LauraWheeler
Well-Known Member
My life was a compleate mess. I was being bullied at school by the pupils and teachers and life wasn't easy at home.
I realy didn't know how much more I could take and then on the 19th may 1998 a chestnut mare came into my life and little did I know how much she would change it.
The start of things with Lucy was not easy. She had been very badly abused in her first two homes and had no trust what so ever in humans. One of the big issues with her was when she was afraid she would not run away she would attack. For the first 6 months I would go in her field and then have to run as fast as I could to get out before she attacked me.
I was told I was wasting my time and she should just be shot. But I refused to give up and after 6 months I gained her trust enough that she let me catch her for the very first time. I spent another 6 months just bringing her in grooming her, feeding her and starting to introduce things like tack. All the time people were laughing in my face, telling me to give up, or saying I'm so useless even my pony hates me.
But I carried on none the less.
After 1 year of owning her I sat on her for the first time and fell off very soon after. I knew deep down in my heart she was a special girl and even though in that first year of riding her I fell off her atleast once every single day, with everyone still laughing in my face, I refused to give up. I kept going and slowly our bond grew.
We proved them wrong and we did it big style. Lucy turned into the most amazing mare. We did everything together showing, dressage, jumping, hunting, endurance. You name it we probably gave it a go.
She taught loads of children to ride and gave lots of nervous people there confidance back.
It was not all plain sailing through the years as she had many health problems COPD, Laminitas (rotation in all 4 feet), Spavins in both hocks, EHV, A bacterial infection of the gut (the worst my vets had ever seen) and each time her fighting spirit shone through. Each time she came back stronger than ever.
I faced many struggles of my own but Lucy was always there for me and without her I wouldn't be here anymore.
In 2009 she fell ill and was having some strange symptoms. Large masses appeared on her lymph glands and she had bleeding episodes where blood would come out of her eyes and nose and when she had a wee blood would come out after. My vets were stummped and she had to go spend 3 days at horsepital and on Fri 13th November 2009 we got a diagnosis.
It was not good news. She had a very very rare illness Amyloidosis, It's a heredatory illness that people can also have, The chances of a person having it is 1 in 8 million and it's even rarer in horses. I was advised to give up and just have her PTS. There was no cure and the only treatment was Steroids. Obviously a risk with Lucy being prone to Lami. But I knew she wasn't ready to give up. She was put on the Steroids and her fighting spirit once again shone through. She bravely fought the illness for 8 months. we forfilled a life long dream of mine to take her to the beach. I took her in the Feb, It was -3 and so cold the sand was frozen but I didn't even notice how cold it was. We also did a 14mile sponsoured ride in the new forest and that day we had the time of our lives.
Sadly that sponsured ride in the forest was the last time I ever rode her. She went down hill after and I stopped riding her. She faught back and picked up. I went on holiday with my mum and dad and had pland to start riding her when I got back but sadly that was never ment to be. 3 days into the holiday my vet phoned me in tears. Lucy had gone dramaticly down hill overnight. My vet said she was not suffering and she could maybe hold on till I got back from holiday, I was away for 2 weeks on a canal boat and had no way of getting home. But I knew in my heart it was time to let her go. So I made the hardest desition I have ever made and desided to let her go without saying goodbye.
I still feel so guilty for not being there for her. My brave beautiful girl who fought to the bitter end, I could not make her wait and risk her suffering even for a moment.
I owe everything to her and she owed me nothing.
She's been gone nearly 5 years now but I still miss her as much as the day she went.
I hope she is proud of all I have achieved with my boys but most of all I hope she knows how much I love her and how sorry I am I was not there for her at the end.
She will live on forever in my heart and noone will ever replace her.
Lucy I love you with all my heart. RIP my beautiful angel, the brightest star in heaven. xx
https://youtu.be/z6NUe-2uQcs
I realy didn't know how much more I could take and then on the 19th may 1998 a chestnut mare came into my life and little did I know how much she would change it.
The start of things with Lucy was not easy. She had been very badly abused in her first two homes and had no trust what so ever in humans. One of the big issues with her was when she was afraid she would not run away she would attack. For the first 6 months I would go in her field and then have to run as fast as I could to get out before she attacked me.
I was told I was wasting my time and she should just be shot. But I refused to give up and after 6 months I gained her trust enough that she let me catch her for the very first time. I spent another 6 months just bringing her in grooming her, feeding her and starting to introduce things like tack. All the time people were laughing in my face, telling me to give up, or saying I'm so useless even my pony hates me.
But I carried on none the less.
After 1 year of owning her I sat on her for the first time and fell off very soon after. I knew deep down in my heart she was a special girl and even though in that first year of riding her I fell off her atleast once every single day, with everyone still laughing in my face, I refused to give up. I kept going and slowly our bond grew.
We proved them wrong and we did it big style. Lucy turned into the most amazing mare. We did everything together showing, dressage, jumping, hunting, endurance. You name it we probably gave it a go.
She taught loads of children to ride and gave lots of nervous people there confidance back.
It was not all plain sailing through the years as she had many health problems COPD, Laminitas (rotation in all 4 feet), Spavins in both hocks, EHV, A bacterial infection of the gut (the worst my vets had ever seen) and each time her fighting spirit shone through. Each time she came back stronger than ever.
I faced many struggles of my own but Lucy was always there for me and without her I wouldn't be here anymore.
In 2009 she fell ill and was having some strange symptoms. Large masses appeared on her lymph glands and she had bleeding episodes where blood would come out of her eyes and nose and when she had a wee blood would come out after. My vets were stummped and she had to go spend 3 days at horsepital and on Fri 13th November 2009 we got a diagnosis.
It was not good news. She had a very very rare illness Amyloidosis, It's a heredatory illness that people can also have, The chances of a person having it is 1 in 8 million and it's even rarer in horses. I was advised to give up and just have her PTS. There was no cure and the only treatment was Steroids. Obviously a risk with Lucy being prone to Lami. But I knew she wasn't ready to give up. She was put on the Steroids and her fighting spirit once again shone through. She bravely fought the illness for 8 months. we forfilled a life long dream of mine to take her to the beach. I took her in the Feb, It was -3 and so cold the sand was frozen but I didn't even notice how cold it was. We also did a 14mile sponsoured ride in the new forest and that day we had the time of our lives.
Sadly that sponsured ride in the forest was the last time I ever rode her. She went down hill after and I stopped riding her. She faught back and picked up. I went on holiday with my mum and dad and had pland to start riding her when I got back but sadly that was never ment to be. 3 days into the holiday my vet phoned me in tears. Lucy had gone dramaticly down hill overnight. My vet said she was not suffering and she could maybe hold on till I got back from holiday, I was away for 2 weeks on a canal boat and had no way of getting home. But I knew in my heart it was time to let her go. So I made the hardest desition I have ever made and desided to let her go without saying goodbye.
I still feel so guilty for not being there for her. My brave beautiful girl who fought to the bitter end, I could not make her wait and risk her suffering even for a moment.
I owe everything to her and she owed me nothing.
She's been gone nearly 5 years now but I still miss her as much as the day she went.
I hope she is proud of all I have achieved with my boys but most of all I hope she knows how much I love her and how sorry I am I was not there for her at the end.
She will live on forever in my heart and noone will ever replace her.
Lucy I love you with all my heart. RIP my beautiful angel, the brightest star in heaven. xx
https://youtu.be/z6NUe-2uQcs
