My Dear Nelson,
I saw you for sale in a
horse magazine, and I flipped the page thinking to myself, "Too old
and too tall at 16.1 hands." Then I went on a camping trip and a friend of
mine said to me, "A friend is selling her horse. He's bombproof, very gentle,
would you like to take a look at him?" After the camping trip I went home
not thinking much more about it. I figured by the time my friend called her
friend, you'd be gone. Three days after I got home, I got the call, "You
have to come back up to the ranch. Nelson's going to be here on the weekend
so you can try him out."
I have to admit, when I
first saw you, I wasn't thrilled. I was trying to talk my way out of
liking you. But I couldn't. You were soooo sweet. When I brought you
home, I knew how special you were when the dairy cows started chasing us
and you didn't spook or bolt. You just looked over your shoulder at me, much
to say, "Can we please get out of here now." After
that day, we took rides in the field without the cows in it.
And then that day came too
quickly, that day I went over to bring you in for the night and you wouldn't
eat. I knew in your eyes there was something wrong. I called the vet and
he came out. We gave you some painkillers to see if the pain would ease.
I stayed with you that night. In the morning another vet came out. He said
he didn't like the way you looked. He told me to call him again in a few
hours. So I did.
When the vet came out for
the third time in 24 hours, I knew what he'd say. I'm sorry Nelson. But you
colicked and there was nothing more to do for you but get you out of the
pain. On September 19th your pain ended and mine began.
You will always be in my
heart.
Rest in peace, and watch
out for those dairy cows in heaven.
Deanna
Nelson 
