The "Replacement"
If you have been reading this blog for a while, you may have known that I had the privilege of caring for a wonderful French trotter, Québec. He was my best friend. He was always by my side, as I went through some difficult years. He moved to another country with me. He taught me how to truly listen to horses and how to become a horsewoman, not just a rider. He was the horse I had dreamed of owning as a child, one I could ride at a gallop with no bridle, one who I could trust with my life in any circumstance. We were so in tune, it sometimes felt like we could read each other’s mind. He became sick. Cushing’s disease, liver issues, the result of ragwort poisoning years ago, intestinal issues, maybe due to cancer. He lost weight overnight, became a shadow of himself. Various medication, including Prascend and steroids, bought him some time and gave the illusion of that he was getting better. He put on weight, his coat grew shiny again. He was nineteen, which was old but not so old....
