I can remember one of my
first memories was as a little girl riding a horse with my Mom. When I was
7 years old I was given a little Shetland pony named Hunnybun for Christmas.
Fast forward 21 years with a 7 year old daughter of my own, and the legacy
repeated in the form of a 6 year old pony mare identical to my own Hunnybun
as a Christmas gift for our own daughter. Little did anyone know, what a
journey that gift named Peanut would create. But this story is not about
Peanut, but my own journey with a true gentleman named Teaspoon...
I had been away from horses
for several years due to marriage, parenting, work and life in general. At
the time of our arrival to our new boarding stable, I had no intentions of
acquiring a horse of my own as we were doing it all for our daughter so she
could experience the wonderful world of horses.. I couldn't have been more
naive.. It was November 2001, cold and wintry in Northeastern Pa. He was
a big exquisitely handsome sorrel quarter horse gelding. He wasn't an overly
muscular or stocky type, but large with a beautifully refined head. He was
the first horse to accept me, the new one into the "herd." I spent hours
grooming him, talking to him and telling him my story. He was one of our
stable manager's private horses, but I slowly found myself falling for him
and bonding with him. I can't describe the excitement I felt the first time
I got to ride him. He was so strong and powerful and made me feel 10 feet
tall. Over the course of the next year he became my exclusive mount. I would
get worried or jealous if anyone came into the barn and remarked how nice
a horse he was. I didn't own him, but in my heart I considered him mine.
Jump forward to spring 2003. Our stable manager started studying
a new natural horsemanship training philosophy and to my shock and horror
she chose Teaspoon to be her equine student. I still recall how much resentment
I held in my heart as I watched her do lessons with him. I kept telling myself
it was for his benefit, he would be a better horse all around. But I still
found myself finding evil pleasure and self-satisfaction when during a lesson,
he would walk away from her and come straight to me standing by the rail.
April 26th, 2003 was my 10th wedding anniversary. My husband and I worked
opposite work shifts at the time, so when I got home that afternoon, I was
alone. I found an envelope on the table with my name on it. As I opened the
card, a silver measuring spoon fell out with a little red bow on it. At first
I couldn't understand what it meant. As I held the spoon, the bow slipped
down a little and covered all but the word, yep you guessed it, TEASPOON.
Behind my back my wonderful hubby and caring stable manager had hatched out
a purchase between themselves to officially unite Tea and I as horse and
owner. Words can't describe the joy I felt that day. I had not only my own
horse, but the horse I had fallen in love with. That gift will always be
the best gift of my life.
January 2004. We had a bitter winter and I was looking forward
to spring so Tea and I could resume our training and start showing. It all
started with a runny nose...he had it a few days with a slight cough. We
gave him penicillin figuring it was a cold. A few weeks later the runny nose
came back in the same nostril accompanied by a slight hot mass under his
left eye. Our local vet came out and looked at him, said it could be an
obstruction in the sinus or a bad tooth or even a possible kick from another
horse and to monitor it. We did as such, but it continued to get worse along
with a foul smelling discharge from the nostril. We located an equine specialist
in our area and took him to see him. The vet immediately put him on heavy
antibiotics to weaken the infection and for us to bring him back in 2 weeks
for an x-ray. We did exactly that, the x-rays pointed to a bad cheek tooth.
The vet made the referral to Cornell University and arrangements were made
for the extraction. We made the 3 hour drive to Cornell with the expectations
of dropping him off and picking him up a few days later. The staff at Cornell
took new x-rays, and did a full oral exam. To my horror, they informed me
my best friend had a huge mass in his sinus cavity and would need biopsy
results. We waited while they prepped him and I held him while they drilled
a hole in his face to get the sample. We loaded him up and made the long
journey home.
The next week and a half were the longest days I can remember. I would sit
at work waiting on pins and needles with my heart in my throat every time
the phone rang. The results came back with the confirmation that my dear
beautiful horse had aggressive cancer in his sinuses and had very little
time left. The news came on April 5th 2004. The call was made to our vet,
the backhoe rented, the walk was taken and his resting spot chosen. The next
day at 12:00 noon, our vet gave him the shot that ended his life. Again I
held him as the injection was made...I will never forget that day or the
events leading up to it.
I still find myself looking for him in the barn or in the pastures, I still
see his head over the stall door. As I sit here writing this, the floodgate
of tears has opened once again and my broken heart aches for my friend. I
miss him so much. He was such a strong independent soul, but together we
were partners and that was obvious to anyone who saw us together. I was told
recently by our stable manager, whom through the last few years has become
more of a family member, to take pride in the knowledge that Teaspoon's time
with us were the best years of his life. He was loved by his own family,
he had his own place with us. He was ours. Or should I say, we became his.
Thank you my dear friend for teaching me love, patience and giving me knowledge.
I love you and miss you. I will see you again and we shall ride together
in the heavens eternally.
Love,
Brandi
Teaspoon 
