Titch: Where is he?
Me: Where's who?
Titch: Westy. My neigbour. You know.
Me: Well....
Titch: There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?
Me: Titch, you'd better sit down for this.
Titch: Don't be ridiculous!
Me: You're right. Sometimes I forget. Well, you know that Westy was old?
Titch: Older than me?
Me: Much older than you. And he had that bad leg, which never really got better. And he was in a lot of pain. In the end, there was nothing more they could do.
Titch: You're talking about the vet with the...with the...?
Me: I'm afraid so.
Titch: I'll really miss him
Me: Me too. Westy was a real gentleman.
Titch: More so than me?
Me: I'm afraid so. You've got some way to go yet.
Titch: But did he have a famous grandfather? I bet his grandfather wasn't as famous as mine!
Me: Maybe not. But not everything's about you, you know.
Titch: Perhaps not... You know, I always felt safe with Westy. He saw me past cows, and wheelie bins. Told me not to worry. Said he'd look after me.
Me: Yes, he did.
Titch: Not any more, though.
Me: No. Not any more.
Titch: Everyone's been looking so sad.
Me: Yes. We all miss him. He was one in a million.
Westbury (Westy to his friends) died last Thursday. He is buried in a field on the farm where he lived for most of his life. We all miss him very much.
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RIP Westy. Sad news.
ReplyDeleteSo sad for you, and difficult for Titch to understand. I'm sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteKay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel
Very sweet, sad and kind of Winnie-the-Poohish...
ReplyDeleteAliya, yes. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't my horse, Kay, but he was pretty special.
Thanks, Rosezilla.
Hi, Patsy. Yes - his death seems to have cast a shadow over the whole yard. He was a perfect gentleman (that rare breed!).
I hate it when people say things like "well it was only an animal." When an animal is part of your life, the pain is very real. Love to you and Titch.
ReplyDeleteNot knowing horses very closely, I have no idea how they show that they miss someone, but I am sure they have their own way to show it.
ReplyDeleteIt's like losing one of the family.
ReplyDeleteRuth cried for weeks when Toby died. He was buried near his stable with a bag of his favourite mints and a carrot.
Thanks, Colette, Librarian and Keith. There's something terribly sad about the death of a horse; any horse. Since he wasn't mine, I feel I'm cashing in on someone else's grief, but Westy really was special. I'f he'd been a man, he would have opened doors for women and spent evnenings at his club, smoking a cigar and talking (gently) about politics. He saw us through many scary gates and past many terrifying cows, and now we shall have to do it on our own.
ReplyDeleteFrances, I have only just discovered how wonderful your horse diaries are - this one made me go back and read the lot of them.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about Westy. I've never had a horse of my own, but they are very special. There's no other creature that has quite the same effect on us humans.
I'm so sorry to read about Westy and can only hope that he is cantering, pain free and with youthful joy, in a green pasture in horsey heaven. :(
ReplyDeleteSincere condolences to Titch and human family, and purrs of sympathy from HRH Theodorable (who isn't a horse but thinks they're very beautiful animals, if somewhat large and frightening)
Hope his loss isn't too painful Frances. :( ((Hugs))
Judy, South Africa