Lock of hair from Snowy tail on top of A2 Z cookie box- Snowy’ s all time favorite treat of which he would get one a day at the car trunk to begin our walks
The hardest part about losing snowy is that we had so much fun together that I will miss. We looked forward to seeing each other everyday if not once then twice . Snowy would be looking out for me in the corner of his stall and I would greet him with a A to Z cookie and it was fun and games from there for the next hour or two as described
. Everyday was an adventure, no two days exactly alike. After several years of really getting to know and Trust each other we had figured out a routine – much more than just going for a walk – with all the things snowy liked, and he returned his appreciation in many ways, while maintaining and even improving his health until that fateful day when he could no longer forstall ‘old man time’ as all his systems seemEd to shut down at once (which is probably the best way to go rather than a prolonged , slow painful process.)
I’ve always believed that animals, unlike many humans, if given the chance will usually GIVE BACK in direct proportion to what we give them… and more. This couldn’t have been more true with Snowy these last weeks. I don’t say that out of ego, but just for factual reasons as I witnessed up close and personal like never before during July when I was with Snowy more than ever -at least twice a day for several hours while co-guardian Mindy was recovering from a broken leg. I had no idea , at the time , that these would be our final weeks together, but I am oh so grateful I could be there with and for him during his last days for what became magical times during which we bonded more and became closer than ever . I will always cherish these special moments for multiple reasons, being there for Snowy at the end and benefitting from seeing how a extra care goes a long ways and not asking for but what I got back from Snowy in terms of love and appreciation.
There was no need for hospice. After Snowy went off hay a few years back, he was one of the few horses around without any major issues despite his age, living in good health and seemingly happy until his last day , July 28 – when ‘old man time’ finally caught up with him. I was supposed to go to a concert Sunday July 27 but I’m so glad I didn’t as this would be our last evening together
one of our favorite
SNOWY IN THE MUSTARD – we always enjoyed when the mustard came up in the spring as a beautiful background for Snowy walks
Just earlier this month, we celebrated a second recent birthday for Snowy’s ’33 1/3′ (if you get the drift) only a few months after celebrating his 33rd birthday, based on our best guesses. Glad we did as that would be Snowy’s last.
THANK YOU
We know Snowy (and his guardians) would like to thank you equine and human friends and neighbors for the love and friendship you showed him these past five or so years at Hossmoor.
We know he appreciated everything you did for him, from adding food to his bowl on his new ‘sludge-free’ diet, to occasional treats to just saying hello.
Snowy had a very good life in recent years and was happy to call Hossmoor and the D barn his happy place after many prior years of disruption and isolation while being passed around by various owner/people who didn’t really seem to know what to do with an older, withdrawn Arab horse..
And Mindy and I, his last guardians and good buddies, were very fortunate to see Snowy evolve from a shy, scared Arab horse to a happy, even outgoing little guy with lots of friends and happy days at Hossmoor ‘retirement home’ in Briones, CA.
EARLY LIFE
Before Mindy began working with Snowy at a Sonoma horse rescue ranch a decade ago, from what we know his earlier life had not been easy. He was still wary of humans then around 2015, perhaps a victim of horse brutality along the way, with a snout scar to show for that. But Mindy saw something special in Snowy and wanted to help make his life easier-and she certainly made a good decision as Snowy’s ebullient personality that had been hidden all those years was able to eventually come out with al lot of TLC and good care, training and reassurance by Mindy and others.. Because of the 50 mile distance to the Santa Rosa rescue facility, Mindy was only able to visit Snowy once a week or less so Snowy had very little other social contact and things to occupy his time. That is until we offered to help Mindy adopt Snowy and bring him close to our Eastbay homes where we could visit Snowy daily – or even twice a day🙂 .
FROM WEST TO EAST
So, we ‘bit the bullet and brought Snowy across the bay to Walnut Creek and Lucky Acres, a smallish retirement ranch for horses like Snowy. But, just as we were all trying to get adjusted here,, the 90-year-old owners announced their own retirement and plans to evacuate the ranch except for their own horses. After much searching for a new barn for Snowy – and difficult meeting of the minds- we finally agreed that Hossmoor might be the best place for Snowy, retirement home or otherwise. The Lucky Acres closure turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Snowy, and us, as Snowy had much more room to ‘stretch out’ at Hossmoor- with trails and turnouts not so available at Lucky Acres or other mostly smaller barns in the area . We liked the rolling hills and the friendly nature of the place with 50 other potential equine friends and their humans.
