Taco came to our family through friends. He was a ranch kids horse and a rope horse. I had gotten him for myself to rope on as he roped both ends. I also ran barrels on him. He wasn't the fastest but he managed to get us four checks out of five entries!
He had a heart of gold. My girls started just riding him around the yard and giving him spa days, boy he loved those!! My oldest daughter finally wanted to enter her first gymkhana. They ended up getting two second place ribbons! She was on cloud nine. My youngest daughter 9, had caught the fever as well. My heart was full of joy to see my children doing something that I am very passionate about, and not to mention enjoying it!
The little one was getting super excited because she was to enter the next gymkhana on Taco! She had finally worked up the courage to lope even! Taco was the kind of horse where he knew the level of rider and would not go faster than they can handle. I was riding my four year old filly in the arena and she was on Taco. All of a sudden I hear, "Mom! I'm running!" I turn around to look and she's loping him home the third barrel with a grin from ear to ear! He was a true gem!
Sadly one week before the gymkhana Taco started showing signs of colic. We had friends, the vet and long hours ahead of us. After the vet could do no more, we rushed him to the hospital to see what our options were. He needed surgery. Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with 7k-10k for surgery and we ended his pain that night. I told him "It's ok you can go" and he dropped his head into my arms with a feeling of relief it felt. I left him standing quiet in the nice padded stall he was able to have for his last moments. He never looked back after I whispered those words to him.
The pain is extreme and I know we will never find another like him. I'm just hoping he will help us choose the next one. We love you Taco!!
Taco 
