If someone had told me the morning of January 12th, that Aly was going to
slip through my hands forever within the next twenty four hours, I would
never have believed them, but then again - maybe that is why life seems so
perfect much of the time, because we cannot see into the future.
I still remember vividly the first day I saw Aliah and called my Mom on the
way home to tell her how excited I was about this horse. Lo and behold, Aly
came to my barn not very long after that! I want to thank Susan and Amanda
for allowing Aly to become part of my life and for giving me the chance to
know and love her.
Early that last day with Aly she and I had a jump school together. It was
one of those magical rides when I came away knowing that Aly was a very
special horse indeed. Everything about that last ride was so perfect. Aly
was jumping any fence I presented her to with such ease and grace. Soon I
was presenting her to the fences designed for training the top-level horses.
As the fences got larger she just got better and better. When we returned to
the barn Aly was so pleased with herself. She had that look in her eye that
told me she knew she had entered a new phase in her life. I was so
exhilarated, knowing just as she did that she had the talent and skill to be
an upper level horse and that she was going to remain in my barn for a long
time to come. I realize that everything happens for a reason. The memory
of our last day together can never be taken away from me. I am so thankful
for that and thankful that it wasn't one of those days when the hustle and
bustle of the barn kept me from that last joyful ride. She left me when I
was on Cloud Nine together with her. What a feeling!
I certainly wouldn't exchange owning Aly for the ache in my heart that I
feel now, knowing that I couldn't give her a cure for her awful physical
pain. I rushed her to the state equine medical hospital in Raleigh, the
evening of January 12th, in the vain hope that some treatment might help her
overcome the multiple twists in her intestine. I drove home from Raleigh at
Two o'clock in the morning feeling numb from the shock of her sudden death
more than anything else. Traveling home in the dark, I constantly thought
about this wonderful mare and it came to me that she taught me so much more
than I ever taught her, even in those last hours when she was in such
desperate pain. Words like quiet toughness, stoicism and dignity only begin
to describe how she handled her final ordeal.
I am truly blessed to have been the recipient of her lessons and doubly
blessed to have had the glory of our last ride together January 12th. It was
on that day she gave me the gift of knowing she could be a top-level horse
and for that I will be forever thankful. I know that each and every day
from now on I will try to live my life following her example. I will try to
live with dignity and class, not forgetting to cut loose with a little buck
in fun every now and then. Most of all I will always try very hard to put my
best foot forward just as Aly did.
Thank you Aly for all the days we spent together. I wish there could have
been more. We must always remember that life is precious. As my Mom would
say, "we have to take time to smell the roses". On January 12th, 2004 I am
so glad I did!
