The Stable Magazine - April 2016

TheTailEnd
WARNING: This one is a tear-jerker!
Sam found this story, written by Marylynn Hurley of Cape Breton,
Nova Scotia. Marylynn dedicates this story to the many horses
who touched her heart at Rocking Horse Rescue, and she has kindly
allowed us to share this with you....
So you bought me for your little girl...
Wow! The smile I brought to her face. I didn’t
like her running around me at first, constantly
kissing my nose, the braiding and unbraiding
of my mane or following her aimlessly around
the barn but you were right. I would grow to
love your beautiful, spirited little girl. She was
your special girl and I would become hers.
Do you remember our first show together.
She was beautiful in her blonde ponytail. You
bought me a bridle for her 16th birthday--
pink, her favorite color, and a warm blanket
for the Fall. I stood so proud even though the
other horses were scary to me. I could feel her
excitement and we won first place.
Do you remember her first boyfriend? I do. It
was when I stood at the gate every morning for
an entire week but the pat on my nose as she
left for the school bus every morning became a
kiss on his cheek as he she hopped in the car.
Do you remember her first heartache? I do. I
listened as her tears hit the floor underneath
me as she groomed me for hours and talked to
me. She fed me strands of hay as she told me
what was in her heart. I tried to console her
with a push of my nose. She told me she was
happier loving me.
Finally, the day came when a van pulled up in
the driveway. You helped her load big boxes
into the car.
I wasn’t sure what the commotion was.
She came to see me one last time before she
hopped in the drivers seat. She told me it
would be okay, that she would be back some
day; I just had to wait. The leaves were falling
as the car pulled away and each day I stared at
the driveway. Soon snow would begin to fall.
My special girl came home for a few days. She
was so busy. She brought me a treat but we
didn’t get to snuggle. It was too cold she said.
She had an exam to study for over Christmas.
I waited and waited for her to return. You told
me you were sorry but you couldn’t deny her
an education. I didn’t blame you. She was
special. Then you put me in my stall.
I used to love it there. But after a few weeks I
realized this was going to be my new home.
I laid down many days. Some days I would
hear soft bangs outside and I would jump up
hoping someone was coming to see me, but
only every once in a while would someone
open the barn and throw me a bale of hay.
One day you came in the barn for a minute.
You looked at me as if you might talk to me. I
wanted to tell you how badly my feet hurt, that
my water had frozen 4 nights ago.
I wanted to tell you how hard it was to stand
up and greet you. My legs were getting
weaker but you didn’t notice. I wasn’t yours
but you were doing the best you could you
said. You were not a “horse person”.
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