Blondie
Oct 16, 1978 to May 5, 2007
"If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again."
I have a very sad announcement, one I thought would not have to be made for another 10 years. My baby girl Blondie had to be sent to heaven May 5, 2007.
Blondie and I spent her last moments sharing some Werthers candies...she loved them. Thankfully I was able to be with her till the end. I have had Blondie for 25 years...she has been the most amazing horse to walk this earth. So many of us have been blessed with fun and wild and crazy times with Blondie...and the (occasional) stubborn moments. We have been so lucky to have her in our lives. She will be missed terribly. But just think, she is now reunited with Dusty and Soloman, her main men.
Blondie you have touched my life in more ways that you can't imagine. You have been loyal, loving, funny, adventurous, playfull, willful, determined, stubborn, and smart. You have pulled me out of plenty of close calls. You are the best friend that I aspire to be.
You always marched to the beat of your own drum....whether we liked it or not!
I was 11years old when we first met, and you became mine on my 12th birthday. I think you are the reason I survived my teenage years. I always knew you were there when needed. Your fuzzy ears always listeded intently. And though you never spoke a word, you said plenty.
I will forever cherish the feeling of racing like the wind bareback on the running stretch....we were truly one. I will also remember our camping trip...you, me and toby. Having to chase you back to the barn when you broke your lead..and seeing you laughing each time I thought I might get close enough to catch you! I remember leaning forward whispering in your ear "GO!", and feeling every ounce of energy kick into high gear. I remember swimming bareback down in the river, and our birthday rides each fall, holding tightly to your mane as we ran up the hill from the river. I remember our many midnight rides...you were the angel watching over my shoulder, keeping me safe.
As I write this so many months later, the tears still can't stop....I was not ready to lose you, though I do not think I would have ever been ready.
My consolation is that as I look in the sky at night, and find the brightest star in the sky.. I know you are there with Soloman and Dusty, looking down and smiling, with that ever-present sparkle in your eye.
I love you, Blondie, and am so thankful that I was able to spend 25 years with you as my best friend.
In addition to being my best friend, you were also my inspiration for starting up Five Star Ranch. This Blondie is one of your many gifts to us and your legacy.
Gail
A letter from a close friend:
I heard the news at Loretta's lesson yesterday and was completely stunned. My emotions just blind sided me - I just can't believe your girl is gone... she was never sick, never lame, never a problem. I wanted to burst into tears right then - but the kids were all around... and I thought Blondie loved kids; she never scared a kid, or dumped a kid, she was the perfect mom! And instead of crying I tried to think of all my memories with Blondie and as I called her "Wonder Woman".
My first Blondie experience if you remember way back when I did trails on Trixie because Blondie was "Gails horse" and no one rode her but you and those who had your blessing. You came down to the barn one day and told me to use Blondie instead of Trixie. I was really nervous, this was your baby and I didn't know Blondie; but you insisted and tried to reassure me by saying "she is just like Trixie only better and safer that she had brakes". That made me feel a little better, I really liked Trixie and was curious as to what her mom was like so off I went on Blondie with my trail following right behind. Things were going pretty well, we were turning up the field just to the side of the Chicken farm for the first lope and I didn't even finish my words to the trail and off to the races we went full tilt, and definately no brakes, and as I turned to check the trail riders I noticed they couldn't keep up, and I pulling on Blondie and she's smiling and running and as we turned the corner of the field it is like she knew time to slow down and jog and then as the group caught up, she finally walked. By the way the trail riders were thrilled, they had never been allowed to go that fast before and would definately be comming back... they didn't realise I was out of control... and from then on Blondie was lead horse only, and I finally figured out how to use my seat to slow down. That was one of many lessons she taught me. She was my partner, my friend, my guide when I got lost (cause I loved to try new trails) and she was the only horse I ever part boarded.
Do you remember when you convinced me to take Blondie in a Five Star show? We did all the usual classes including Trail... one of the obstacles was to walk over to a blue barrel and pick up a bag filled with empty pop cans, pick it up and walk over to the other barrell and put it down. HEE Hee! boy, did I ever have fun trying to pick up the bag... trying being the key word.
Blondie wasn't afraid of much but I never did understand the fear she had for deer. She was the same size as the deer and the same colour as the deer, but they were horse eating deer to her and she'd rather go over a cliff then get close to one of them... That brings me to one of my favorite memories of Blondie, again we were out on a trail with "the regulars" Linda and Geneanne, and we decided to have a bit of a run around one of the Bronte Park wheat fields (even though we weren't supposed to); the wheat was really high and it looked so inviting and I made my trail promise not to tell on me.... So here we go, we're loping around the field, it's wonderful, the sound of the wheat as we run through it and then all of a sudden Blondie is jumping in the air... and I look down, and we had just jumped over a fawn! Wow, what a moment! That moment will aways be frozen in my mind and treasured forever.
I could write a book easily about my adventures, but I think I should leave that idea for you! Thank you so much Gail for lending me Blondie for all of those moments and for letting her touch so many others young and old. She truly was a "Wonder Woman", a gift and a treasure. I miss her so much!
All my love and Hugs
Stacey