Grace
I first communicated with Laura 16 years ago when she was considering purchasing Grace. Would Grace be a good horse for her or should she keep looking? I assured her that the two would be a wonderful match.
Indeed, their relationship turned out to be even more than Laura could have dreamed. Laura recently reached out to me because Grace, who is now 28 years old, was experiencing lameness. Laura had tried different treatments, all without success.
The question she had: What did Grace want to do now?
As much as Grace loves her family and wants to give her all, her body is tired and she feels like it’s not going to get better. She does not want to disappoint, but there’s a feeling of dread when she thinks of being saddled up, schooled, or going out for a hack.
I shared this information with Laura. She agreed that she needed to take the next step in completely allowing Grace to retire with love, appreciation, and support. Laura opened this conversation with her family so they could all express their feelings. It was Laura’s young daughter who had mostly been riding Grace, so it was most important for her to be involved.
After having conversations with Grace and her family, Laura felt as if a burden had been lifted from her, and she also noticed a new lightness in Grace’s spirit. She knew without a doubt she had made the right decision for Grace and the entire family.