Lovely ol’ Dannie has been part of our family since 2005. He came to us as a paddock mate after a lucrative racing career. His high profile owner said asking $20 a week to look after him was exorbitant even though he has won over $375,000 in stakes – he probably spends more on coffee…
One thing was for sure – Dan was never going to leave our place. He was not a thing to be tossed away like last nights takeaway wrapper – he was Dan, a gentle and humble fulla who asked for nothing more than a scratch now and again and shady place to doze. I never saw him put his ears back in over 10 years – even when the dentist came…(he hated his teeth being done).
Last week Dan left us. I miss his kind face and gentle nicker at feeding time. He would stand quietly while my young daughter groomed him and told him he was beautiful. He would point with his nose to a spot he wanted scratched when my non-horsey husband was by the yard. It has been a privilege to watch his body age and slow, his mane thin and his balance wobble. Bye sweet boy – we all miss you x