I call Kelly my Horse show daughter. I got to know Kelly from attending Lindsay Horseman Association shows with my biological daughter, Hailey. I can remember the first time I heard her hollering from the sidelines "Go Hailey, Go!!" Kelly was always and is still today a huge supporter to Hailey and they have become lifelong friends! Kelly always oozes energy and a good will to all she meets! I can remember her riding some crazy buckskin horse at the LHA shows named Susie I believe. I always felt a little fearful she may get hurt on her, but Kelly persevered. The next year Kelly came to the first LHA show with a gorgeous white roaned paint mare by the name of Fiona. Fiona was a nice quiet change compared to that appy mare she rode the year before! Fiona stood over 16 hands and had the sweetest most even temper a person could want in a mare. Mares can be a little like women. Just plain bitchy! But I never saw Fiona exhibit any of these behaviors! Win? Win they both did! Fiona was not only a big mare, but she had a huge heart. And that heart belonged to Kelly! That mare would do anything for Kelly! Much the same as our Hunter does for Hailey.
As the years passed, Kelly continued to show and kick ass with Fiona, all the while hugely supporting Hailey at shows which brought Hailey more out of her shy little shell. Wasn't long before Kelly showed up on another new gaming horse by the name of George. Man he was a wild bugger that first year! I thought for sure Kelly was gonna get killed! Thankgod she didn't! So she'd game both horses! Crazy George and Steady Fiona. George and Fiona became very attached to each other but Kelly was still number one in their eyes!
Kelly soon finished high school and went off to college. So she took the opportunity to breed Fiona so she wasn't just sitting around the field doing nothing but being a field ornament and Kelly wanted a foal off her. After what seemed like an eternity, a wee filly was born! Kelly named her Dove! Dove was a sweet gorgeous filly who was the spitting image of her mother Fiona! Kelly was ecstatic! But fate had other plans for Dove and she was injured in a trajic accident when both she and Fiona tripped and fell in their pasture. I'll never forget it! A horrible turn of events that left one's heart ripped open!
A wonderful offer from Garry Scott soon had Fiona re-bred to a gorgeous paint stallion and we all waited over the winter and spring months until Fiona gave birth to the most gorgeous little stud colt. Kelly promptly named him Mac! Mac is all white except for brown roaning on his ears the same colour as his moms. What a sweetheart!
The phone rang and Don went and answered it. I think he was expecting Kelly to give him a hard time cuz they constantly tease each other. Ones as bad as the other! But he quickly passed me the phone and I expected to hear the same happy chirpy Kelly on the other end. Instead I heard my show daughter in tears telling me Fiona had died! I couldn't believe what I was hearing! I didn't know what to say! I just wanted to give Kelly a hug and try to stop the pain in her heart that was ripping her apart inside, I wanted to stop the pain that was ripping me apart inside! Fiona gone! It just couldn't be so! She was always there! When I thought of Kelly, I automatically thought of Fiona! They were a team! Fiona was such a constant, a strength, a comfort, and a friend to Kelly and to all who knew the sweet mare!
Kelly is now pushing her grieving aside in order to help Fiona's son survive! You see, Mac is not even 2 months old yet and he's not taking the bottle of milk real well. But he is drinking from the water bowl and eatting hay. Kelly's Dad, Charlie helps her to get milk down his stubborn wee throat! But Kelly's a strong girl. She's endured health problems that took its toll on her as well as the loss of her equine friends. She has the most awsome sense of humor and I believe this helps her tremendously! She already texted me the other day telling me that Mac was a little Shithead and always would be! I couldn't help but laugh! I can just imagine what a little bugger he can and will be! But Kelly and him will have a bond soon that no-one can break! And I do believe this was Fiona's last gift to Kelly. A little piece of herself for Kelly to nurture and love as much as she loved Fiona!
Ah, Liz, what a sad story. I'm so sorry for Kelly and little Mac and you, too. Fiona was indeed gorgeous and you wrote a fine and touching tribute to a beautiful equine friend.
ReplyDelete