Today, early this morning, I was woken up earlier than usual to find that a horse... not just a horse, but the first horse I've ever ridden, and the horse that tought me the majority of what I know of horses and riding, was to be put to sleep. I got dressed and debated on grabbing my iPod to destract myself till I got there so I wasnt miserable. Oh yea. I felt it hard. It was hard to keep the tears from coming and my heart felt like someone drove a stake through it. For once in a LONG time it was unusually hard to not cry, and I hadn't even seen the god damned horse yet. I am NOT good at criyng cause I NEVER do cause death and gore and all that stuff usually appeals to me. So I grabbed my iPod loaded with Nightwish and set out, the car ride over to the stables was so quiet it was hard not think. Thats where my iPod came in but i dont really care about that. When I got there, Fairhope Stables in Georgia, there was my instructer and stable owner, Valerie, standing in the doorway and it was easy to see she had been crying, which sent another pang of hurt into my heart. You never see HER crying either, she's so strong hearted. And down the long isle of the barn you could see the dark silouhette of Idaho (showname: I'd Imagine). The beautiful red bay with a coat soft as silk standing in the isle. You could tell he was sick and weak, and I had learned that earlier in the morning Valerie's husband had to pull him up from his laying position in which he needed help out of. The old stallion's head was hanging and his usually tall body seemed low to the ground. It brought tears to my eyes to see such a friend in such a painful condition as this, and my older sister, prep and all, was crying and stroking his face. He seemed to know it was his time and he gave us the saddest look I've ever seen a horse give. "He looks like he's crying" my older sister said through tears. With a hug and a pat we left him standing in the open and returned to our instructer, who told us she's known him since '85.......... god DAM I am so sad!
I even remember how I'd lovingly joked around calling him "Old Fart" and "Tator Tot" and how loving and kind he was to any of the new kids. He seemed to especially love the younger ones that are too young or inexperienced to ride other horses and the barn. And you could tell he felt special whenever someone rode him, and he was the favorite horse in the barn. To the kids, he was their hero. And he was sorta my hero growing up as well. All day was a depressing day just because of thoughts of Idaho Potato, flooding into my head, and going and seeing him so weak and knowing that later he would be euthenized and buried next to two rescues that had been close to him and had died a year or two ago. I'm going to miss such a good horse, and I know everyone who's ever known him will miss him and will remember him forever. Idaho, the hero to the younger kids and beloved horse of Fairhope Stables.... I guess what Nightwish says in The Kinslayer is true as well...." Not a hero unless you die"................................ and in the new song Eva... "Kindest heart which always made, me ashamed of my own" I never realized how much of a friend and hero Idaho was until I found he would leave us all today.... and as a best friend, he will be missed forever...