More about my handsome gelding

He looked good in all the colors.

After my concussion, we had to take things a little slow. Helmets are a GOOD idea, and I am not sure why I didn't immediately wear one after that. I guess I am not the brightest. But that is a different story.

Best friend.

Booger was incredible. He did whatever I wanted him to do. One night we got a call from our boarder though, and it was horrible. There was a big accident between the gelding pasture and the mare pasture. One mare had broken her leg, one gelding had a severe wound on his stomach, there were some other scrapes and small injuries. And then there was Booger.

Ignore me. We know how my position is.

Our best guess was that he had been caught on a t-post with his shoulder. He now had a fist sized hole in it. We had a strict antibiotic regimen and hydrothereapy, and the lathering of his whole leg with vaseline (yuuuuuuck) so that the ooze didn't scald him. Also a nice application of scarlet oil in the wound, and swat around it, as it was prime fly weather. I was pretty devastated, but I made sure to keep my boy healing.

Pre-scrub wound.

I was pretty lonely in high school. By the time I was a senior, I had basically lost all of my friends (I did not want to drink or smoke, so I was no longer "cool"). The boy and Booger was pretty much all I had. Once my horse was all healed, I had him moved to Blake's parents' house to board. At first Blake was a little offended because I would hurry over to greet my horse before him. But he soon learned how awesome Booger was and loved him all the same.

I had a little fun with two negatives in the dark room.

One morning, a couple of days before my birthday and spring break, I received a note from the school office saying to call Blake's house and the word EMERGENCY on it. My heart plummeted, and the boys sitting across from me in art class jokingly said "Booger is dead". I hurried to the office, called and Blake's mom answered the phone. She broke down and told me that Boog had broke his leg, and to hurry to their house if I could. My heart had shattered. The ladies at the front desk tried to get me to sit down, and I fought and told them I had to leave and I had to leave NOW.

Hanging out at Blake's house.

I drove with tears flowing. Blake had been called from school too, and was already there holding my horse's head. The vet tried to talk to me and tell me that there wasn't any way to really save him. I already knew that. I kept looking past him and at my sweat soaked horse out in the pasture. I okayed for the euthanasia, and we walked out to see him. He neighed at me, the whites of his eyes showing, and he picked up his right front, where it turned 180 degrees right below the knee. Blake was sobbing into his mane. I wrapped my arms around his head and told him I loved him and that we would make him feel better. He tried to shift his weight onto me as I gave him one last hug around his neck. They had to drag me away, and as I left him, he cried out and tried to follow me.

Two happy kids.

I wish I would have stayed with him. Blake and I huddled and cried all day. We closed the blinds so I wouldn't accidentally see him. Blake went back out and collected some of his mane and tail. I was thankful to have him there with me. My only friend.

Unfinished watercolor.

I was currently in A.P. art, and we were supposed to be working on a series of twelve art pieces. I was halfway through, and of course, my subject was Booger. When I returned from spring break I didn't have the heart to work on it for several weeks. The rest of my pieces were a disaster, and talking about them in front of the class was even worse. It was also slightly therapeutic, but I could have done without the social trauma. Later, I had time to heal and be ready for a new pony in my life.

I miss you, my friend.

Along came Vegas to pick up the pieces. But I will always owe so much to my beautiful boy.