January 15, 2013

Willow Video I (first six weeks)

My Friesian rescue horse, Willow. Neglected, abandoned, and struggling with choking issues and EPM... Willow is the most amazing, sweet, beautiful horse in the world. I love her with all my heart. The question remains, though, who will rescue who... ♥

I made this video of some video of Willow during our 1st few weeks together. The song is so perfect for us... I love the lyrics. (credit: Face of a Faith by Nellie McKay). The last couple scenes were from today... she was struggling and choking again. The video footage isn't great, but I wanted to document this special time with my sweet girl. And even though she is thin and lacking muscle... isn't she divine? She is so graceful and so dignified. Truly, she is a queen.

63 comments:

  1. Absolutely beautiful, Shana... Thank you so much for sharing this with us all. I am a huge fan of the photos, but there is nothing like video to show her aliveness and add to her beauty. Plus it is just one more expression of the love between you both - so moving and so touching. The section where she is prancing (correct term?) is so wonderful to see. The music couldn't be more appropriate, and even the footage from today just brings my heart closer to her. Thank you again for sharing this very personal story and journey.... ~ Kim

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  2. Shana,...You & Willow are my heros. I have always known horses as a child. I grew up at my grandparents ranch in eastern Oregon.A very large wheat & cattle ranch. My grandfather & father were so kind to all the animals. My grandfather kept a stable right next to his farm house with one last horse who was named Trigger, he was a stallion from a well known line & when he become to old he was kept for the grandchildren to love on until he passed ( many years of being loved by all that met him). Trigger had been a working cow horse & had been on many cattle drives...he was a working boy. He took his job as babysitter very seriously for all us children..always sweet!! Bless You for being a lovely spirit to have found & loved Willow....She is blessed by you. I simple believe horses are our spirit guides. I'm so touched by your story!! I simply loved your video. You will have all my prayers for healing & strength for you both.` ~ Cathy Cross Hickman

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  3. thank you so much for sharing. This is beautiful. I am so thankful my daughter's horse is healthy. I have been praying for Willow and following your story. I can see the love she has for you and the love you have for her. There is nothing that matches the connection between a horse and their owner. Sending you and Willow hope, health and happiness. ~Suzanne

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  4. incredibly moving.

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  5. So beautiful Shana! Hugs to you and to Willow.

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  6. I love this. She is so beautiful. I live in the area and am always "looking" for her in all the horse farms we drive past. :) Thanks for sharing.
    Ashley

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  7. Now that made me cry a little! Loved seeing her have a good roll and how she holds her head high when she was trotting on. She is still very proud and very beautiful!

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  8. Yes, absolutely beautiful. Your video has a lot of feeling and it made me tear up!

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  9. What a wonderful life you have been blessed with. Thank you for all your caring ways. Heroes, both of you and your family.

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  10. Beautiful share and beautiful song.
    I love your heart.

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  11. Just beautiful!! Tears <3

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  12. You are her divine angel .... tears streaming down my face!!

    Darlene

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  13. she runs so gracefully! Beautiful video

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  14. That was probably the most incredible, moving video I have ever seen in my life. I felt right through my heart the love you have for Willow. Abosolutely beautiful!

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  15. Willow is so gorgeous! Her gait is so pretty. She's looking so good! I love the part with her rolling in the grass. She looks so happy right there! <3

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  16. Made me teary with a big lump in my throat! I'm so glad you found each other, your love will give her comfort and hopefully time will give her strength!

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  17. Beautiful! Beautifully documented and touching! It spoke multitudes! Sometimes there just aren't words to express an emotion, a moment, an experience....But pictures and video's or any other kind of wordless interactions...Can speak so powerfully...Brava!

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  18. Miranda Mulligan1/21/13, 11:51 AM

    Completely brings me to tears.... I love the way you love her, and it is more than obvious that she loves you too. You can see that she trusts you, you can feel it just in watching this. I am so happy that you both found each other.

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  19. Oh My Tears....this is as amazing as you are and Willow for the strong determination that she has to overcome....Thank you for sharing...and for caring....

