Lakota, My Little Gelding

by Kay Lieberknecht

Lakota and Kay

My little gelding, Lakota, that I rode last year and at Mt Diablo this year, smashed his knee somehow before breakfast on Saturday. With terrible pain not responsive to Banamine, bad contamination to the wound, and synovial fluid leaking, we had him put down.

Lakota and Kay

I am so shocked and sad, because he was my heart-horse, one of five I've known like that in my long life of many wonderful horses. But my two years with him were so special, trying to guess where he'd put his feet next, trusting that he'd never fall even though he was so silly. He would totally settle down and be so smart when he thought it was truly necessary. He was such a nut, carrying things around in his teeth, nuzzling me while I groomed him, rattling the cans I wired to the tops of t-posts. I'll miss him, but I've learned many times over how to let go, and how to treasure what I have rather than regret the loss of the future.

Lakota and Kay