Goodbye, Old Friend

For Grandpa and Teton. May they be riding down those trails together again...

It's been time for a while now...to say goodbye. And I knew you knew that when I walked out in the corral the other day on that cold and frosty morning. The time had come to let go. And I could hear Grandpa saying the same. The goosebumps came, the hair stood up on my neck and the tears welled on my icy eyelashes while I slipped the halter on and walked you to the trailer...

It's funny how one, single moment can cause a flood of memories. This moment, this short walk from the corral to the horse trailer with the last horse, Teton, Grandpa C.B. rode and called his own, did just that.

Memories of every single horse I've owned in my lifetime flashed through my mind; the good moments and the not so good. I could hear my Grandpa's words from that July day in 1989, as I stared at the carcass of my horse lying on the cold concrete floor in the vet's office, my 12 year old heart crushed and broken, tears falling and his hand on my shoulder, "Sweetheart, you're gonna outlive a lotta horses in this old life. You're gonna have to toughen up."

I looked at him, thinking how cold and cruel and unfeeling he was but now I know he was right.

And I have toughened up. I've had to thanks to my life's path of working at the ranch with the horses and mules. I have outlived a lot of them; really good ones and some real pains in the ass. And none of them have been easy but I've learned so much during these junctures in life. I just haven't learned to say goodbye to these old friends very well.

Saying goodbye to Teton was really tough. The last memory I have of Grandpa at the ranch was on this quick little black and white pinto. He still carried himself with that snap of step and ears perked but his body was failing him at 28. It was time and it was the right thing to do. So, I smiled through tears closing that trailer door. I knew Grandpa would be waiting at the top of the pass for this good old boy, ready for that last ride through the mountains of time.

I find a little comfort in this thought... And I smile thanking God for all those horses I've had the pleasure of crossing trails with over the years and the ones hopefully still to come. And although, goodbyes never come easy, I know they're going to come regardless. And like old cowboys and their horses deserve, I will honor them by carrying on and remembering what it means to be cowgirl tough.

May the good Lord bless and keep you, you and your old friends.

Happy Trails~

Heather