Solo released his magnificent essence to the universe yesterday.
He was an elegant, gentle soul. A National Champion in halter and several time Champion in Saddleseat. He came to me as a ten-year-old. I had him started under saddle on the farm and then sent him to a longtime friend and trainer. He was already a Champion Stallion in halter, but he had so much action I thought he should give it a shot. So we did.
It's a fact when you have a lot of horses you will experience a lot of grief. Through illness, the dreaded and often deadly colic, injuries that are inevitable when you have numbers. Every time it's the end, it hurts like it's the first time. I suppose that is how we stay human.
Mr. Solo had Squamous Cell Carcinoma in his sheath. For those who don't know what this means, the sheath covers the penis. I knew he would need to be put down, but he wasn't in pain so we let him have the summer. The tumor had grown quite a bit over a week or so and Solo had become too thin, so we let him go. He's buried in our grave yard at the top of the east pasture.
He was a social fellow, he loved being a gelding. I cut him in 2010 and he thanked me everyday. He had his posse in the gelding herd, we called them the "Big Boys".
We will miss the tall, long necked boy a lot.
16 comments:
A great tribute to a great horse. Thank you for the pictures and obituary. Hard day for you.
Thank you, Boud. It's been raining. Tears for Solo.
Wow he was absolutely stunning.
What a great tribute as Boud said.
It is very painful each time we lose one of our beloveds. I still tear up when thinking about those that have left me.
Thank you, Val. Saddlebreds are elegant horses. He was ever the gentleman.
It's hard, horses, dogs, cats. I try not to look back.
I understand. Have been there so many times. I'm very sure that you gave him a great life....such a beautiful boy.
He was beautiful.
What a handsome boy, my sympathy to you. It isn't easy letting go of animals that we love:(
Thank you, Lori. He was a pleasure to know.
Thank you, Pixie. He was a good horse.
Thank you, Far Side. It sure isn't.
Ahhh! A Saddlebred! I had one for a while and he was incredible. He was old and the show stable wanted to get rid of him. He had a home with me and taught my kids to ride.
I guess he was shown and was a lesson horse and many other things before he ended up at my place to retire and play with kids.
He was 21 when he came to our little farm and lived another 5 happy retired years.
Val, I have a fondness for them. My dad's first horse when he was a teenager was a Saddlebred. I owned another, a 17hh five-gaited. He was the old style, big, all over. He died from complications of cushings/diabetes 12 years ago. He was 20. I got him as a 3 year old. I also have a Arab/Saddlebred cross. She was born here and is 16. A very determined girl! I'm glad you got to experience one, they aren't usually a horse people just kind of own.
No they aren't! A guy who had saddlebreds and his son rode and showed them, knew of this old horse and thought he'd be a good fit for us at our little place instead of being trucked off for a sale.
I paid gas $ for them to bring him to us.
It was the best $20 I'd ever spent as Rocky taught us so many things.
Such a gorgeous boy and so sad to lose him. You know I'm always partial to the the pintos - his color was wonderful. I know you gave him the best life. <3
Val, they are great horses, you got a bargain!
julochka, he was a beauty. We share a partiality to pintos.
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