I've been trying to put this off for several weeks, but I felt that my good friends and watchers needed to know that Comanche, my beloved Appaloosa gelding, is no longer with me. He was humanely euthanized on the morning of Friday, November 21st at the age of 40.

Despite my best efforts, Comanche was unable to maintain a healthy body condition due to his not having many teeth left. After a few months of trying, no amount of rice bran, beet pulp, soaked alfalfa pellets, or any number of weight-gain supplements had any effect on him. He had also developed cataracts (or "moon-blindness") in both eyes and had difficulty recognizing me or the other horses. With the winter coming on, I was seriously concerned for Comanche's health and safety, but I was still having trouble letting my best friend go.

As usual, Comanche took the pressure off of me by telling my family when he was ready to go. He bedded down in his stall as usual on Thursday night, but could not rise for breakfast Friday morning. Even with several assistants trying to lift him, the old boy just couldn't find the strength to pick himself up off the ground. Because I had already given my family permission to oversee his euthanasia in my absence and made arrangements with my trusted veterinarian, Dr. Jerry Bancroft, Comanche was laid to rest before I got home Friday afternoon.

Although my heart is absolutely broken without him, I know that Comanche has moved on to a better place where he is once more the gorgeous horse he was always meant to be. There are no more scars, no more cataracts, and all the homemade cinnamon-apple cookies he could ever hope for. (I'm just hoping that there was an angel watching while I baked Comanche's last batch so that she can get the recipe just right. He always liked his best with an apple slice and caramel drizzled on top.)

Until we meet again, my best friend...

Comanche ("The Comanche Warrior")
January 1, 1968 - November 21, 2008


"Nothing is more sacred then the bond between horse and rider...when a horse dies, the memory lives on because an enormous part of his owner's heart, soul, very existence dies also...but that can never be laid to rest, and it is not meant to be." - Stephanie Thorn