The weather is supposed to be beautiful today... over 80 degrees and sunny. But when I look outside, all I see is a dark, cloudy sky.
I asked Martha to come early so that we could work with The Prince a bit after Mirabella's lesson and so she could check out the new barn we built for the geldings in the back pasture. I was so looking forward to spending the first half of the day in the sunshine with Martha. We have been working on a list about Willow- everything she tried to teach us - so I thought we could finalize the list today.
But Martha just called. I knew something was wrong right when I heard her voice. "It's Ada," she said... "She's down in the field, just like Alice was... and she's struggling. We are going to have to put her down..." Poor, sweet old Ada... what a beautiful soul. And was always so grateful that she was a faithful friend to Willow while she was at Martha's farm. I hated to hear that she was down and that she had probably broken her shoulder... just like Willow had.
The tears came fast and I told Martha that I was on my way to come be with her. After what Martha did for me just one month ago today with Willow, it was the least I could do. I just pictured her in the pasture trying to comfort sweet Ada until the vet could arrive... not knowing when that would be. At first, Martha said it was fine, but then she told me not to come. She said Ada's owner Michelle was on her way and that she had other friends already at the farm. She said she didn't want me to see Ada that way... that it wasn't pretty or peaceful. She knows my heart is still raw from the pain of losing Willow, and she wanted to spare me seeing the process. Ada is struggling in the field right now, and Martha is having a hard time pacifying her. She can't give her anything that might interfere with the sedation and drugs the vet will give her. Martha is so strong, but I can tell she is sad... Still, she told me how blessed she was to have Ada in her life, and she told me how much she'd learned from Ada. She said it was Ada's time to go and be with her sister and to be with God. So I asked her to please kiss Ada for me. And I asked her to ask Ada to say hi to Willow when she sees her in Heaven...
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| Martha rescues Ada in 2008 |
What is it about a horse's life that is so epic to me? They all seem to have such a story to tell. Ada and her sister Alice's story is an amazing one. The newspaper article about Martha and these two amazing mares hangs framed on the tackroom wall in Martha's barn. I've written about them a couple times here... (here is when Alice passed http://www.velvetwillow.com/2013/01/a-sad-day-at-marthas-farm.html). I'm quite sure they will bury Ada right next to Alice in the field...
Ada is in her late 30's... if she were a woman, she'd be over 100 years old. Yes, it may be her time but it breaks my heart to think of her in pain and struggling at this moment. And I also ache for Martha's heart... Prayers for both of them. It's going to be a long morning...
