This post is devoted to Basse.
I dont know where Basse came from, or rahter, theoretically I could find out, but I do not want to. I am afraid of finding the trail end at a slaughter house or something worse.
I was riding at the local lesson barn, and there was another woman in my group. I found her to be kind of strange, which she has only confirmed in her actings lateron. She bought an adorable gray pony mare. When they tried to ride her, she was lame. Always lame when ridden. Nothing wrong with her physically, I believe the term is "String Halt" in english.
So she wanted another horse, found Basse on the net for cheap, and exchanged the gray pony for Basse. I never saw her riding Basse though, and other people have confirmed it. Things change, and I did not go to the lesson barn for two months, and when I returned some things had changed and I was in for a part-lease. The horse I wanted to part-lease was already leased out against an earlier agreement, so I was offered Basse who in the meantime had transferred from being the womans horse to being a lesson horse. I was the only one who rode her. Three days a week, for over half a year, cantering, trusting her, outside on the trails and in the arena. We also had a bad fall, and I think it triggered her arthritis to get really bad.
Look at that face - the most beautifull expression ever.
I worried about her, I groomed her, I fed her, blanketed her with a blanket I bought for the money that was supposed to buy me a new coat (I froze a lot last winter), and in February I was told she was almost sold and that I should seperate my tack from the tack that the barn owned. Well. I paid too much for her, but I loved her, simply put. I was, and am, so inexperienced, but I knew that if I let her slip away I would never ever forgive myself.
She was the teacher, and I was the student. I learned love, and forgiveness, and how far you can stretch yourself if you truly love somebody.
She fattened up, I moved her to pasture board, she lightened up, loved her buddy Regina (It was mutual), and we spent a summer in Paradise, Basse and I. We did not ride much, because of the snake in the paradise. Her front legs. She would stumble, and I had the vet out who told me she was navicular and arthritic in her front legs. We tried with pads, very very expensive, feeding supplements etc. I found out she was not 15, but at least 21-22, if not older.
I did not ride her much anymore, I would walk her bareback all over in the little town, clicker train her, lunge her, but try to spare her front legs as much as I could. Come September I got out to find her very sore in her front legs, lame in the field. That was it, my horse was not supposed to hurt, and I knew what he responsible action was. I called my SIL and asked her if she would kindly be with me, before I called the vet, and she agreed. We made out a date, and I called the vet, crying. It was so incredibly hard. It didnt work out, I had made the appointment too early in the day, and I did not feel like pressing the issue.
Sept. 15, I came out at 6 am and fussed around the horses. The pasture owner came out, we agreed on the spot I had picked, and at 8 the vet came out. Basse was not intent on leaving yet, and taught me the last lesson, that even though your heart is breaking and life comes tumbling down, love is still stronger than death and fear. We waited for 25 minutes until she left us, and at the end, I was asking her to leave me.
She kind of never did. I cried by her side for long, picked up her "Twin" - Regina, 100% Dependent on Basse, let her sniff and say goodbye, went back and said my own, final goodbyes - when I turned around she was there. Just everywhere. She galopped in the sky, grazed the fine grass at the rainbow bridge, nickered in a place inside my heart. She is still here with me.
When I close my eyes for the last time, I hope to look into these eyes one more time, and express my gratitude to her one more time.
/Lene
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