Black Jackie Blues,  5/2005 - 9/2008

“Scooter” was a special registered MFT filly that we had bought at auction as a yearling.  She was a fuzzy little thing and was full of life and love.  She got her name because she would “scoot” along the ground at a smooth gait!  We were raising her to be a solid trail horse for a future owner.  She’d had lots of round pen work and even a saddle on her back.  She was already showing a very nice gait that would make any trail rider happy to ride.   Unfortunately, we lost Scooter at 3 years old due to complications from colic, most likely a twist in her gut.  We will miss this little girl and find solace that she passed among her horsey friends and family.

Scooter, May 25, 2008

Tax on his birthday

Tax after his accident,

wearing his “veil” to help keep his wounds clean

Tax Time, 4/15/08 - 6/30/08

Tax was an adorable little colt by our Quarter Horse stallion Overtime and out of our mare, Cashmere.  We called him Tax Time since he was born on Tax Day.  While we were at work in June, Tax was involved in an accident, and we really have no idea what happened.  When we came home, his jaw was completely broken and falling apart.  Tax tried to eat and drink and was a patient colt, even during the worst of his pain.  He tried to live, but his misery was obvious as he was losing weight and just not a happy foal.

 

We worked hard with the vet to repair it, taking him to and from the clinic four or five times during the month.  We decided to put him down when the bottom part of his mouth had died and fallen away from the bone, and his bottom teeth had fallen forward, so it was impossible for him to eat.  We could have put a tube into his throat to pour food in, but for what?  We were just going to prolong his suffering.  The vet said even with extensive surgery, he really didn’t believe Tax would have a quality life and would continue to suffer and have trouble getting proper nutrition.  It was no longer worth it to Tax to keep him alive.

Scooter, fall 2005

Somebody bigger than us definitely has a hand in our lives, for when we got in the pickup at the vet’s to come home and Mike turned the key, the country western song that ends “bye, bye, my baby, bye, bye” played...and then silence.  But God wasn’t finished there.  He then played the Garth Brooks song “Unanswered Prayers.”  “Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”  We will never hear that song again without thinking of Tax.

 

We believe that Tax’s short life was so the vet could document and learn about broken jaws and what to do for the horse when it happens.  We also believe that Tax must have another purpose beyond being one of our horses.  He is horribly missed, but we were blessed to have him for the short time he was here with us.