So boys and girls, I got to spend this early morning out in frigid winds disposing of the remains of Shorty, our handsome 17-hands tall gelding.
We came home last night and Shorty was laying down beside the hay feeder, with Ruby (the mare) standing over him. I didn't really think much of it - until my wife goes "Shorty is still laying down" and it was about 30 minutes later. So, I go down there, and sure enough, ol' Shorty is stiff as a board, eyes open, gazing skyward into the blustery/rainy skies.
I go "damn Shorty, you picked a ****ty day to die boy. You rest easy right here, and I'll take care of you in the morning." So, this morning I go down and thought I'd just pick ol' Shorty up with the hay lift on the back of my truck. Wrong. That horse weighs in the neighborhood of 1500 pounds. It took all I had to lift his head high enough to get a chain around his neck.
So, instead of getting carried off into the sunset on a flatbed hearse, ol' Shorty had to get drug 2 miles behind the tractor around back to his final resting place. A depression inside a creek channel where an old bridge used to be. I said a few words over Shorty's carcass - something like "happy trails big guy, now there's gonna be a lot less **** to shovel" and rolled him in with the front end loader.
Of course Ruby was not happy and wouldn't leave Shorty's side, so before I could take Shorty around back, I had to drag him ceremoniously through the corral so I could catch her. She wouldn't let me pet her, feed her, or anything. Ol' girl is missing her boy.
Anyhow, I get back on the tractor, start for the house, and there's already about 4-5 buzzards circling overhead. I smiled, and thought "what a system God has created. In a couple weeks, Shorty's bones will be scattered around by the packrats, a buttload of coyotes, coons, buzzards, crows, possums, skunks, ants, and flies will have fattened themselves up, and another big ol' horse will be born somewhere. And wherever it is, he ain't coming to my place. Galdamned hayburners eat more than 3 cows do.
RIP Shorty boy.
Originally Posted by badger
