Quote:
The first horse we lost I totally fell apart and bawled like a baby for months.
I grew up on a Morgan show farm, and I professionally train. Add that to also being a tech (large animal and equine as well as small animal), and I've seen a lot of horses euthanized/pass away. I say that because even though I'm "used to it" for lack of a better term, when I lost my "special horse" (he was that "one", which I know other horse people know what I mean, just like our heart dogs), I couldn't function for months after he passed. I had had him for 18 years, he and I made an incredible show team (although he was a born show horse, I don't think he really needed me), and our bond was so incredibly deep. To this day he remains the very best friend I have ever had, he "got" me, we connected deeper than I have ever connected with anyone or any other animal.
My family bought him for me when I was 6, he was to be my main personal show horse (they couldn't pass up this horse even though he wasn't really a kids horse). Thing was, he was young too, and A LOT of horse. We weren't well matched when I was little, but even then we bonded so closely that I could safely ride him. He passed when we were 24 (we were the same age). That horse took care of me when I was little, and then challenged me (A LOT) as I became a strong rider. I credit him with helping to develop me into the rider I am now. We cleaned up wherever we went, and I can safely say the only living things I have ever loved more than him are my 2 kids.
I rambled but the little bit of post I quoted made me feel compelled to share that story.

He really was the love of my life, and I miss him every single day (I'm 32 now, so he's been gone a while). I have an incredible graphite drawing of him that I had commissioned, on my living room wall (and I talk to it/him every morning). My guest room is also the "show award room", and I have a special spot for the most special of his awards, plus many of his show photos framed there. I still feel his presence all the time, if that makes sense. I kind of sound crazy now, but yeah he took a piece of me with him when he passed, and I hope he's waiting at the bridge for me (with my Quin dog, and other loved pets), when it's my time.