Memorial Day for Horses
In my family, we consider Memorial Day to be a serious holiday. With our own corner of hallowed ground--a family cemetery that's existed for over 100 years--we view Memorial Day as a time for reconnecting with the family members who've departed from earthly life. We get together, spruce up the grounds, polish the headstones, plant flowers, reminisce, and stand at attention for a short ceremony and gun salute conducted by members of the local American Legion chapter. Afterward, we share treats and more memories around what used to be Grandma's kitchen table, before she took her own place in the cemetery.
This Memorial Day weekend, I'm planning to do something similar at the pasture spot that's become our ranch's horse cemetery. Ace and Najah reside there now, and I can't think of a better time to honor their memory. Najah's grave is fresh enough to have exposed topsoil, so I bought some Kentucky bluegrass seed that I'll ceremoniously sow and water. I won't go so far as to put up headstones, but I will get their nameplate halters back out and hang them on the nearby fence for the day. I'll pick an armload of flowers to place into one of those fence-hung feeders, doubling for the day as a makeshift vase. And I'll bring each horse an honorary sample of his favorite treat--some Classic Coke, which Ace adored, and a shiny red apple for Najah.
I'll have to do without a gun salute by the American Legion--no sense spooking the horses that're still with us. But I'll have a few extra treats on hand, just in case they mosey over to pay their own respects to the departed.
posted by Juli Thorson @ 11:03 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I think you know which horses I remembered this memorial day.
Didn't go down to visit the graves - haven't been there since the night of the fire. Hope that doesn't make me a chicken but the image of the barn foundation glowing bight red in dulling blackness of smokey night is still too fresh in my mind.
I did, however, take the time on Monday to kneal down once again and ask the Lord to look after them all...until there comes a time when I can.
Steph,
On Memorial Day, I had many thoughts of you and the others who lost horses in the fire. Blessings to all of you--
Juli
Juli,
I think that is a great idea. I was only 12 when my first horse passed, and we lived in town, so weren't able to bury her, but I still have her halters, and her saddle, which I refuse to sell.
I babysit some friends horses, and their oldest mare was put down 6 years ago at age 31. She's buried in the lower pasture, and I go visit her often. Her buddy is now 35, and when the time comes (a long, long, time from now), then I'll be certain to visit her as well. She & I have bonded over the last 6 years. It will break my heart when she's not around anymore, and she's not even my horse.
I'm glad to hear that you were able to keep Ace with you. I loved reading your stories about him years ago in H&R, and had been wondering about him in the interim. He truly was a special horse.
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