In Loving Memory of ANNA

On July 26, 2009, dear Anna died at approximately 42 years of age, of a twisted gut colic. Her suffering was not long, and her end was quick. Her life story, however, is one of suffering and endurance…

Anna came to The Golden Carrot after being rescued from her long-time home by the Ardis family of Orange County. Anna had belonged to her former owner for her whole life, along with her life-companion Tango Prince (age 27). Both were starved so much, and so consistently, that the prior owner had been cited by the Animal Services officers in that area several times. They lived together in a 24x24 pen, and the records indicate that on the day Tango Prince was gelded at age 8, an exam showed that Anna was pregnant. There are no records of the birth, if indeed she was able to bring a foal to term. When the former owner died, his children "didn't know what to do with the horses" (as tho the former owner did), and the Ardis family stepped up. They adopted Anna and Tango, and tried to bring them into better form. Their vet opined that Tango had sustained kidney damage from so much starvation over so long a period of time. They were able to put some weight on these two, but zoning restrictions prevented them from keeping the two, and Nicole Ardis contacted TGC. With a generous donation from the Ardis family, Anna and Tango came here for the balance of their lives.

Anna and Tango were inseparable. Literally. Although I put them in adjacent stalls, Tango was so distraught at not having almost constant contact with Anna, that he would not eat and paced the fenceline between them. So, I prepared a special stall they could share. For the four months before Tango gave up his battle with failing kidneys, the two of them lived in that stall together, and wandered my stall-line each day as Tango was unwilling to join the herd. Tango kept getting weaker and weaker, and despite her obvious desire to join the herd, Anna stood by him. When Tango died, Anna was torn between her clear grief and pain at his loss (they'd spent over 25 years together after all), and her desire to join TGC's herd. She grieved for a few days, spending a lot of her time standing exactly where he'd stood in his last 2 days, in exactly the same position he did, right to his down-hung head. And then, she shook herself and resolved to live...

Anna had a very weak hind end. Her photos show that her hind pasterns were collapsed, and a lifetime in a small stall with another horse precludes much hind end development. But only a few months in the herd really helped her, and soon she was cantering out each day with the herd, and her special immediate friend, Peanut. Peanut had stood alone for years - I was thrilled to see someone who could approach her kindly and gently enough that she didn't automatically run away. And Kindness, and Gentleness, were hallmarks of Anna. When the wild and crazy Dion attached himself to her and Peanut, Anna tolerated his antics too. This little mini-herd was a joy to Anna, and on occasion when Peanut disappeared into our brushy area for some shade, Anna would trill out her sweet and distinctive neigh until they hooked up again.

I used Peanut for riding lessons and girl scout visits, but Anna was very elderly, and Dion was so excitable that he wasn't suitable. They both missed Peanut, but it was Anna that cried for her, and paced the fenceline waiting for her to come back. Here, Anna and Dion wait anxiously for the girlscout visit in April of 2009 to finish...

Anna was an easy keeper during her years here. She ate well; only needed trims (although trimming her hind feet was difficult as she had trouble lifting those legs, particularly at first). Her manners were impeccable, even small children handled her easily. We think her vision was failing during her time here, and perhaps she was actually close to blind by her last days. She seemed for her last year here to become a little disoriented at day's end, and would stand waiting for someone to lead her into her stall.

Anna was never an "earning" horse, as best I can tell from the records availble. She was never a lesson horse, although apparently the children of her former owner rode her; she wasn't a breeding mare although she was recorded as pregnant at least once; she wasn't a race horse, or a riding-stable horse. She lived a quiet and largely neglected life, with far more starvation than I would wish on anyone. But her spirit and will to live was strong, and she endured. She was a good friend to Tango. Once here, she gave her loyalty to Peanut and Dion. She was well-behaved and cooperative with people, and made few demands. She was a good person. And that should be all one has to do to "earn" decent treatment.

I loved the little Anna-banana and watched her happiness in TGC's herd with great satisfaction. She was a lady, and a joy to have around. In her last hours, as her body failed her, she stood still for her treatment, and enjoyed her massage and grooming, all I could do for her in her final time.

As her days came to a close, she seemed to revert .... splashing playfully in her water barrel, and when I allowed it, walking into Peanut's stall to stand close to her, tucking her head into Peanut's side. Like a foal. I think mother nature took Anna's mind before her body, allowing her to slide gently out of this life - and I hope that she was able to find Tango again. She is so missed...