HOSSMOOR -Snowy’s Final and Happy Home
Snowy’s short walks at Lucky Acres in his first Eastbay ( Walnut Creek ) home around 2018 became long walks at Hossmoor in Briones, CA – a bucolic oasis on Bear Creek Road nearly Alhambra Blvd., nestled between Lafayette, Orinda and Martinez and lots of nature. It seems like yesterday we met with the friendly, welcoming Cindy, who had just taken over running the Hossmoor ranch from long-time o owner Heddi (sp), who we had actually met months earlier when first looking for a ranch for Snowy after he moved across the Bay, at the time we decided on Lucky Acres.). At Hossmoor, Snowy had a ‘lot’ of ‘work’ to do – there was the eurocizer we would schedule him for Tuesday and Thursday mornings , with turnouts on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, and other training activities on weekends with Carla along the way that kept Snowy busier and happier than before. And of course, what would become Snowy’s longtime buddy and stall neighbor, Mas, was very important to him as was Janet, Mas’ mom and a caregiving horse person and welcoming neighbor to Snowy when he arrived in 2018-19 and very helpful to us novice horse folks . And then there were the other younger friends and more recent additions like Mel on the opposite side stall from Mas, and Beauty and Sierra going down the line on the left side of the barn. Then, on the right, there were Pumpkin, Maddie , Shadrock and Jesse, who we were very sad to lose recently.. and feeling sad for guardians Polly and Bracken. and now sad for Mas and Mel, now losing their good friend and neighbor, Snowy, himself.
Snowy was lucky to call Mas his best bud and stall neighbor from day one to his last day (Mas and Snowy were at the ‘D’ Barn longer than any other horses while we were there and among the oldest at Hossmoor until we were lucky to have seniors Django, 27, and Parry, 26, come along across the hall from us and their guardians Andrea and Cheryl. And , then there were other younger friends like Mel on Snowy’s opposite side stall from Mas, and Sandy’s Beauty and Sierra going down the line to the front of the barn. Then, on the northern side of the barn there was Pumpkin and Maddie and Shadrock and Jesse, until we recently lost him as ‘greeter’ in the first stall opposite Sierra (feeling sad for Polly and Bracken. and now sad for Mas and Mel, now losing their good friend and neighbor, Snowy himself.) There was also Cybelle’s Quincy, a big dapple-colored guy just beyond Mas’ stall moving South, followed by Rae and Kitty Hawk (Ondine) (sp) – each with their own special personalities. Talk about personality, Opposite Kitty Hawk on the other side going down to the end of the barn was Jake’s ‘Red’ aka Baby Girl who likes to mouth off, but in a funny way. And there was Janets new friend, Pablo we were just getting to befriend., Bossy and a couple others on the South side (if I’m getting directions right). And there were others who moved away during Snowy’s stay at Hossmoor- including equine friends nearly as old as Snowy like Abby’s Perry and Sabrina’s Jasper, who we lost tragically a couple years back.
And that was ONLY the ‘D’ barn. There are three other large barns on property – the P barn at the East end and the H and R barns closer to the front of Hossmoor when you enter. And, Snowy had some casual acquaintances from those barns – horses like Rachel’s Beau, who we’d see on our walks and Diana’s Cole, a big gray who we knew the longest going back to Lucky Acres- he followed us to Hossmoor -who we liked to visit in turnout- after the Lucky Acres closing but left recently . There was Carol and Chesley’s Scarlett, another oldie but goodie, who recently moved away whose company we enjoyed . And we must mention all the wonderful ranch hands like Ann , who hadsher horses Murphy, George and Aspen, who we would stop by to visit on our daily walks in their hearby mini-barn just behind our D barn. There is Patty with her horse Dancer and Paige (sp), the most recent addition to the staff whose horses’ name escapes me- and Kira (who did a wonderful job finishing Paige’s summer clipping of Snowy) for a cool summer coat that really helped him keep cool these last few weeks. And there was Leo and musn’t forget Cindy and Sam, owners of Hossmoor you could find out doing projects most anyt time of day- always there for emergencies like when we ran out of Pracend (sp) and Equiox (sp) pills for Snowy . And there were many others people who came and went, like Patricia and Felicia and their brood. They played a big part in Snowy’s life and We miss them all . And then there were the cleaning/work staff with friendly folks whose names are escaping me right now, and with whom once we got past the language barrier were a lot of fun – I’m thinking of one who rode his bike miles to work at Hossmoor and another I gave a ride to Bart who also rode his bike while car was getting fixed. Goodbye and good luck to all and hope to maybe see you again.
