Goodbye, Old Friend.

So I know that I haven’t posted anything for a while.  (Sorry…) So this is probably a depressing post to be coming back to the blog with, but I need to pay tribute to GQ, the best friend anyone could ever ask for.

A couple of weeks ago,  he colicked and it was too severe for him to recover from. I can’t imagine any horse in the world ever living up to the perfectness of GQ.  He was the first (and only, actually) horse that I have ever owned and I could never have asked for a better companion.  He was always willing to snuggle when I was sad, stand for hours while I groomed and clipped and messed with him, and gallop like his tail was on fire when we were feeling crazy! He carried me, my mom, my dog, my friends and some of my students.  He was used in a friend’s wedding proposal as the “noble steed.”  He jumped like a youngster even up to a ripe old age and was generally perfect in every way.  I loved him more than anything in the world and he will be impossible to replace.  Rest peacefully, Sir — you deserve it.

DAUPHIN. … It is a beast for
Perseus: he is pure air and fire; and the dull
elements of earth and water never appear in him, but
only in patient stillness while his rider mounts
him: he is indeed a horse; and all other jades you
may call beasts.
CONSTABLE. Indeed, my lord, it is a most absolute and excellent horse.
~Henry V, Shakespeare

Meet GQ!

My horse is the love of my life.  Since I’ve told you about myself, its only fair that I also tell you about him!

GQ (Gentleman’s Quarterly) is a 15.1 hh 21 yr old Thoroughbred gelding who acts like a 5 year old.  He is full of spunk and still does the low jumpers! I don’t have his papers because the woman that I got him from did not have them either.  As a youngster he was started on the track. Unfortunately, his lip tattoo is very faded and I can’t read it to look him up. 😦

He loves a wide array of treats, with carrots and carrot-flavored things topping the list. Other favorites include butterscotch, apple and mint.  On the rare occassion that I have Frito’s or pita chips with me, he’s happy to munch on those as well!

He loves to have the underside of his neck rubbed and HATES to have his mane pulled.  He tries to eat the clippers when I clip his muzzle and lowers his head to make it easy for me to give him a bridle path. He doesn’t cross tie, but will stay ground tied in the same place for the entire day.

Like a stereotypical TB, he has a hard time keep both shoes and weight on, so I end up spending more money on him than I do on myself, but he’s worth it! He lives outside, but loves to go into a stall for a little while when I bring him inside to groom and tack him.

Best of all, he loves cuddles and gives the BEST cuddles in the entire world! If you are standing anywhere near him, he will give you a gentle nudge and when you turn to him, he will place his head against your chest for a hug, which he will stay in for as long as you will let him!

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