Grandy | A Story Of An Arabian Horse

By: Hannah Driskell

I have a story that you might be able to use for the new book called
Chicken Soup For The Horse Lovers Soul. It is about my 7 year old arabian
gelding that had a terrible accident last spring. This is how it goes.
Since I was 2 years old my dream was to ride horses. That dream came
true on my sixth birthday. I took my first lesson and loved it. I have been
riding ever since. I have now been riding for almost 7 years. Last winter I
outgrew my pony I have had for three years.

So my mom and I began the search
for a new horse. The first three horses we looked at did not fit our
criteria so we kept looking. Then we finally found one that did. His name
was M.S. Grandamar or Grandy for short. He was located in West Virginia
which is about 7 hours from where we live. It was love at first site. The
second time we went out to see him my mom had the money all ready to pay for
him. Since we did not have a barn at that time we decided to keep him at my
trainers boarding facility for the trial period. Then our plans were to move
him closer to home since my trainer, Harry’s, barn was an hour away.

But
something went wrong, and messed up those plans. We had called that night to
see how Grandy was settling in. We had expected to hear a “he’s doing great”
but instead we heard those tragic words that still make me cry to this day.
We couldn’t imagine that anything would have gone wrong within less then one
day! But it did and there is nothing we could have done about it. We sat
there crying while listening to what Harry was telling us over the phone. We
just couldn’t believe our ears. Was he being truthful? He had to be lieing
to us! This couldn’t happen I hadn’t even had him for a day and i never got
to ride him!
“How is Grandy doing?”
“Well I’m afraid I have some bad news.

Grandy fell on his head this
morning and was not able to get up right away. He has a couple scratches and
fluid is constantly draining out of his left ear. His balance is way off, he
can barely stand up let alone walk.”
“But is he going to be alright?”
There was a pause on his end of the phone and a sound of sadness in his
voice as he spoke these next couple words.
“I’m sorry but I don’t know for sure yet. The vet should be over soon to
look at him.”
I’m sure he could hear the loud sobs coming from me in the background.
The next day we drove out to visit with him. Harry didn’t want me to
come at first because of his condition but I insisted. He looked horrible
and did not have the same happy face as he did when I first saw him. He was
in his own world right then and did not recognize me. He was on many drugs
including steroids.

He had to have about 10 shots a day. That poor horse. He
stayed at Harry’s until he got a little better then we moved him to a barn
only half an hour away so we could visit him everyday. I switched trainers
and began riding him. We took it one step at a time. Since he had not been
ridden for awhile he was unused to the equpitment and having a rider on his
back. He continued to get better until one day he was kicked in the head by
another horse that he went out to pasture with. He also fell again when the
farrier was shoeing him. At that point my mom and new trainer Lauren Bertram
decided that it was to dangerous to let me ride him anymore. I had to face
the cold truth, that he was not fully recovered and that he never would be.
Well at least not recovered enough to ride or show him again. He still made
a great best friend though.

Whoever made the saying that diamonds are a
girls best friend obviously didn’t know Grandy and me. We retired him and he
now lives at my next door neighbors barn with a couple companion horses.
Because of the accident his life will probably be shorter then most horses,
so whenever I get the chance I go and visit him. I get to walk over and see
him almost everyday which is a good thing for both of us! We really enjoy
our time spent together and each others company. Sometimes I wonder what
things would have been like if that wouln’t have happened. I never really
had the chance to ride or get to know him before the accident. The only
Grandy I know is the one I have and love now.