Long time coming

I've never written the story about Koosa. Last year, it was too fresh and painful- and then, it seemed as if the time had passed. But, for some reason, our feisty, grey POA has been on my mind, lately... and I feel I owe it to her, to tell you all about this special girl.

Koosa was the pony we bought for our daughter for her 7th birthday. We kept Chelsey busy downstairs, while the former owners delivered the little POA. She had a MASSIVE, multi-colored bow around her neck! We hid her in the stall, and went to get Chelsey. I'd rigged up a treasure hunt for the birthday girl... the last clue leading her to the barn where her pony awaited! I thought poor Koosa would be brushed raw that first week... all three of our kids spent every waking minute in the barn brushing her. Koosa taught all three of them to ride... and she was one of those special horses who adjusted herself to the level of her rider. With Chelsey and me, she was fiery and fun- the best, smoothest gaits in the world... but if one of Chelsey's friends got on her, she would walk slowly, while keeping an ear and eye on me for direction. Kids could thump on her all they wanted... if I didn't tell her it was ok to increase her speed, she wouldn't do it. Many, many of my preschoolers rode her at the end of the year party.

Chelsey grew up and left home. Koosa earned her retirement. She got thin, and despite all the special diets, tons of Vet visits, and vitamins, etc. she couldn't keep up her weight. People told us we needed to put her down- someone even turned us into the Sheriff's office saying we were starving our horses (but since Dakota was overweight, and they knew us so well, nothing came of it). Bruce and I talked and talked about it... wondering if we were doing the right thing keeping her alive- but everyday she would trot or CANTER over to me... whinnying for her grain. And as I told her... she had given us SO much... we were prepared to let her live as long as she wanted to be here.

Christmas day 2009 started out so well... and when I went out to feed Dakota and Koosa, Koosa trotted up to greet me- whinnying, happy. But when Bruce went out to get the paper around 1 pm, he came tearing into the house- shouting. "MERE! Koosa is DOWN!" All the kids were home- Chelsey ran to the barn without even a jacket... Koosa had slipped on the ice- onto her bad hip, and she couldn't get up.

We called everyone. The Vet in Thompson Falls, the Vet in Hot Springs, and the Vet in Plains.... but of course, no one was answering their phone. It was Christmas. We called all the horsey people we knew, our Farrier, but no one was home. Finally, a friend of mine (the woman who sold me Wynter) called back and gave us a suggestion to try... a way to roll Koosa onto her good side to see if that would help her get up. It took all of us... Bruce, Cass, Cade, Chelsey and me, to roll her over, and poor Koosa was exhausted by that time. She wouldn't even try to stand... so, we let her rest awhile. One or the other of us would slip out the door periodically, and visit her. I found out later, that our oldest son, even went out to her at 4 in the morning. He found the same situation we all did. Koosa lying there, or struggling in vain to get up, and Dakota, standing guard.

Bruce put her down early Dec. 26th. He came up to the house crying- We'd had her, and loved her for 17 years. She was 3 mos. shy of her 40th birthday. The ground was frozen- we had no help. We had to drag her body off into the woods. Dakota went literally insane- and refused any comfort. She ran the fences in both pastures, screaming for her friend for hours... hours. It was worse, though, when she stopped. Then, she just stood, watching, searching... she refused to eat, she lost weight- I was desperate to find her a friend- Hence, the decision, right or wrong, to buy Wynter.

I know I kept Koosa alive much longer than 99% of people would have. I know she didn't have much longer to live anyway- She had a hip that bothered her from a fall the Winter before, and she was so thin. The Vet would marvel at her every time he came out. But oh! that spirit! She was so special. I just can't shake the thought that she shouldn't have died quite yet... she was still trotting! whinnying! She loved us, and being with us... and she struggled so hard to stay alive. But, as you say, she's free now. And there ARE times when I'm positive the mares sense her. Times when Dakota suddenly puts her head up, looks toward the corner closest to her sister's final resting place, and then, runs... a mare on a mission, to that far corner. I've written about it in my blog- she stands in that corner, looking off into the woods... she seems to be watching something, although, when I've checked, there's never been anything there. Sometimes she "talks" to.... thin air. And I tell her- Please- tell Koosa that she is still loved, and missed, by a funny old woman, and a lovely, grown up girl.