He was a Bavarian Warmblood and I had owned him for all but 6 months of
his 13 years. When I went to the stud to buy a horse and was shown a number
of elegant and shiny horses who paraded around looking very fine, but the
horse who stole my heart was Denzel. He had rain scald down his face that
made him look very odd and he wasn't really interested in showing off, instead
he stood with his nose on my back and waited for me to notice him, which
I quickly did. He had the best paces I had ever seen on any horse and just
seemed to float round the school that day, so he came home with me.
During his time with me he won many shows and 3 years ago became a vaulting
horse. He proudly carried the smiling children on his back while they jumped
and posed, never letting them down. He was the most loving and trustworthy
horse I had ever owned and still can't quite believe he's gone.
On the weekend of the 5
August 2006, Denzel and I went off as usual to a local one-day event. We
had a great day and managed for the first time in 9 years to get 1st overall!
It was almost as if he knew it was his last chance to get everything right
just for me. Three days later, while playing in the field, he got kicked
on his back leg, and although for a few days he just looked a bit stiff,
by Thurday he was crippled. The vet told me it had been a hair line fracture
on his femur and nothing could be done to save him. So with tears in my eyes,
I gave them permission to put him to sleep.
He has left so many broken hearts behind him. I just hope he is happy. I
know he will be there when I finally close my eyes for the last
time.
Justine McKay
