Goodbye Junior

On Friday we said goodbye to Junior. It was a fast decision but one that I've actually been dealing with for the past month or more. In truth, Junior should have crossed the Rainbow Bridge in the  middle of June or even the first of July instead of the end of July. His body was giving out even though his mind was still very much there.


The reason for the hold up had nothing to do with my wanting to hold on to him longer, funds, or anything of that sort. Sadly, it all had to do with logistics. With the vet not being able to take his body, I was left with trying to figure out how to bury him. We don't have enough land and all the fields are in crops so knowing where he would be buried and then either coming up with the funds or begging for some help was my stumbling block.


I found out Thursday that my uncle had the excavator out and he would be willing to bury Junior so I made the call to say goodbye to Junior on Friday. It was fast and really didnt' give me any time to grieve. Of course, it was a decision I knew had to be made and should have been made a month earlier so I think my  mourning period had already begun.


I'm going to miss Junior. Lace and Mayhem can't figure out what's going on. Junior was their boyfriend and herd protector and now it's just the two of them. I need to keep an eye on Lace to make sure she doesn't slip into a depression. She's a mare with every mood swing possible and she shows it. When I brought her home on Friday, you could tell she was confused and down right angry. I wish I could tell them, talk to them and explain.


As I sat there on Friday watching Junior enjoy his last dish of grain, mom and I were talking. They'd been taking care of Junior for the past two months in hopes that he'd pack on the pounds (it worked the last two years). We both agreed that Junior was an amazing horse.


We always get the horses in their golden years but always wonder what they were like in their younger years. Imagine what kind of horse they were when they were 20 years younger. I think Junior was a fantastic horse and probably did some amazing adventures in his lifetime.


Junior came to us on a very cold November day in 2014. He was known for being a hard keeper and I struggled with finding the right combination to keep his weight up. I didn't think he'd be with us for as long as he was. He was 26 when he arrived and he left us at the ripe age of 30, which is older than most that come to the Sanctuary. 4 years seems like a short time to be with us, but it's not about quantity but rather quality.


Junior didn't like a lot of horses around him. He had his reasons so we allowed him to be the one and only gelding who could be in with the mares on a constant basis. It seemed to suit him very well and the mares seemed to adore him like they he was their very own boyfriend. I think Junior thrived with being in with the mares. The few times I had to put him in with the geldings, he was uncomfortable. We always try to match horses with what best suits them and being in with the mares and not having a big crowd seemed to make him the happiest.


I'm going to miss him greatly but I will rest easy knowing that he's fat, happy, and running in lush pastures. There's no more worry about gaining weight, hip pains, or anything else that comes with old age.


I feel a little lost without Junior and Bo these days. Both were my hard keepers and kept me stressing every day. With both of them gone, I guess I'll turn my attention to the next senior that needs me. But it feels odd to not have a horse standing in the barn enjoying a meal that takes forever to eat. It's an odd feeling and almost makes me feel as though I've forgotten something.


It is amazing how quickly you get used to the quirks of the seniors and when they are no longer with, you realize how quirky they were and how much you miss it (even if it annoyed you for the years you had to deal with it).  I can't really put it into words what I'm feeling.


We will miss you Junior. I am glad we had the opportunity to open our doors and let you retire with us at the Sanctuary. Until we meet again some day.