer on Aug 5, 2010 14:03:57 GMT -5
Some of you here will remember Hera and Hyacinth, the bonded pair that I got from CBER back in 2006. Hera was unsound when we got her, so far down in the pasterns she was almost walking on the joints. But she was sound enough to decorate our pasture and she was Hyacinth's pal and "momma" so we were happy to have her here. She was a wonderful horse. Very loving and sweet. She could be a bit aloof if she didn't know you, or if she thought you wanted to tack her up, but once she figured out you just wanted to hang with her and love on her, she was a real cuddle bunny. She always did like to play keep away from my wife (unless she had treats of course), which used to drive my wife nuts, but that was just Hera making sure folks knew she was free to make her own choices.
When we lost Hyacinth in 2007 I was worried about Hera, because the two were very closely bonded (that's why I took them both in the first place). Well Hera did just fine, and soldiered on without problems until this spring. Hera really began to show her age this spring, and her back legs started giving her problems. Last winter was very mild, we hardly got any snow at all (only 40" all winter as compared to 150+" the winter before), but it was wet and muddy, and I think the mud was harder on her than the snow would have been. At any rate, we were going to have to put down another horse (not a CBER horse) and I decided it was Hera's time too. I just didn't want to wait until she really fell apart. The signs were all there, the bad gait getting worse, accelerating weight loss, stumbling more often, indications she was sore and stiff more of the time, laying down a lot more and sleeping a lot more, and she just started looking old and worn down the last couple weeks she was here. I wanted her to go out while she was still relatively strong and enjoying her life (which she definitely still was) and not hold on to her so long she paid a price for it. So we had her put down at the same time as the other horse, Gracie, and they are buried together in the back of our property. I had wanted to bury Hera near Hyacinth, but that just wasn't going to be possible. I had to bury Hy near where she died, and that was not really a large enough area to bury any more horses.
Hera was loved on pretty much every day she was here with us. She was a kind, patient girl who obviously appreciated the life she was given here, and took full advantage of it. We will miss her, and we are honored to have been given the chance to care for her.
When we lost Hyacinth in 2007 I was worried about Hera, because the two were very closely bonded (that's why I took them both in the first place). Well Hera did just fine, and soldiered on without problems until this spring. Hera really began to show her age this spring, and her back legs started giving her problems. Last winter was very mild, we hardly got any snow at all (only 40" all winter as compared to 150+" the winter before), but it was wet and muddy, and I think the mud was harder on her than the snow would have been. At any rate, we were going to have to put down another horse (not a CBER horse) and I decided it was Hera's time too. I just didn't want to wait until she really fell apart. The signs were all there, the bad gait getting worse, accelerating weight loss, stumbling more often, indications she was sore and stiff more of the time, laying down a lot more and sleeping a lot more, and she just started looking old and worn down the last couple weeks she was here. I wanted her to go out while she was still relatively strong and enjoying her life (which she definitely still was) and not hold on to her so long she paid a price for it. So we had her put down at the same time as the other horse, Gracie, and they are buried together in the back of our property. I had wanted to bury Hera near Hyacinth, but that just wasn't going to be possible. I had to bury Hy near where she died, and that was not really a large enough area to bury any more horses.
Hera was loved on pretty much every day she was here with us. She was a kind, patient girl who obviously appreciated the life she was given here, and took full advantage of it. We will miss her, and we are honored to have been given the chance to care for her.
I do remember her and Hyacinth from way back when (CBER). Again so sorry for your loss **RIP Sweet Girl**** Susan 
