Hi! I am new to this group. Just saw your message and wanted to say how very sorry I am!! It is not a hurt you can prepare for, especially when they are so young! Take your time healing, the saddle will call you back when you are ready. All you need to remember is what a wonderful life you gave your little guy and the lessons he taught you (cause they all teach us something!). Best wishes to you and my deepest condolences!

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. My only advice is that everyone heals in their own time. When you are ready, you will know.

Laura, sorry to hear about your loss. I remember oh too well when I lost my first horse to colic many years ago. I was heartbroken, we had such a bond and what a loss. I would get out there and start riding again, start looking at other horses, one of them will click and you will eventually find another life partner!

i'm soooo sorry for your lose. i know how you feel. i watched a horse that i known my intire life get put down. but also my mini ponie was badly colicing . and i had him since he was 3 months. i knew he was sick cause he wasn't acting himself. i was so upset theat i might have lost him i left my game that i was cheering at early.
like everyone said you'll heal in your own time. a rider with always find there seat in the saddle.

It's really hard to get over the love of your life but as I've found, one day, out of the blue there will be another horse that JUST JUMPS out at you. Give yourself time to greve & then try to move on. I've lost a few true loves but sooner or later, usually later, another has come along.
Good luck, Barbara

Hi Laura, I am so sorry for your loss. I don't have the answer for you, but to just keep loving these animals as they return the love right back to you. I go out to a ranch about three times a month to spend time with horses and I can honestly say I love them more than any other animal on the planet. They are so loving. The horses at this particular ranch have gotten to know me pretty good and when they see my car coming up the driveway, they start coming to the fence to greet me. These horses actually cuddle with me. The bond a person can have with a horse is amazing to me. They are such a large animal, capable of doing some damage if they wanted to, but they don't demand much - they love the quality time you spend with them, caring for them and loving them. They say that animals have that 6th sense - they just know when a person is good and likes them. I call it my "therapy" when I go to see them. I also have a special needs daughter. I take her with me and she finds it very calming to be around these big loveable beasts. They have become our friends, animal spirit friends. In honor of your dear friend and best soul mate for a horse who just passed away, I might suggest you honor that by paying forward the love you had for Cody to another horse - you will know which horse it is when the time comes, but don't get discouraged. You obviously have a bond with horses - a gift or sorts - don't let it go to waste.

Laura, I have not lost a horse that I have owned but I took care of 9 shire draft horses and one of the mares had a beautiful filly but mom did not do so well after the birth and so we took her back to the vet and he kept her, we also took a pasture mate so that she had company. We lost the mom the next morning, we we all in shock and we tried really hard to bottle feed the baby but that did not work. we lost the filly the next day. Boy was that hard on me I cried for days after. My husband told me he did not want me taking care of the horses after that because I cared to much and he could not stand to see the pain in me after loosing two of the horses I had cared for, for so long. It will take time but the time will come when you will be ready for another horse. You have my deepest sympathy.

Hi, I saw your post and had to respond, first and foremost I am so sorry for your loss, It is heartbreaking.... I myself am worried about my older mare, and I too feel the same connection as you do. I can only say take your time in healing, but don't let the love for the equine you had stop you from connecting with another. It may never be the same as what you had, but the void will be filled, and you can grow a new found love.... I myself will go threw the same some day ,, dread it, but horses are in my blood and could never give up not having one... I hope I helped you. Laurie

sorry for your loss. my horse jug is my soulmate, if i lost him i would be devistated! the only thing i can say is take it easy remember the good times, if u love riding it will come back to u.

thats really really sad.... i hope ur better know

I'm so sorry, I would have died too!

Well first just try sitting one your horse at a standstill, hands out legs out. feel the horse. once u do that good move on to a walk, trot, and so on. also u could do a reach activity reach up and touch the pole reach back and touch the tail head.

haha just hold on for dear life! haha no well just do a walk till u get used to it maby stop holding on with ur legs AT THE WALK and just get the feal. What i think is that canter is way easier than trot.

I'm one, I just wish some of the members here lived by me so we could get together and do some trail riding. Let me know if you live near Augusta GA

i live in camden ohio, i wish i could find riders.

we all live so far apart but we all have so much incommon, i'm from kentucky

same with me i am horse crazy! everyone thinks im weird at home. i would spend hours in the barn if i could.

Shelley, your words are very touching and I am very sorry for your loss. A question for you... Is the Zippo ancestor line very long? Because my Dreamer has Zippo's in her ancestory. Just wondering if they were related by some chance.

Maybe you should start out slow, like at a trot with just something about six inches high(like a pole laid out on the ground) and work your way up from there?

I'm determined to try. when he wasn't able to step over things yet, he jumped and I landed between the saddle horn and his neck. I'm too old for that! I'll try it again, though.

you could try either holding the back of the seat or placing your palm on the top of the horn while holding the reins in your other hand.

Ya know, it's not scary at all! It's fun! Ok, it's a little scary, but I'm doing it and it's much easier than I thought it would be. I'm less scared all the time, and I think Montana likes it!