Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Goodbye Old Friend


Heaven is high and earth wide.  If you ride three feet higher above the ground than other men, you will know what that means.  
Rudolf C. Binding

Bluespruce Tanzar
02/03/82 - 01/12/09

Tanzar drew his last breath at 2:30 yesterday afternoon. He went as he lived, with calm dignity. He will be remembered as what he was, the best horse on the farm. Not the prettiest or the flashiest. Not the most talented or the most engaging, but by general consensus, the best.

He had bad legs which finally gave up trying to carry his sturdy body around, so he was peacefully euthanized in the company of the people who loved him. I tip my hat to the wonderful old man who never made a wrong move in his long life. I know he is frolicking on lush pasture, free from pain. Happy trails old friend.

18 comments:

Ashley Dumas said...

What a sweet tribute to Tanzar. I am sorry for your and his families loss.

Ash

Sandra said...

We are his family. He's been mine for most of his life. Mark was there as well as me, so we got to be with him and help him go. He looked like a muppet and behaved as a dear.

JeanRDH said...

Rest in peace, Tanzar.

Jean L. said...

To every thing there is a season..... :~(

Ganeida said...

I think you have a far more sensible approach to the life & death of your animals than I do & I so admire that. I still get fraught about my cat. I know it hurts when you have to let an animal go so I'm glad you could be with him & ease the transition.

Sandra said...

Thanks everyone. Ganeida, when it's time, you know it. Though there is a sense of loss and you cry over it, it is the right thing to do. They can''t understand their pain and they look to us, as their keepers, to help them. So you do.

Hillsidefarm said...

He will me missed, it truly is wonderful how much you do for all of the creatures in your life. I'm glad I was able to see him in his last days - he was always there, and I think you must have seen this coming in some way as we were jsut talking about him the other day... Or maybe he was sending you vibes....

Beth

Sandra said...

Maybe he was.

Britwife said...

Oh this is so sad. I'm sorry to hear about your loss. I love that you called him "the best horse on the farm". Wasn't it lovely to have that personality around? I have those same exact feelings for my old boxer girl.

Sandra said...

Yes it was and I don't have another like him. He could be put with any type of personality, he settled the situation down. He raised better than half of my foals after they were weaned, he had gentle grumpiness that kept the awful little beasts in line, he was often a trailering companion. My stallion Zing is an orphan and when he was put out with a horse, it was Tanzar.

He sired 8 foals as a young horse before being cut and he had a long show career, but his most important job was being the best horse on the farm. I think that is a fine tribute.

dressage rider said...

Having been beside a few old horses during their last moments, I know what you have been through these last few days. The last one was my father's dear old gelding, Canterbury, who was Cassidy's pasture buddy. What wonderful memories they have given us!

Sandra said...

Yes, they leave you with memories. I will always think of Lurch, from the old TV show 'The Addams Family. That is what his nicker sounded like. : )

Unknown said...

Happy trails indeed. I send my sympathies to you and the farm.

Sandra said...

Thank you Shaun.

Susan said...

Very sorry for the loss of your wonderful boy!

Sandra said...

Thanks Susan. It had reached the point where it was cruel to make him suffer, even though he was a very stoic fellow.

Tracy A. said...

Sandra, So sorry to hear of your loss of Tanzar & Bill. (I found your blog through Shelley Paulsons blog. I was thinking "I know Sandra!") I know Patty greeted both with hugs and treats. She would also have LOVED this blog! All the things she loved to talk about...horses, dogs and politics! :) I hope all is well and Max wants to come for a visit this summer! I will check with you after we break out from under the glacier!

Take care,
Tracy Ashley

Sandra said...

Tracy! I think about you all of the time, but I lost your email when I had a computer crash almost two years ago. I'm so glad to hear from you. Do you know Shelley? She has done some beautiful photography for me.

Thank you about Tanzar and Bill. You know, Pat is the only person in my life that is gone that I can see and hear so clearly, still. I see her smile, I hear her voice and I hear her saying "Just what we need, another damn Bush. Wasn't the first one bad enough"! I remember a lot of other things she said, but it was &*$%#@*&^ Bush. : ) I miss her very much and when she and Mark got together, well the air turned blue.

Please come out, I would love to see you. The boys must be so big now. I'm so glad you found me.