Good night, Shel
Tonight we lost Shel Hannah, a beautiful Arabian mare who we bought at the same time we got Sultry in 1999, from the same person. Shel was related to an alarming number of horses on the farm; her daughter is Hannah, our prize mare who’s probably about to sell, and her sister was Raquina, another of our mares (soon to be the last horse in our names if Hannah sells). Shel was as sweet and gentle and quiet as a horse could possibly be. She’s spent much of the summer losing weight and muscle tone, despite numerous attempts to treat these problems and bring her weight back up. Today after I found her laying on her side and barely able to get up, we made the decision to let her go humanely. But before she left us, she brought herself to her feet, walked outside into the sun, ate some grass, drank some water, and looked at her daughter in the paddock next door for a long time. We’ve given her the best life that she could, and she gave us the best filly our farm has ever produced. Other sisters and nieces of Shel’s who have come and gone have given us more beautiful girls. Her family line will continue, her work is done, and she has earned her rest.
Hannah could be leaving us for a new home as early as a week or two from now, so it’s especially bittersweet. I didn’t expect the gear-shift from “horse owners” into “parents of our own child” to strip the gears this loudly and jarringly, but there you go.
I could go on and on about Shel and “little” Hannah, but words don’t quite cut it. All you need to know can really be seen here – a video of Shel and a then-two-month-old Hannah. The best we ever had, at their best.
Jan’s heartbroken about it all, but I tried to explain to her that, unlike what happened with my horse, we at least got to say a dignified goodbye to this one.
We’ll miss you terribly, Shel.… Read more
