April 9 2001
Pony
We saw you for the first time May 13 2000 skinny abused you
needed good food and someone to care.
Little did we know how much you would come to mean to us.
You became a friend and stable mate to Dillon
and a little girl’s first pony. This little girl learned to ride on your
bare back hanging on to a hand full of thick cream-colored mane.
A little girl that learned how special an animal could be.
And how hard it would be to say good-by.
If she became a pest you corrected her without hurting.
You always greeted us with a winnie or a nicker
sometimes from all the way across the field.
Feeding time was something special too.
You would see Einer or Heather coming and Winnie
and shake your head as if to say “I’m hungry hurry.” If they didn’t move
quick enough you would knock on your stall door. You were an impatient little
lady! Squealing and kicking at Dillon over food or just because you felt like
it. When I would water your pasture in the evening
you would be just a few steps away eating with Clara on your back.
I can still see Einer bring you and Dillon
up the road and across the lawn to eat
you would have Clara on your back clutching a hand full of mane.
I can still see Heather giving you your first
bath you just half closed your eyes and stood there.
As the weeks turned into months your condition improved
as your body healed your spirit did too. I would stand on the porch looking down
at the barn in the evening I could see
Dillon out in his paddock long after dark eating but your cream-colored
shape would be in your stall as soon as night fell. I can still see you
running through the snow last winter with your long shaggy winter coat you
looked more like a butterball than a Buttercup! There is no way to know why
things happen they just do! The symumts were like Colic we had Gail our
Vet come out. She gave you oil and water along with a shot for pain about
5:30 that afternoon. We walked you and I you even ate some of the new grass
that was coming up. You seemed better but you weren’t.
At 3:30 in the morning Gail was called back a second time.
Another pain shot was given but this time it did not help. Even
tho you were in pain you kept walking like we asked.
At 4:30 that morning, with Gail’s help you slipped peacefully away.
Later that morning Heather had to tell Clara that you her friend was gone.
I watched them as they walked across the lawn and down the road
to the barn to say there goodbye. I watched as a little girl cried with her face
pressed into your mane for the last time.
Then it was Dillon’s turn to say good-bye. He nudged as if to say get
up. He stands down there looking into you’re paddock. But he doesn’t call to
you he knows that you are not there anymore.
Where you are now there is no more pain. Your body and sprit are healed.
You can run and jump. The grass is always green the weather always fair.
We miss you and thank God for letting
you into our life’s for even a short time.
It would have been a shame not to have known you.
We have memories and alot of pictures some hair from your mane and a braid
tied with a ribbon from your tail. But best of all are the memories. I can
look out my bedroom window and still see you standing there in the corner of
your paddock by Dillon. A small cream colored shape then you turn and walk
away. More shadow then substance but some time if we hear a sound like a
nicker or a small hoof hitting a stone and feel a nudge and no one is there
we will know it is you just saying hi.
You rest now high on a hill where you will never be distrubed.
There are trees birds and a lot of grass. A large
rock with a small bunch of flowers in front of it. Wet with the tears of a
little girl. Some day there will probably be another pony down at the barn.
but things won’t be quite the same.
Time heals all hurts that is what they say.
Good-bye Buttercup,
Carol
| Buttercup |