Sometimes Bad Things Happen

And often times bad things happen to good people.

A friend who is in the business and loves horses, lost a foal today. He and his daughter are broken up about it, like so many in this business would be who love horses.

It's a tough business at the best of times, and it is very tough at the worst.

The mare was turned out in her paddock and had her foal during the day (after we have been watching her all night). When I got home the foal was lying on the snow and was cool with limited vital signs. We took them inside and the vet came promptly. We took the foal into the house and put him in a warm tub and rubbed him all over and manipulated his limbs ... we rubbed him in the tub for about 90 minutes ... everyone was soaking. Gradually his vital signs slipped away. We had no inkling that today would be any different from any other day for the mare. She looked great and heaven help us if we had tried to keep her in. I don't second guess the decision to turn her out. We felt then and now we had little choice but here's the thing .. we should have been there for them. Yes I work in town and my daughter goes to school but keeping animals is a sacred trust and we weren't there. If you aren't there when you are needed you aren't good enough.

This business is filled with people like this in it. They are who matter.

I'm sorry for their loss.