RIP Annie - 7th May 1999 ~ worst day of my life and I still miss you but at least there is no pain for you now.

Annie was a beautiful 16.1hh Dutch Wamblood mare, bright chestnut, socks on her hind legs and a lovely half star on her forehead.  She had a bit of a dislike to other horses but was always very good with the youngsters and would mother them, help then through their early days of hacking out on the roads and schooling.  But when it came to sheep - she was always in love, she had her own flock that followed her around, if she sat down in the field they would all lay around her, and the only way to move our sheep from field to field was with me on Annie leading them!

She was the best £10 I ever spent, yep I brought her for £10 just to say she was mine - she was never meant to be ridden again after a bad accident hunting but after 6 months box rest she came sound (and naughty) so my Vet said "if I was you I would get on her".  We had about 8 great years hacking, cross country anything and everything because you could trust her with your life, she always looked after me.

Sadly she became ill, although I had called the vet out a few times with the "something is not right" statement but nothing ever showed up, until we found her collapsed in a shed she had broken into - 8 hours of trying to get her out she finally made it to her feet and came flying out the doorway.  She then had many tests and no-one had any idea what was wrong, she was growing weaker, loosing weight and looked so depressed.  I had had a bone marrow biopsy done, but the sample had been sent to the States for testing and was taking forever.  I decided I couldn't let her go one, from 3 months earlier with my well toned horse she was now skin and bone so I decided to say goodbye.

On the 6th she had a day of pampering and all those treats she loved to have, and strangely looked absolutely fabulous, she walked over to the house, only 50 yards but she was very weak and banged the door for my mum to come and give her a carrot.  10:50am on 7th I said goodbye, I held her until the end and stayed until the lorry had left - I was a wreck and hated what I had done, but it was right.

When I went to collect her ashes from the Vet I was told the results had come back if I wanted to know, she had a very rare form of leukemia, it was only the 2nd case my Vet had heard of in 50 years of practising, and the first was in text books.

A very special little mare - thank you for everything and I still love and miss you, see you again one day girl. xx