I knew virtually nothing about horses when I began helping Mindy with Snowy but I sure learned a lot quickly and over time. And as I learned more, I was able to help Snowy re-establish his true personality with reassurance and support . And what a personality…
ELDER STATESMAN
Whether snowy was playing his role as the senior ‘boss’ horse or not, he would greet other horses with a gentle nip to the snout as if to say ‘helloand I’m the boss‘ (ha ha) before quickly and quietly moving on. But the way he did it was different than I’ve seen from other horses. It was as if Snowy, the elder statesman, was accepting others into ‘ the Hossmoor D barn club‘. But it wasn’t like Snowy was picking some horses over others. If they were open to him , he seemed generally accepting of them all. Though, of course, he had his favorites -among them especially the ‘old timers’ like Mas. And, now, with five years under his belt at Hossmoor, he was now not only there the longest in the D barn, along with Mas, but the oldest.
And I think the others appreciated and respected Snowy in his elder statesman role.
Drs’ 2 Four Letter Words Helped With Snowy’s Initial Turnaround
But it hadn’t always been roses for Snowy. Even after transitioning to Hossmoor, Snowy developed Laminitis, a painful and potentially serious inflammatory leg condition that can cause lameness. Then there were some abscesses and other issues like colic. He would eventually go into full blown Cushing which eventually led to us taking Snowy off of hay. in his first years at Hossmoor requiring him to go on Pracend pills. Snowy also had many choking episodes with hay which led to other problems – and he managed to gain a lot of weight, with not enough exercise. But that all changed when we transitioned Snowy off hay to all-pellets including teff and alfalfa, which, fortunately , he LIKED. And also, a one-off visit from sub vet Dr Obrien that got us all off our duffs with a very direct, four-letter order that ended with the word: MOVE . We won’t say the other four letter word of the Doctor’s description of Snowy’s weight at the time but the doctor was right and sometimes directness gets action as it did with us. So, long walks became even longer walks including some lunging until we had to take Snowy off that with the developing Cushing. Snowy did a lot of rolling, a horse favorite where they gingerly let themselves down on the ground and roll in the sand or whatever is on the ground- and we have some fun pictures and videos of him , below, doing just that in the round barn with the mustard in bloom
But now, we/I felt bad that Snowy could not eat hay with the others. He would be done with his ‘pellet porridge’ while his neighbors were able to crunch on hay indefinitely. We got around that by putting in a special , unique, automatic feeder that would drop his pellets into a bowl in Snowy’s stall at overnight times we designated, eg 10 pm, 12am, 2 and 4 am – and sometimes a few times we didn’t designate when the machine got a little leaky. Snowy took to these additional 3-4 overnight meals like a dog to Pavlov’s bell when the food would noisily drop into the bowl from feeder.Now, Snowy didn’t didn’t feel so left out as we would also often leave a little extra in the feeder during the day. The feeder was developed by a clever man in Florida who talked me through the somewhat difficult initial set-up and positive results -which Snowy enjoyed through his last days (except those rare windy nights when the battery got loose or went out and I wasn’t around to fix it or replace the battery until the next day.
DOWN TO A SCIENCE
As noted, Snowy was considerably overweight at one point and changing the diet and the scolding from Dr O’Brien got him moving and us off our duffs- one of the best things that happened involving Snowy and his health, despite some initial controversy it would cause. We began taking full advantage of the spaciousness of Hossmoor with full park walks following Doctor’s orders to ‘move’ and the inspiration of Janet who would walk Mas nearly everyday around the entire (roughly a mile) perimeter of Hossmoor.
…and so we finally got Snowy’s diet down to a science with all the r i g h t foods he liked . If he couldn’t get the hay at least he could get the hay/alfalfa in pellet form and as many of you may have noticed we had quite a gourmet spread in front of Snowys’ stall we (and you) could hand feed at the end.
