BEHS 272 – Mahdi

One midsummer day there was a call to go out and see a down horse. The horse was severely malnourished and had been down for a few hours that rainy morning. We struggled for more than two hours to get her up as the other horses looked on. When the veterinary came on scene he informed us that she was slipping away and we had to let her go.I vowed that I would do everything I could not to let it happen to the ones left behind. One young stud was so skinny that he tripped and was almost too weak to get back up. There was a mare that was thin and looked as if she might be in foal. Then the neighbor said that there was one more still in the thick pasture that I had not seen yet.I was taken back deep into the thickets and briers and started calling and kissing to find this final mare to see what kind of shape she was in. When I thought I just might not find her I started to turn and I heard a whinny and there came Mahdi up to me. She was thin and I wanted to bring her to the front with the others but I did not know if she would follow. I gently caressed her chin not knowing if she would come and without a fight she started to follow through the thickets and the briers ripping into my jeans and her chest she followed. My heart cried out for this skinny mare whom the neighbors said was muscular and beautiful when he was first purchased.During the walk to the front clearing the limbs would smash her in the face and chest and gently she would duck and dodge without a fight and still she followed. Once we came to the front and as all the horses looked down upon their departed pasture mate and the look in their eyes as they looked back at me I knew I would not leave them with out a fight. Later that day I left with the mare and stud but not Mahdi. Her owner was putting up a fight. I knew I could not leave her so I stuck to my guns and convinced the owner to sign her over. I picked her up a few days later. She was so sweet and gentle and I knew she had to of been someones prize at one time. Once she got to a good weight it was confirmed that she was a seasoned horse. She loved getting a bath and playing in the water every time I filled the water trough. I had planned on her never leaving my place and in a way I guess she never will. She was found to be in foal and I would love her belly and love on her every day. One cold frosty morning when I went to feed I found her down. For 36 hrs the vet and I fought to keep her here but it was too much she laid down and decided never to get up again. She is buried in a beautiful spot by my pond on my property she will never leave. It was a life cut too short. She had so much more to give; but knowing she was loved by all gives me some peace. I wanted her to stay here but this was not the plan. She will ever rest under the shady tree her and the unborn foal my place they will never leave.