End of an Era

When one wakes up each morning there is no way to know what the day will bring. The best laid plans of mice and men can only work out sometimes. This morning Raven was down and wouldn't get up for his morning feed. My first thought was that he must be colicking. Mark helped and the 2 of us working together were able to get him up on his feet. He walked a few yards and went right back down. He was given banamine around 7:00am and then watched. He didn't seem in pain just not able to get up. Mark left for early morning Bible study but I stayed with Raven just talking quietly to him. A pillow of hay was placed under his head and to my surprise he started eating from that hay. At 10:15am he was given another dose of banamine and a quart of water by syringe. at that point I left for church to hear Psalm 100 sing. Stephanie agreed to take my table at lunch freeing me to drive back to the farm to check on Raven. He hadn't moved and was shivering a bit in the chilly wind. Another quart of warm water was brought out and given to him which seemed to stop the shivering. At that point he was ready to eat more hay but still wouldn't try to get up. By 3:00pm it was pretty obvious Raven was letting us know it was time to leave this earth. His legs were getting so bad this summer, I remember asking Dr. Hoerr, "how will we know when it is time to put him down?" Dr. Hoerr's answer was, "don't worry, it will be obvious,he will let you know." Steven arrived to sit with Raven. When Rhoda also arrived, the three of us tried one more time to get him up. To our surprise he did stand, went a couple of feet into his shelter and collapsed unto his soft hay bed. He had all afternoon in the warm sun to rest. When Mike and Diane made it home from the auction in Dixon, IL the sun was getting low in the sky and the weather turning chilly. Not wanting him to suffer through another cold night we removed a few locks of his beautiful mane and tail and then Raven was put to sleep around 6:30pm. It truly is the end of an era. We had all these plans to have his semen frozen, had the tests done and the arrangements made but it just wasn't meant to be. It will be up to his son Valiant to keep his legacy alive. His burial place is at Middle Grove, his grave site up on the hill looking down on the cottage and lake. He was such a wonderful stallion and has left a huge hole in our lives and the lives of all he touched. Rest in Peace Raven.