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Anglo-Arab mare
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May 30, 1982 - September 20, 2010
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I was given Sonny when she was just 3 years old by a dear friend who passed away a year later.
I new her Dam, Grand Dam and Sire on both sides. She has impressive lines on both sides. On the Arabian side, she has Witez II and the on the Thoroughbred side, she has Mahubah, Tetrarch and Nasrullah.
I had never trained a horse before, she was only halter broke when I got her, so I purchased a few books and this began our journey. Sonny was quite easy to train, she only reared once when I put the saddle on her back.
We spent all of our time together, even when I had children. I couldn't wait to get out of the hospital to see Sonny.
My first daughter sat on her back when she was just three days old, I'm not sure what Sonny thought of that, but she took everything in stride.
My second daughter was a little nervous of her at first, but Sonny won her over pretty quick.
We rode for miles and miles in the mountain trails, exploring, meeting up with other riders and exploring some more.
Sometimes I would ride down to my kids' school and pick them up and ride home, they thought that was pretty amazing!
Sonny truly only liked a few and wasn't keen on men at all.
I thought it would be nice to breed her, so I began looking for a stud. When I was young and taking riding lessons, my lesson horse was a Morgan, so I thought it would be nice to breed her to a Morgan, as they are known for having an easy-going temperament. The Morgan I found to breed Sonny to was gorgeous and he knew it, although Sonny wanted nothing, and I mean nothing, to do with him. It's a miracle she conceived at all, but on May 18, 1993 Sonny had her first foal. A gorgeous little filly who looked just like her Mom. We named her Rosie.
Rosie grew up to be a blueprint of her Sire, a gorgeous liver chestnut. Sonny was such a good Mom, I think she really loved being a Mom.
I had to board the horses because I didn't own my own property. I went to the farm every single day. If I didn't ride, I would brush them and just sit with them. I found it very peaceful to watch them graze. I bred Sonny two more times, both to Thoroughbreds, both times Sonny was in love with the Stallions and she produced gorgeous fillies, she was a natural mother! Unfortunately I had to sell both the Thoroughbred fillies when they were yearlings. Sonny was deeply upset about her second filly leaving the property and she would stand at the gate waiting and neighing for her to return. I felt so badly for her, after a couple weeks she seemed back to normal.
Over the years, I boarded the horses at a few different farms and was able to rent a house once that had a few acres, which was the best because I could look out the window and watch them graze.
There's so many good memories I could write about Sonny, and as I write them, my eyes are filling with tears.
I moved the horses to a 160 acre vineyard two years ago. It is beautiful, the property has a natural spring for endless water and backs onto the mountain trails for endless riding. It was paradise! I leased a ten acre piece of pasture on the vineyard. A few years ago, I decided to ease off the trail riding with Sonny, after all she was a senior. When we rode it was 2 - 3 times per month and we would just walk, taking it easy. Although if I let her, she would probably run! But I was worried, I didn't want her to work too hard, so we just walked and I visited her every day!
On September 19th I went to the farm in the early evening. I approached the gate and there was no Sonny. I scanned the pasture and still didn't see her. I saw the other horses but not her. There was no distinct Sonny neigh or nicker which greeted me every time I came to the farm. Immediately my heart began to race. I walked the whole pasture, it was if she was just gone...
As I walked back towards the gate I entered, I found her, she was hiding under a large tree branch which was hanging over the fence. I could tell she wasn't well before I approached her. As I approached I noticed she had a small bit of blood coming from one nostril, it was dripping, not a lot, but enough to send me into panic mode. She looked weak and lethargic. I called my vet, he wasn't able to come out, he was out of town. Since he wasn't able to come out, he gave me a number to another vet, so I called the other vet and he wasn't able to come out until first thing in the morning, 7:30 am. So, ok...I just hoped and prayed she would be ok, then the vet can look at her and be able to help fix whatever was causing her to bleed, etc.
I brought her a bucket of water because she looked thirsty, she drank a normal amount. I gave her a handful of grain, she ate it. I cleaned up her nose and walked to the barn to get a halter. I wanted to move her into the other paddock so the other horses wouldn't bother her. When I came back to her with the halter, she neighed to me, it was the sweetest sound...although it wasn't her usual neigh, it sounded weak. I tried to hold back the tears, but they came anyway. I walked her about forty feet to the paddock, I continued to wipe her nostrils clean, the blood kept coming. When her head was raised, not too much blood would come out and would even stop for a bit, but when she put her head down, the blood would come out. It wasn't gushing, but dripping regularly. I stayed with her for several hours. It was getting dark, there are no lights at the paddock, so I decided to go home. I hugged Sonny as I did every time I left, I kissed her and told her I love her. I told her to hang in there, the vet is coming in the morning. It was the hardest drive home I've ever done, it is only about 15 minutes away, but felt like hours. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach, I was worried beyond belief. I don't think I slept at all during the night.
In the morning, the phone rang, it was the girl who lives on the property, she went to the paddock at about 6:30 am to check on Sonny for me....she told me that Sonny had passed away. A wave of emptiness, sadness, disbelief and tears came over me. I began to cry uncontrollably. Sonny was 28 years old and I had her for 25 years!
I phoned the vet and told him not to come. I went to the farm and when I saw Sonny's lifeless body lying there, I felt sick to my stomach, my whole head hurt from crying so much.
Next to my kids, Sonny was my everything, my best friend and now she's gone. I don't know why she was taken from me, all I know is she is gone. What tortures me is that she most likely suffered in the end. She probably became too weak to stand, so she layed down and couldn't get back up.
All I know is that it's just not the same now that she's gone. I have three other horses to tend to, but it's just not the same.
I had her cremated, her ashes are with me and when I die, it's in my Will to have my ashes spread with hers on the mountain trails we rode together - Happy Trails forever.
I miss Sonny so very much.
She waits for me at the Rainbow Bridge, until we can be together again :)
Christa
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Sonny 
