Flossie Is Gone

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

Flossie, I didn't know you for long but you touched my heart and soul. When I saw you standing alone in the sales yard, head down, eyes nearly closed, I knew you hadn't given up yet. You were thin, far too thin to be standing and yet you refused to lie down. We brought you home and I fed you. You ate with such gusto I knew you enjoyed every bite. You had almost no front teeth but the back ones made up for that. Every time I approached your paddock in my back yard, you nickered...and eventually you came to trot to me. You'd place your head in my arms for a cuddle.

You gained weight, and were doing so well we were getting ready to move you to the big paddock with the other horses.

But I came home from a ride yesterday evening and you were down. It was clear you'd been down and rolling for a while...your breathing was a bit laboured and you were groaning from time to time. Our vet came out and gave you a shot to calm the gut down and asked me to call in the morning. I hardly slept...you hardly slept...you spent the night down, rolling on the cool damp ground to try to get some relief. When I got up to you this morning, I knew our vet would have to come out again.

We moved you to the big paddock and the other horses kept you moving. We left for a short time as we waited for the vet to call back, and when we went back you were down again. Your face said it all. "It's time, I'm tired, please let me go." And our vet was on his way. But you got up and moved to the back of the paddock...to a patch of ground with lots of soft grass, and you stood there letting me pat you quietly.

Your circulation was very slow, your heart-rate elevated, breathing laboured, your kidneys had failed and your other organs were following. It took three syringes of green dream but you went down after the second...lying on your near-side, you looked at me with such kindness in your eye and slowly took your last breath.

Flossie, I gave you the dignity you deserved at the end of your life. And that's its own reward...seeing you blossom as you did, seeing you soak up the love and care you desperately needed, that was all I wanted when you came home.

Enjoy the Big Paddock. Join up with the herd. Know you are loved. Know I'll miss you.

[persephone]

[Little Gifts]

Lillysmum, thank you for being there for Flossie and giving her a new life, even if it was not a long one.

The bigger the animal, the bigger the heart.

[stellnme]

Run well and strong again, Flossie. Thanks for giving Flossie care and dignity at the end, Lillysmum.

[k9angel]

So sorry LM.

R.I.P. Flossie. xxx

[coogie]

So sorry to read about Flossie Lillysmum. She was lucky to spend her last months with you. RIP Flossie.

[poochmad]

What a lovely, caring person you are. Flossie was so lucky that you saw her and gave her some love before she passed.

[toshman]

Oh no...tears in my eyes here, LM, she was a gorgeous soul. :cry:

Her last few months would have been very peaceful - she was so lucky to have found you.

[TillyDevine]

Good on you for caring and giving her some quality of life in her final years LM.

RIP Flossie x

[Ellie]

RIP Flossie

[huntrox]

rest in peace beautiful special girl, you are so loved

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

Oh no...tears in my eyes here, LM, she was a gorgeous soul. :cry:

Her last few months would have been very peaceful - she was so lucky to have found you.

No, I was the lucky one TM...she gave me so much more than I gave her. I miss her so much. I keep looking for her and find myself listening for her hoof-beats during the quiet times.

I want to take on another oldie when I can. And I may get a little pony or miniature for the back yard paddock as I really enjoyed Flossie's company.

[temperamentfirst]

Oh no...tears in my eyes here, LM, she was a gorgeous soul. :cry:

Her last few months would have been very peaceful - she was so lucky to have found you.

No, I was the lucky one TM...she gave me so much more than I gave her. I miss her so much. I keep looking for her and find myself listening for her hoof-beats during the quiet times.

I want to take on another oldie when I can. And I may get a little pony or miniature for the back yard paddock as I really enjoyed Flossie's company.

Bless you - I am so glad you found Flossie and gave her such a wonderful last few months.

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

Received a lovely sympathy card from our vet yesterday. It features a white horse with wings...and the horse resembles Flossie...brought me to tears for the first time.