A Tribute to my Horse

[cowboyup3371]

I purchased Lou, my Paint Mare, in 2006 at the age 6 or 7 - previous owner was unsure of her age.  For the first year we had some rough times as she was barely green broke but soon we had some wonderful rides together.  When my eldest daughter and her family came into my life in 2008, she too developed a great relationship with my horse but experienced her own issues (bulging lower disc in the back after a fall from Lou) with her.  When we left Colorado for Ohio in 2012, Lou stayed behind until we could get into a better financial position and finally joined us here in 2017.  Unfortunately, we learned that she had developed Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Cancer) in her left eyelid which is a common problem with Paint horses that have bald faces like mine.  I wasn't able to afford the surgery at Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital so we decided to try other medications that ultimately did not help matters.

After some aggravating and heart-wrenching thought and discussion, I decided that Lou would be euthanized and so Monday, yesterday, she crossed over the Rainbow Bridge onto greener pastures.  With much thanks to Grampa for his efforts, I made this memorial for my eldest so she could keep something of Lou (I have my halter and saddle).  The picture is of my eldest's last rodeo with Lou this past August while the horsehair is a lock of Lou's mane.

Charmayne Picture of Lou by Scott Baker, on Flickr

I'll give the frame to my eldest when she comes back out this next weekend as I didn't put the last pieces on until tonight.

Edited January 6, 2021 by cowboyup3371

[Rockytime]

What a wonderful memorial. So sorry for your loss.

[wombatie]

So very sorry for your loss.  A beautiful portrait and tribute.

Marg

[Tomanydogs]

Wonderfully cut. So sorry for your loss. 

[daveww1]

very sorry for your loss, very nice portrait

[amazingkevin]

I shed a tear for you shutting down the horse. but a long lasting portrait adore.

[rjR]

Very nice work. 

[Dragonkort]

beautiful to those of us who love animals they are never just pets or partners in work they are family and they are dearly missed when God calls them home.   i made my oldest daughter a fret work of her first dog coco a sharpa and then then the bull dog toothpick holder for her bull dog moose who died just a few months ago.. last week she lost the cat we had had since she was in high school...luna lived to be about 20 years old.  I have a pattern for a fret work of my first service dog Charlie that i have never cut out because the lines are so close together ( i hope i might be able to do it on my cnc machine once im done learning how to use it.... and my beloved Sheba my current service dog (shes 150 i hope to have someone make a pattern of her for me as well but with her med long hair i will have to hope my cnc machine will be able to cut her out as well....i think i'll clip some of her hair to to put with her picture if i ever get one made ad done of her...wish i had thogut to do that with my charlie...you diid a GREAT JOB!!

[rdatelle]

A great memory to cherish. You did a great job cutting that out.