The beautiful Trude has died. She made it to 24 yrs which is not that old in horse years but Friesians of which she is one tend to live a shorter life. She died because of a spinal cord compression which meant she lost control of her legs and her balance and finally could not stand.
What a wonderful life we had with her. What a horse! She could have gone into the funeral business with a plume on her head pulling a coffin chariot with three others but instead she came to us.
In many ways it's the end of an era. I spent a great deal of my childhood as a horse, trotting, cantering and jumping in the garden. My mother was very obliging and used to knock two coconut shells together to simulate the sound of hooves as I pranced around the sitting room. Later I had ponies of my own, rode the horses in Hyde Park for the army and took people trekking in the West Indies. Harry and Trude came into our family life and stayed with us for many wonderful years.
When told of Trude's death he half opened one eye.
"Happiness is beneficial but it is grief that develops the power of the mind."
I stare at him, wondering about the power of his mind as being a cat he doesn't really suffer grief. Oh so sorry mouse for killing you - I am disconsolate ....
You've been googling grief sayings on the internet I tell him. He shuts the one eye and I can just hear him saying The pain passes but the beauty remains.
Renoir said that I said but he was already dreaming of catching another mouse.
