With a heavy heart, yesterday, July 14th, I had to say goodbye to Mazan – 1993 gelding by Madras out of Pelenli. Maz was my ‘Mazerati’ in his youth, taking me to my first endurance ride, a zillion years ago (I didn’t know that horses can canter sideways and backwards), took me over jumps, through dressage tests, and then became my trusty school horse, always kind and patient, although he was known for smacking riders in the head with his tail if their aids were rough or inconsistent. He went to expos to show off the breed with multiple people. When being a school horse was too much, he became my husband Larry’s horse, taking Larry on adventures. When his arthritis got to be too much for that, he became the weanlings babysitter, until he said “no more foals!”. Then, he was the retired gentleman, announcing feeding times and tattling on any loose horses. These past few years have seen many bouts of nasty abscesses, probably partially because of his Cushings. This year, he didn’t shed out, so he got a trim (ok, he looked like he was hit with a weedwhacker, but he was cooler). These past few days he was brewing an abscess and all seemed normal, until yesterday morning, when it turned out to be his entire hoof abscessing. It was time, so the lovely young vet from Pilchuck came and pumped him full of IV bute (on top of the 4 grams I gave him) and he was able to have his final ride. He went out like the trooper he always was. I’ll miss the old guy – 26 years and change, but now he’s galloping with Annie and Khan and Gus in the lush pastures on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge. RIP Maz.😔
