Woodsmith Farm

I have been wrestling with what to say about a tragic day with our beloved horse Will. When I went into the barn Monday morning to feed, Will called out as if pleading for my attention. I thought he was just really happy to see me until I went into his stall and I noticed he was awkwardly holding up his back right leg.

It was dark and I wasn't initially overly alarmed until he didn't turn to eat the grain I had just put in his feeder. We had been treating his leg for cellulites after a kick so I thought maybe something more serious had flared up overnight. I flipped on the light and looked at his leg. I kept looking at it trying to figure out what wasn't right. And then I saw it. It wasn't stable. It had a very slight sway as he held it up. Having never seen a broken leg before, I kept staring at it and thinking this can't be what I think it is. I put my hands on his leg and he put his toe on the ground and I could feel the bones shifting. I kept thinking over and over that this wasn't really happening. This can't be happening to Will.

I ran to the house to get my phone and I called TJ and told him he needed to come home. I then called Hagyards and they paged Jen, who had just been out the evening before to put in a catheter for his antibiotics to treat the cellulites. When I arrived at his stall for the second time he made the same type of pleading call. I sat there with him telling him it was going to be OK and crying. Will whinnied to everyone as they arrived. It was heart breaking.

TJ and I talked to him and cried and fed him horse cookies until Jen arrived. She confirmed that it was a break in the middle of his cannon bone, directly where he had been kicked the previous week. We didn't even discuss taking him to the clinic. I had enough time to think about it and to watch how difficult it was for him to support his weight on his three good legs as I waited for TJ and Jen to arrive. Will was a 16hh, 1400+ lb Quarter Horse with massive forearms, chest, hip, gaskins, etc. Even his forehead was a big muscle. He was a huge guy with bigger and better than average Quarter Horse feet and legs, but compared to his muscle mass I couldn't see putting him through surgery and the possible horrors of laminitis. If he had been built like Odessa who has twice the bone and foot but half the mass, I might have made a different decision. Just the week before on a trail ride the topic of how far would we go to save a horse came up. I made the comment that unfortunately unlike dogs or cats, horses need all 4 of their legs to support themselves. Their bodies just aren't made to work off 3 legs. As awful as the decision to euthanize Will was, I feel strongly that it was the right decision. Unfortunately I have experienced more than my fair share of euthanasias lately, so I know the process is swift and with seemingly little to no pain. Every time I watch the process I say that's the way I want to go...it's so quick.

So as TJ and I were sitting with Will about 25 minutes after it was all over, it started to sprinkle lightly. The sun was out and there were a few white clouds and TJ asked, where is that coming from? I looked up and said I don't know and then I saw a rainbow. I realize this might sound a bit weird, but it was right there. It wasn't directly over Will but pretty darn close and in a place where we never saw rainbows. The rainbows always appear in the East and this one was almost overhead and a bit West. Over about 2 minutes it got brighter and bigger and then started to disappear. The sprinkling was so light and only lasted 30 seconds maybe. I looked at TJ and said, that was weird and he agreed. It was a very surreal moment.

So, Monday was horrible. We cried all day...I am still crying actually. I missed him terribly when I went to feed this morning and he wasn't there. The pasture just doesn't look right without him. We don’t really know what happened, but there was nothing in his stall or on his body to indicate he had gotten caught somehow. We believe that the kick a week ago caused a fracture in his cannon bone even though he showed no signs of lameness and the swelling appeared only on the outside and around a small wound which was probably the point of impact of the kick. Whether he took a bad step, pivoted, or stomped at a fly, something caused his leg to give out. I bought him for TJ 10 years ago as a 4 month old orphan for $250. He was so narrow and small. Who knew he would turn into such a massive and gorgeous guy. Will was the once in a life time horse that we all strive to find. He was always happy, always great to work with and everyone who met him loved him. He was the best horse a person could ever ask for and TJ could not have had a better companion and teacher.

Rest in peace my friend.

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