A Word or Two About Sugar!

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Sugar, my wife's horse, was put to sleep Thursday morning. Needless to say it has been rather sad and quiet around here for the past few days. We still don't know what caused her to founder and probably never will. It's sure not that we didn't try to find a fix, going to three Vet's and trying just about everything possible. I think one of the Vet's really came close when he said that the horse, over the years has been redesigned by man to the point that they now face problems that they were never meant to face, founder being one of them.

We had Sugar for about six years. She carried us on trips to Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, and Colorado not to mention up and down just about every hill in eastern Oklahoma. From high up in the Rockies down and into the Palo Duro Canyon she was with us as we discovered the wonders of the west on horseback. Never once did she complain, buck, bite or balk. She was always there at the fence each morning to greet you, knowing that a brief head scratch she was going to get a can of oats for breakfast and a few flakes of fresh hay.

One thing about being a little creative and able to carve is that she will always be with us in more ways than just great memories or photos. Over the years I used her as a model for some of my best pieces. While I no longer have them I know that somewhere she's setting on display bringing some of the enjoyment she brought us to the collector fortunately to have her. I'm sure I'll do her again but not for a little while. Just typing this makes the tears flow.

[whitecree]

I feel your sorrow. Critters like Sugar are not just animals, not just pets, but valued family members.
As long as you hold her in your heart, she will never truly be gone.

[gene-messer]

Lynn ... All anyone can say is were sorry for the lost of this wonderful animal ..

I hope that time will comfort both you and your wife in this hurtful lost ..

God Bless you Both

Gene

[Mark Gargac]

Lynn, real sorry to hear of you and your wife's lost of such a beautiful animal.
Being animal lovers ourselves we know what you must be going through. Just a couple of months ago we had our min pin put down, Darla was 18 years old, she had kidney failure and the vet only gave her three days to live, this came on very sudden. I bought her and the male, Spanky for my wife as a Christmas present when they were only 6 weeks old. Spanky was put down 3 weeks latter, he was very old, had a fall down the steps off our deck and ruptured a disc in his back, he could no longer walk.

[AlArchie]

Lynn, please accept my condolences.....I know that losing a favorite animal is nearly akin to losing a family member. Not being familiar with horses, I am wondering what "founder" is.

Al

[Ashbys]

Lynn,
I am sorry to hear this. A horse is somthing special , there are pets , dog cat, ect but they are not like a horse. A hose becomes a member of the family. He works with you gets pleasure with you and often out live their owners.

I am sure Sugar was like this, when you have a companion that is so much a part of your life the lost is extream. Most people don't realize that a horse can live to be 30 + years. That makes it that much harder to give up your friend.

I am sad for your lost , I know you did all you could, and you feel like you should have been able to do more, but you need not to feel that way, sometimes no mater what is done it just doesn't help. . Be thankful for the time you had , for I know you willl miss her forever.

Take care my friend
Garry

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Founder is where the lamina, tissue holding the hoof to the skeletal structure, seperates from the coffin bone causing that bone to rotate downward. Sometimes, if it's caught early enough the horse can be saved. Othertimes, in Sugar's case, nothing we could do seemed to work. The day we took her to the Vet the coffin bone had rotated so far that the bottom of the hoof was giving way. Extremely painful for the horse. She had this on both front feet.

[btree50]

Lynn,
Am sorry to hear about your horse Sugar. My wife and I just had to put to sleep a border collie we had for 15 years. Its never easy to lose a family friend like that. No matter what kind of day you have had, your friend is always happy to see you, and lets you know that. Its something that is hard to forget. Horses, dogs, cats, it makes no difference, if you love em, thats what counts.

[JIM QUILICI]

Lynn
sorry to hear about sugar. she can't be replaced but she can be remembered, and sounds like you will have a lot of things to charish and remember.
Jim

[Joy]

Lynn, I'm so sorry.