Snowy’s New Southwest look and Out with the Old , In with the New Diet –
JULY SCARE BRINGS NEW LIFE/DIET
Just last month Snowy scared us all when one hot day early July he suddenly stopped eating . He had been doing so well and we also noticed a very swollen right leg. But our dear new vets found nothing really wrong with him other than maybe he was getting more water than he wanted as food and water can make a horse feel even hotter. Many thought it w as the heat but Snowy continued not eating for days in early July despite the cooling climate. We tried some different foods while noticing Snowy would readily eat the hand treats/food without the water that would turn to mush in the buckets. So, the vets were right and we cut back on the water and snowy started eating again. At first we painstakingly lightly coated each handful of food with water as we slowly dropped them into his bucket before it could turn to unappealing mush , or SLUDGE might be a better term,for the many buckets of wasted food we had to throw out, as seen in above video
At first, it wasn’t working so well and we noticed Snowy losing weight but in recent weeks he started gaining weight again and eating his entire meals even without the hand watering.
Meanwhile with all the extra time and attention Snowy and I were building up an even stronger bond together. Mindy had to take leave of her late shift so I was with Snowy twice a day, afternoons and evenings . It got to the point we could almost read each other’s minds. I know whenSnowy didn’t want to go any further as the wind shot up or there were some horses running in the field he wanted to chase or avoid. We even started up some new exercises and field work as we called it -with obstacles and such under the supervision of trainer Carla. We were always worried about Snowy being bored and these activities really helped give him some ‘work’ to do the past year and show off his progress, e.g. the figure 8s between the cones and even learning to step up on raised surfaces to simiulate boarding a trailer , yet another work project.
Just the other day Snowy wouldn’t leave his paddock. Knowing Snowy it was his way of rebelling against the new leggings the vets had ordered to help strengthen his back legs and prevent inflammation. I KNEW Snowy and once I took the leggings off, Snowy happily exited the paddock for a Snowy-walk. So, yes, I could pretty much read Snowy’s mind now, finally, after years in the making.
Snowy didn’t care for the new leg wraps, but was gradually getting used to them as we increased the usage a few minutes more each day. Between this and the new allergy meds and less grazing, Snowy was like the old perky Snowy again and getting better each day! Who would have thought he’d be gone in less than a month? (Burt, then again, he WAS 33 1/3 – or thereabouts and other things were going on inside we probably didn’t know about).
Coughing had been a big issue ever since Snowy was eating hay. Though we stopped they hay for pellets and limited grass grazing some time ago there was still coughing. But , in recent weeks, with a combination of aforementioned allergy medicine – another new discovery, thanks to our new vets- and less grazing, the coughing totally disappeared for the first time in years. So, even though Snowy was getting older he seemed to be getting better and better. People noted his unusually animated ways and perkiness during what is normally a hot climate.Snowy’s walking was no longer labored with him stopping every 20 feet as he’d been doing in June and early July. Of course, adding his old ‘shoes’ to his front feet during walks, didn’t hurt -another good suggestion from Janet and other helpful barn friends.
BORROWED TIME
Even with all the good news, in the back of our minds – not 100% sure about that but a pretty good chronological guess – we knew Snowy was on borrowed time. we just celebrated what we believed was Snowy’s 33rd birthday or very close to that – longer than most horses are here on earth and approaching 100 years in comparable human life span.
Snowy shows off his new summer blanket and nearly matching mask during a cool July evening.
NOTHING LASTS FOREVER
As noted, just lately Snowy had been as animated and perky as we remember, while eating well and gaining weight and I was beginning to think that he was going to become the oldest horse in the Guinness book of records.. Then Friday morning , July 25th. I got that dreaded call telling me to come to the ranch right away because Snowy couldn’t get up.
I was hoping it was just because maybe he hadn’t swallowed his Equiox last night, and when I got there Our dear vet, Dr Michelle and lovely assistant, were there already and gave us The bad news that Snowy was really failing. Old age had finally caught up to Snowy. Body systems were suddenly breaking down. (We were told via Patty, that Snowy had been able to get up briefly, earlier, but he fell right down.) While there weren’t any good options this time.
T he only good news was that this all appeared to happen around 8- 9:00 a.m. in the morning when people were around and Snowy didn’t have to suffer any more than he might have.
We feel very fortunate to have had almost 10 years with snowy AND lots of good times and now memories watching a horse nearly come back from the dead, literally and figuratively, on several occasions.
Also, that this last month was perhaps the coolest July on record was helpful for Snowy and us. As I said , as strange as it is to say, it couldn’t have been a better last month of life for Snowy – one of his best ever if not his best and a good month for me – as I was able to see Snowy twice a day or more as Mindy recovers from her broken leg. How fortunate can we be and can Snowy be to go out on on top on his own terms without hospice or any major illnesses, hospitalization or painful , chronic situations like so many horses, due to the fragile nature of the animal. As I have noted to others, there was nothing really seriously wrong with Snowy at the e n d -yet everything was wrong with him to some extent, i.e. a tire, worn out body. I guess that’s what they mean when they say someone dies of old age. After all, Snowy at about 33 was pushing 100 in human years.