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  20. So sweet Shana! I love seeing her move, and I can see her gentle, sweet eyes, just as you describe. Love seeing you two together. I'm so glad you found each other. ♥

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  21. Wonderful! You did a great job! Makes me want a horse to love! I don't know hardly anything about horses. When I was a teenager I did ride my brothers horse and it ran off with me like a crazy maniac and I have never wanted to ride again. Scared of that happening again and not knowing how to control my fear. So I have just loved them and admired them from afar. Keep posting videos! Love them!!!!

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  22. Just beautiful : )

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  23. You did a great job! Horses are special animals, they each one have their own personality, just like people. I understand the love you can have for an animal. We have horses and they are beautiful creatures to just sit back and watch. We had an amazing stallion who had to be put down a couple years ago, it was heartbreaking. He was a beautiful Tennessee Walking Horse, from the old large breed lines. Anyway, he was out oneday rolling around as all horses do when he twisted his gut. The vet was called and they did everything they could to save him, but it was too bad, he was in so much pain that they thought it was better to put him down. He went from a huge healthy animal that morning to gone that evening. Needless to say we all cried, for weeks it was so sad around here and still today we all talk about Pushers stall as if he still controls that stall. I guess they like people live in your heart always. Great to see the progress she's making, Friesians are beautifull.

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  24. Absolutely amazing and stunning. It is great you were able to be her angel. You can tell she is surely grateful and trusts you!

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  25. So beautiful!! Praying for you girls.
    Thank you!

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  26. That brings tears to my eyes......so incredibly beautiful!!!!
    She has come so far in just six weeks.......and all because of you :)

    xo,

    Lisa

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  27. Tears....you're just amazing, and so is she, thank you Shana.

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  28. I'm so glad I came to your blog Shauna. This is incredible - I so love horses. What you are doing is amazing - and I LOVE the video.

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  29. Tears in my eyes watching this! It's beautiful! The song, oh my gosh...the word perfect is an understatement. This video couldn't be more perfect!

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  30. Priscilla deBree1/21/13, 2:21 PM

    Wow...just wow...as a horse owner and lover that was just so beautiful...thank you for sharing...

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  31. I have always loved horses! And now with tears in my eyes, I have realized that they in fact ,rescue us! Prayers for your Beautiful Willow!

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  32. Tears just fall from my eyes watching this video. Words cannot describe how I felt when I watched this. Shana,this is beautiful. Willow is just adorable, and the love you have for her, will help her to regain her strength. God bless you both. Jan MacMaster

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  33. Just beautiful! Made me cry!

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  34. I cried throughout that entire video ... tears of sadness for Willow's condition and tears of joy that she is now in such great hands. You are one amazing person Shana, and she is one lucky horse. God Bless you for everything you do! xxxx Sharlene Harvey

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  35. That was so touching...thank you for bringing her into our lives. We smile and cry with you as we watch her get healthy every day.

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  36. She is just so beautiful! She already is looking better. She loves you so, her eyes tell a story, don't they. Love following your journey.

    ~Shanon

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  37. Beautiful video of beautiful horse with a beautiful soul <3 What a wonderful thing you found each other!

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  38. For all of us who have the privilege of following the love story of you and Willow will be forever changed. I am grateful!!

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  39. Fabulous, raw, unpolished & heartfelt...PERFECT Shana!

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  40. She was meant for you, and you were meant for her....

    How I love this story...I love each and every piece you give us about Willow. The heart break, the small miracles, the new trust little by little, those small rays of light...the protection story which I loved, the old photos of her glory and grandeur, the every day steps made in an effort to.. live...Willow, please live. Please get better.

    Shana, it's kind of like our children, isn't it? If they get hurt, we wish it was us instead. We'd give anything if we could switch places. If they are bullied, we want to fight to the death for them. If they don't understand why some people are good, and some people are bad, we make an attempt to explain, and then lead by example. If they have a bad day, or are sick - we do everything in our power to make them - to "will" them to make it through..to pamper them, to give them our strength...if we could only give the ones we love that are suffering our health and take that pain away..we would do it, no questions asked.

