A boarder's horse passed away this morning

One of my boarder's horses died this morning from gas colic. Her intestine twisted and the vet couldn't save her.

It's truly devastating. For her especially, but for myself and the other boarders too. We have a small stable so everyone is very connected.

I don't know what to do for her. I've never been very good with grief. I have offered her the use of my gelding whenever she wants, but I feel like that's not enough.

That's awful : ( It's a nice offer. Maybe just give her a little time.

I'm sorry to hear that. There's really not much else you can do but be there for her to talk to. When she's ready you might be able to help her in the search for a new horse.

My stomache churned when I read your title, and it churned some more when I opened it up.

This really touches me inside because I almost lost Nelson to the same type of Colic - where his was in his Ceacum. I cannot fathom losing Nelson at all, and I cannot imagine my life without him - so to hear that this has happened to another, while Nelson was saved - it just absolutely breaks my heart.

When I almost lost Nelson, everything didn't seem real. This wasn't happening to my big guy and me. I kept saying "my vet will fix it" but when she said "Surgery" I couldn't absorb what was going on and what I was hearing - so I could only imagine that this is the state she is in right now.

If I did lose Nelson, I would of been in a deep depression, where riding someone else's horse just isn't plausable, because all that would be in my mind, is Nelson and what happened and the blame game.

While as kind as it was of you to offer your horse for her to use - that isn't what she needs right now. She needs an ear, a shoulder, 2 arms and support.

She needs a friend, a friend who'll help her take care of her horse equipment, and everything that belonged to her mare so that she doesn't have to do it. Someone who'll help her put one foot infront of the other, so that she can move forward.

Help her, be there for her, support her.

See - I told you I'm no good with other people's grief.

We as a barn, are going to cover the removal and burial of her mare as we know it's very expensive.

One of the boarders and a very good friend of mine lost her horse yesterday morning. Our BO is just devasted, the horse had been at the barn even longer than mine and I've been there eleven years.

Comfort her and give her time. There's not much else you can do with that kind of grief. I can't even imagine what that would be like. A whole part of you just ripped out and gone.

I had mine creamated for 400.00
I also took some of the tail and had a necklace braided for a keepsake. You can get bracelets also.

That was very generous of you and the barn to offer to help take care of her mare. That runs through my head alot lately since Nelson coliced on me. What would I of done with him if I lost him? In the middle of winter?

The ground is frozen, can't dig a hole to burry him. How would of we had him moved?

These questions I don't even have the answer for, because I've never experienced this before in my life. Back home, growing up on 40 acres of land and surrounded by many Ranches - people just put a bullet in their horses heads when it came to that time, and burried them out in the back 40. I can't do that, have no land, am at a large barn.

I have no idea what I'd do with Nelson if he passed suddenly like that.

Cremation eh? How does one go about that?

There are quite a few places now that do cremation for horses. Around here, it's a lot more expensive than $400.00 though.

I am so sorry for your friend. What a horror! It was nice of you to offer your horse for her to ride - I am sure she knows all of you are there for her and she knows you guys would help her in any way you can. That will give her comfort. There is just no easy way to deal with the loss of a treasured equine friend! She will need your shoulders to cry on for a while! My heart is with her and with all of you! She is lucky to have such caring friends!