We’re grateful that we were able to celebrate Snowys approximately 33rd birthday, as pictured at top, with Parry and Cheryl and some of you at a ranch party April 19 – and even did a little poster for his 33rd and a3rd, if you will ,birthday, pictured at top. Of course there were some younger did not quite understand the ’33 1/3′ significance with the record. (Record? What’s that) (Inspired by Cheryl’s previous horse who also made it to 33 and a third)
FINAL COMEBACK SHORT-LIVED
We tried to do everything possible, within reason, for Snowy after his setback early July with the heat. This included taking him out everyday for two short er walks and putting his boots on first to help keep his feet cooler on warm ground . Then, as noted , there was the allergy medicine, that seemed to help, and the newly clipped fur which has become a standard for keeping older, furry horses cooler in summer.
…And lots of healthy treats. Some have kidded me about carrying my treat bag around when snowy and I were walking. The treats were to divert Snowy from eating grass; we’d bargain when Snowy wanted to eat grass he’d get something even better instead, a low sugar Stabul piece, or, better yet, an A-to-Z low carb cookie. At first he didn’t go with the trade, but eventually he took to the creative variety of low-carb treats, never knowing which one I’d pull out of my back of tricks.
NEW ROUTINE NOT SO ROUTINE
We even had worked out a routine -WITH SNOWY’S HELP – much more than just walking in the last month or two. It would start off WHEN I ARRIVED MID-AFTERNOON with a cold WET towel to cool off Snowy off on a warm day while Snowy munched on his mid-afternoon healthy snack -healthy 8-VARIETY PELLETS coated lightly in my hand with water , then an A to Z cookie, some grooming both body and feet and freshwater bucket fill for snowy.
After about half an hour of prep, it was time to venture out for our afternoon walk, which could vary but usually started out straight across where we would walk to the turnouts to find an open water trough which snowy loved to drink from better than his own small water tub. Then we would turn left and go down to one of two low patches of lowgrass that snowy was capable of chewing without choking – not the tall stuff I that looked like he was trying to eat a plant (and I told him that had to stop, which it did). After only couple bites of low grass it was a right turn up to the ‘north 40’ (but most recently we cut the walks , forgoing the perimiter walks and we would just go straight paralleling the road in the middle aisle. At the end of the turnout run we’d make a left turn where snowy could eat from the other l o w grass station number 2 for a couple more bites. In between stops I would give out a couple simple treats or a small handful of our special pellet mix. It was always fun to see our friends along the way like Rachel and Beau who took their walk about the same time we did . But we never stopped long because we had our work to do . Then it was usually down to the shade Trail and l e f t turn back where Snowy enjoyed the nice dirt f o o t i n g. Snowy didn’t lollygag at this point , like he would sometimes do on the first leg as he was looking forward to getting home to his barn and buddies and dinner. As we cut through the last patch we’d say hello to George, Murphy and Aspen IN their little houses, which was a nice finish to our walk. But wait, it’s not over yet.
On a sunny day, Snow likes to stop at the front of the barn before coming into his stall where it was a little cooler in the main aisle . There he held court, blockinjg the isle for others coming into the barn, ha, and visit with his buddies while we did some three types of grooming ( curry/massage, microfiber and hard brush) and a little treating. We were determined to get snowy a shiny coat- our next goal- now after he’d been clipped so nicely and seeing others with their nice shiny summer coats. Thanks to Janet and s i e r a s mom , we learned some tricks like the microfiber cloth and the special curry comb and we were just beginning to see some results.
Finally it was back to the paddock with dinner feeding upon us. Seems I was usually still there at dinner time so I would start our new routine of hand c o a t i n g Snowy’s’s pellets so not to let them t u r n t o m u s h, and then slowly dropping them in alternately not one but two r buckets hanging from the rails. So, Snowy had a little Choice there. We like choices, especially Snowy likes choices. And I was always sure to put a little extra in a third Bowl on the opposite wall in the back for after I left where snowy could have a little dessert, so to speak.
