Written from the perspective of my 20-something daughter who had owned Lacey from 2008 – 2014
Like a ghost rising out of the foggy morning, her white mane flowed back as she cantered along the rise, hooves pounded to a sudden stop, she jumped on all fours at the sheer delight of life itself. This was Lacey! She could race around a field, roll in the mud, rise to her feet and then trot over for a nuzzle. A strong, white Arabian. We were buddies. She was my gentle, affectionate friend.
Lacey died today. She was loved and then lost. I let the tears fall. Could not stop. My head ached. Heaviness in my chest. A yearning for things to be different, for her to be happy and sassy, alive and alert, active in mind and body. But, here we were. And things weren’t different.
Emotions ran deep as I sat with her in the field. When I arrived, there were over a dozen deer grazing nearby, offering their own solace. Repeated whinnying let me know that my sweet old girl was in pain and distress. She knew something was wrong. And yet, she didn’t want to leave me. I did not want her leaving either! At her advanced age of twenty nine years, though, I knew that just perhaps, it was Lacey’s time to go.
I’d bought her the summer before my senior year. She needed to slim down. There was too much grass in her diet and not enough nutrients. I changed and controlled what she was fed and got her to a reasonable weight. That effort turned into my senior project and I was proud to say, she helped me graduate.
Some neighbors graciously allowed me to keep her in one of their fields. She was just a few blocks away, so it was easy to care for my girl. Sometimes after a long ride, I would give her a bath in the driveway. She was the talk of the neighborhood as I led her along the road. We would trek all over the nearby hills, on neighborhood streets and along the Springwater Trail. Lacey was always up for exploring. She would shoot up a steep trail as if she were fifteen. Other hikers would stop for a chat and a picture of Lacey, surprised to find a beautiful white horse when out walking in Gresham!
I let kids ride her, too. My first few lesson kids came weekly. They learned about horses and how to care for one. Training sessions included how to muck the stall, clean out her hoofs and lead her around the field. But the best part was teaching them to saddle her up and ride. Oh, to be in the saddle, higher than the sky! I loved sharing my love of horses with those young ones. Sometimes, we played “pin the name on the horsey”. This was a guessing game of horse parts such as Tail, Mane, Back, Fetlock, Shoulder or Withers. Lacey was so tolerant of little kids running around her, taping horse part names on her, hugging her legs, patting her sides. It was clear she loved kids! I have never known a more patient horse.
I could not let her go easily. She was my confidante when life was hard. She wove her magic in and around my life. I kept her alive and she helped me live.
May you rest in peace, my dear friend. Run free and jump high in the meadows of heaven.