Our Horse Dixie

[sdawhitaker]

 CW: Pet bereavement

My husband and I first met Dixie in July 2020, and it was only a brief introduction on our way to visit some miniature ponies who lived a couple of fields away from her, where a friend volunteered. Dixie was already mostly in retirement there, having been a showjumper and companion horse, but (as it turned out) not doing so well - particularly in the absence of her previous companion.

Her then owner wasn't in a position to provide the care that she needed and wanted to do the best for her - but that meant either finding someone willing to take on a 27 year old horse, or recognising that she wasn't going to make it through a winter without that care and taking the only other decision that would avoid her suffering. So after not much discussion, a month later Dixie joined the Whitaker menagerie.
 

We knew when we took her on that Dixie might not have long left - but with the help of our livery she thrived. She formed a close bond with her new field-mate, Sandy - another retiree who had just lost her companion the week before Dixie arrived.
 

Dixie may have been an old, gentle, sweet-natured mare, with a touch of arthritis in her neck, but she remained bright, alert, and full of energy - whether that was in-hand work around the school, charging across the field when she spotted if we had arrived (checking to see whether we'd brought apples, obviously - although she was still happy to see us even if we hadn't), or testing to see how fast she could push a trot with Rich jogging alongside her.
 

Alas Sandy's time arrived last summer, and Dixie struggled with her loss; there were other field-mates of course - horses are social animals - but none that she bonded with to the same extent. Dixie's weight dropped and, while she rallied a bit a couple of times, we knew this was likely to be her last winter. We had hoped that, with the spring grass, she might put a little weight back on and get one more summer before we had to make a decision - but, as horses often do, she had her own ideas.
 

In the end she went with little warning or fuss. This morning was clearly her time - she was found, unable to get up, a bit before 7am. The vet was called and helped her pass, quietly and peacefully, around 7.30am. We were able to get there a little after 8, in order to be able to see her afterwards and say our goodbyes; and then to spend some time with Athena while she was being taken away.

 

Goodbye Dixie. I'm glad we were able to give you two and a half happy years of retirement that you would not otherwise have had - you gave us so much joy in that time, and taught us so much; I would not change it for the world. Grief is the price we pay for love.