Royale was my "heart horse." From the first time I saw him, I felt drawn to him. We just "clicked." After he came home to Twin Hills Ranch, he settled in as if it was where he was always meant to be (and maybe it was!). When he came to live with me in 1997, he had never been ridden and had recently been gelded. It wasn't long before I was riding him bareback, with nothing but a halter. This little horse would do anything I asked of him with very little training: running through fields, blazing new trails, gymkahana games, jumping ditches, you name it. He simply trusted me, and I trusted him. All of my horses mean so much to me and losing any of them is hard, but there was just something about Royale. He loved me unconditionally, and wasn't afraid to show it.
That's sad, really sad. Was he ill? He was only 15.
GAH, I'm not sure how that happened. His DOB is wrong in the first post, and I can't edit it.
It should read:
05/09/1983 - 03/06/2013
He went down and could not get back up. The vet said we could try to treat, but given his age and deteriorating condition, he would advise euthanasia. I trust my vet, so that is what we decided on. :(
