Yesterday was one of the worst this year for our farm. I had my old Clydesdale mare, Carlene, put down. She was 20, and I'd owned her for 6 years. She and I had many wonderful times together, and then some of the most painful too.
You see, Carlene was a show mare.... a top show mare, in the world of Clydesdales. She was born in Canada from royal bloodlines that destined her to be Great. Her owners took her to many of the largest draft shows in Canada, and she proceeded to win halter blue ribbons, and championships for them. Soon it was time for her to learn to be a driving horse, and learn -she did. Again- only the best shows for Carlene....
She began having health problems - I can tell by how the people purchased her and how quickly she was then sold once more. Three times in 1996, so I guess that is when she began developing health problems. By the time my friends purchased her in 1999, she was well on her way to falling apart physically, but they didn't know that. One day Carlene couldn't breathe- and as soon as she was taken home, a veterinarian was called in. She had Many Many allergies it seemed- which made her unable to breathe properly. That's what I was told- as well as her owners. That was when she began getting 2 shots each month- to help her breathe more easily. I *think* that the damage had already been done to her lungs, but the shots Did help her a lot.
One day I got a note telling me that my friends were going to have Carlene euthanized due to her many health problems. We talked back & forth and in-between snowstorms, she arrived here at WoodFinn and Our life together began. I got her back to as healthy and happy as I could- for a big mare. We had great times, and some terribly sad times too. There were days while soaking her hooves in warm water and epsom salt that she would be So lame with abcesses in her hooves, that it seemed we'd cry together for her pain. This went on- but she seemed to level out and remained healthy for some time.
This Fall however, her troubles began once more.... I don't know why but I was watching my beautiful mare fall apart. She was no longer healthy like before- her breathing was holding steady, but her feet began abcessing again, and her cough returned. I tried to help her feel better, enticing those abcesses locked inside her hooves cease, but then her soles got so soft I was afraid of causing yet More problems and lameness. She lost a tremendous amount of weight, and this past Sunday, I knew I had to make a decision to help her ''move on''. She let me know that SHE was ready to be pain free as well, so I made the appropriate plans.
On November 17th, and 8:16 in the morning, Carlene passed over the "Rainbow Bridge''. My vet told me that she laid down peacefully and it seemed like she just went to sleep. I had her buried up on the hill on our farm, beside Dixie so they both can watch over us left here on earth.
God speed, Carlene... and never forget how much we all loved you...
coming to meet me for dinner....
Enjoying life here...
Our one and only show.....
this photo was taken by Whimsy Portraits- thanks so much for liking my mare !
At our one and only horse show...we had such a good day.
