Allow me to begin this category by adding a tribute to my first horse.
Despite the fact that he was not a Standie (16hh TB off the track), he had the personality that he could have been.
While looking at our property to buy it, Kath came home and asked if she could get a horse and said that she had one in mind. I agreed and we went to look at him.
Never having had much to do with horses (but always having loved them) I fell instantly in love with Loz. It seems that the feeling was mutual as well as he took to me straight away. Later that night after going to the movies, we returned to the stable just to see him again. Kath stood at the fence calling him for a few minutes, only to have him look up then go straight back to eating. I decided to test how much he liked me and went around to the side fence of the yard.
I called out to him once and he immediately looked up, then trotted over to me and started licking my hand!!!! That was me converted to a horse owner.
After a number of rides around the stable yards and starting to learn what I was doing (with him always being very patient and kind to me, obviously sensing that I had no clue about riding), we really bonded. He would follow me around the yard and would only let me put his blankets on (didn't help that he was about 2 feet taller than Kath).
To my absolute horror, I arrived at the stables one day to find Loz lying on his side, dead on the ground. On the day and since then, we could find no explanation as to how he died. We can only assume that it must have been a snake bite
The main reason that we bought the property that we are on is so that we could have horses, unfortunately the first horse I ever owned, never even got to see his new home.
May his spirit forever gallop over the lush green pastures of the afterworld.
