Sad day next door...

Today is a sad day for  my neighbor/friend Danette.  Her 30 something Morab mare Molly, was sent to greener pastures.  Molly's exact age was unknown, best guess is somewhere between 33 and 36.  Nearly toothless, Danette fixed her special meals of beet pulp and alfalfa cubes.  Molly always had her own hay pile to stand over, while the others ate even though she herself couldn't do more than suck on it a bit.  Danette noticed her eye began to swell over the weekend, it came on quite quickly.  Turns out she had a quick growing tumor and was just beginning to feel pain from it.  She was/is well loved, and cared for.  When we'd be out riding Molly would sometimes make it obvious she wanted to join in.  So several times this summer, Danette would ride her thru the woods a bit.  Even in her old age Molly was game to go. 

Molly in the lead...

Oddly, even though I had no idea the Vet was out (Danette wanted to do it privately), as I pick axed more in my paddock, a picture of Molly laying contently in the sun this past spring came to my mind which made me smile.  Now I wonder, was she making her voyage over the bridge just then?