What a difficult thing it is to lose a horse, whether it be tragic, illness or age related. Horses are such an incredible animal that it is very easy for us to become very emotionally attached. Such is one of In Motion Sport Horses students, Shannon.
Casino, Shannon and her ever supportive mom, Mary
Shannon has owned Casino, an OTTB gelding, turned hunter-jumper, school horse, for the last 12 years. Casino has played an extremely important part of Shannon’s riding and walking, for that matter. You see, Shannon has cerebral palsy. Doctor’s said she would never walk. However her parents thought differently. They had her riding horseback at a very young age. Casino was a horse at the stable where she went to ride regularly in Hawaii. The two made a fast bond with one another. When Shannon’s family planned to move to the mainland, Casino’s owner gave him to her, knowing the two of them would not do well separated. So Casino boarded a plane and moved to Oregon.
Casino enjoying the summer sun
Now at 31 years old, his body is tired. Casino’s vet monitored him very closely for the last five months of his life. The vet and Shannon determined when it was time for him to be put down, humanly, as opposed to letting him suffer. It was an extremely difficult decision to come to for Shannon, but one she knows was on Casino’s behalf.
Shannon sharing a quiet moment with Casino
Casino is missed on a daily basis. Thankfully, the tincture of time is very healing. Shannon continues to ride her Icelandic gelding and owns a very lovely thoroughbred mare.