    I know you wish this too...There is no Fairy Godmother to wave a magic wand and make it instantly better...I know you struggle with that, and you just want her to heal...to live. I am praying hard that she does just that. She deserves to be well and to live out the remainder of her years basking in happiness and trust and love....

    She's getting there, isn't she? It seems as if the photos are, little by little, taking a transformation. Small yes, but a transformation all the same. Her rolling around in the grass in this video, something so care-free and light hearted...it makes me hope and believe she will see better days - and that the best is still yet to come for sweet Willow. And, for you too. xo

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  41. Every time I read your blog, see your pictures...and now, view your video - I cry....knowing where your heart is and how it reaches out to love this divine creature who has opened her heart to you...I am so inspired by your story to do MORE for all animals...if only humans treated each other as well as our babies treat us....I love your story....thank you for sharing her with us...

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  42. The video is so beautiful. Thank you so much for posting it.

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  43. Patsi McLaws1/23/13, 5:43 PM

    I have watched this video several times now and will watch it again. The bond with a horse is like no other, Willow is blessed that you found her :)

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  44. Absolutely breathtaking and moving. I find myself loving her and wanting her to be healthy and strong again. What a beautiful bond you two have. Take care of eachother. XOXO And thanks for sharing.

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  45. I just love the way you love her, and she loves you right back!!! I too have been following your blog and your journey with this beautiful girl and right along with the rest of your followers, I too had tears in my eyes as I watched your video. I am excited that you have VHS video footage of her and I cannot wait to see the magnificence of her youth. I see that she still has that wonderful evaluation in her senior years, and I have no doubt that she would have been a real show stopper in her prime. Bless you for being the angel on her back.

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  46. Shana, this is absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing such a personal and deeply emotional event with all of us. Very inspiring!

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  47. You are both so special Shana.....thank you for sharing this with us. Keep posting and keep loving.....
    xoxo
    Janet
    PS. I use your actions daily and tomorrow am off for a magazine shoot to included horses:-))

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  48. This brought tears to my eyes. Absolutely beautiful!

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  49. Oh my goodness. I'm grateful to be typing this because I can't verbally speak through these tears. This video is proof that despite her struggles she is happy. HAPPY. No matter how much longer she has on this earth, she is happy. Because of you and the wonderful people that you have trusted her care and boarding to. <3

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  50. What a beautiful video !! And I believe Willow is happy, really. You love her, and I think it's the best you can do for her. I sincerely wish she is going to recover and that she will live for years.

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  51. Brought tears to my eyes, seeing how graceful she is.

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  52. what a great video and a gorgeous animal.. thanks for sharing this

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  53. wauwwwww very touching video; admire you a lot .... wish you all the luck possible with Willow and your family ... stay safe !!!!

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  54. Thank God you took some footage, this is something to treasure forever, she really was special. God bless you xxxx

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  55. Shana,
    Your story of Willow has touched me in ways you would probably never imagine. My aunt, Rebecca, passed away unexpectedly this past January. She loved horses, even though she never had the opportunity to own one. She and Willow had much in common. Although my aunt had a family that loved her, she had an abusive ex-husband who left her broken, a shell of the woman she used to be. She struggled through life, she didn't have a lot, but she had a heart like none other. She refused to give up, and was always a fighter. I've followed bits and pieces of Willow's story through Facebook, but had never visited your blog until today. I have been weeping for the last hour. For Willow, for my aunt, for myself. Thank you for sharing your story, so beautifully told, with exquisite photos and video. It is very touching. Being a photographer myself, I know how healing the camera can be. Tammy Stacy (tammyk.stacy@gmail.com)

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  56. Oh My goodness that was the most beautiful video I ever saw! Thank You so much for sharing it with us. Shana you and Willow had such a beautiful bond that I never would have imagined. Beautiful and inspirational! Thank you for being the one to give her so much love!

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  57. Oh my goodness this was the most beautiful video I have ever seen. What a bond you had with Willow. She was so loved and gave her back to you in return. Thank you for being the one who got to show her the love she deserved before she fell asleep. Simply Beautiful!

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