Prior to the early July hot spell that help to bring about that snowy to stop eating for a while we were walking longer . in fact several days a week we would go all the way around the perimeter of the ranch. We especially loved the angled side going down to the front of the shade Trail following a big row of mustard plants. Got some great pictures of snowy i n the mustard you can see here. But with the heat and snowy inflamed leg issue and are that’s a good judgment we decided to cut back on the walks. But until July we have been walking all the way around and we would always stop at the two big logs along the Shady Trail down Road to give snowy little exercise along with the old branches to walk over until the winter rains wiped them out. MORE MUSTARD
So to replace some of that we would do some additional exercising in the dirt Arena next to our barn such as traversing the cones and obstacles trainer Carla taught us and we make some up of Our Own like stepping up on a board to simulate a trailer loading. We called the stage work and snowy like to get his work in, to a point. Of course he was rewarded when he did his work and he usually was very happy to do it. In fact some days when we were doing The Grooming at the front of the D Barn he would pull me over to the arena to get that extra exercise in probably knowing that t r e a t s would come with it.
Back at 8:00 p.m. for night session and snack we would start off with a short CIRCLE
Walk, SIMILAR TO THE AFTERNOON WALK, but instead of going down to the Shady Trail on the way back we’d talk the straight lower dirt path next to lower turnouts going past Cindy’s house along the road . Then it was back to the ranch /paddock , as they say, for late night snack since snowy doesnt get 24-hour hay like other horses. We did the similar coating of the pellets dropping them in the two bowls or slot machines, as I call, keeping the Pavlov principle alive them while filling up the overnight feeder f o r the late night drops and not to mention a little more dessert for the third bowl back it on the back wall for after I leave. It was really a communal event with the other horse eating their hay and snowy eating his pellets. Of course the other horses are interested in the pellets too and every now and then I would give them a few and Snowy would even get some of their hay, ie a little Alfalfa seeds without the stems.
I forgot to mention that at the beginning of each walk we would Veer off to my car parked along the side where I would open my trunk for a snowy snack of usually in a to z cookie I kept in on plastic jar there that’s no he came to expect every night. You should have seen Snowy go ‘big eyes’ with those treats!
Nothing will replace my/our life experiences with Snowy but I have to look at some positive and rationalization ie
What good things that I will be able to do now using the time I would have spent for snowy is 3 tuxedo cats to get me back for more attention led by Pinky, 16 Archie 13 , and Oreo2 AND it’ll be nice to come home before 10:00 p.m. but I would rather be able to still see snowy
Yes, Everything was working in the end for Snowy, but there was always the nagging, underlying age factor and signs like the swollen right leg – and even possibly a ‘hock’ injury that seemed to have finally heeled with the aid of a hock guard Snowy had been wearing May-June.
OUT OF TIME – All good things must end
As noted , on that fateful day, July 25, We knew that snowy, at 33 1/3 (or thereabouts) was past his expiration date, on borrowed time, as it were, yet he he had bounced back and was in the seemingly best shape and happiest Late July anytime we can remember. Never taking Snowy for granted , I had always gone to sleep with a prayer that I wouldn’t get any early morning calls from the ranch telling us that snowy was down. That Snowy was doing so well of late I almost stopped the ritual with overconfidence. And then on Friday morning July 25th, we finally got that call to come down to the ranch that Snowy couldn’t get up. I rushed down there and met Mindy and Dr Michelle and her assistant. It was a shock but not a total surprised by the sudden turn of events. Until Snowy’s remarkable return to form of late, I had been trying to prepare, but then let off the pedal a bit. After coming to a relatively quick and unanimous meeting of the minds with Mindy and doctors that fateful morning of July 25 to do what’s best for Snowy , it didn’t look like Snowy was going to be able to get up on his feet again – a sign that the end is near or here for horses – we said our long goodbyes to Snowy and a decade of great times, now memories of a wonderful friend and countless special times together🙂 We were so fortunate to have Snowy in our lives as long as we did, savoring all the moments knowing well that he likely had fewer days left than any of the other horses at Hossmoor. And we tried to do our best for Snowy with no regrets.
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Recent video, below, of snowy advocating eating food he likes rather than the watered down Mash he had been getting. Turns out it was mainly an issue of too much water with his food- over a half gallon with each meal now cut back to 1/3 of that. And it all finally work out in the end with snowy getting varietry of eight different pellets* lightly coated with water and hand fed with roughly 1/3 of what he was getting before.
Loving Snowy tribute poster collage put together by Mindy some years ago at the time we lost her senior dog, Hershey, who had many parallels with Snowy. (Sorry for lack of clarity we will try to improve)
