We had to "put down" a horse this week. His name was BamBam; he wasn't ours but one belonging to a friend and he had been with us since we opened the barn in 2007. BamBam was only 25 years old but his legs were giving out, the tendons were disintegrating and he was beginning to walk on his hocks.Not ever having seen the "putting down" of a horse, such a large, majestic creature I had visions of holes in the ground and tractors dragging the dead corpse into the hole then pushing the dirt over the mangled body. However, it turned out to be more of a spiritual experience. The Vet arrived and soon after Bob drove in with his big red tractor. Bob was a gentle soul with cowboy hat and walked slowly up to the barn to chat with us for a few moments. He then unloaded his tractor and I led Bam out to the back pasture. Bob began to dig into the soft sugar sand making a smooth dig. I wondered why he had a ladder with him. BamBam was lead out and turned away from the hole in the shade of a near by tree. We hugged the horse, shed some tears, gave him his last carrot. Then the Vet gave him the shot and he sagged to the ground feeling pain no longer. Bob finished the grave and slowly and respectfully lifted the body with his wide front end loader and lowered BamBam into the grave. The ladder was so he could go down and arrange the body. So gentle, so respectful was this gentle act and I was overcome with gratitude.
I have been involved with an Engaging Spirituality Group at church. A 21 week journey into Christian spirituality we have just completed a section on death and resurrection. Here is a quote:
Though tragic, death always arrives to make space for new life. Encounters with death can jog our memory about our interrelatedness to everything in the cosmic, pascal cycle of disintegration and reintegration. From creation to recreation, the mystery of God's presence at life's origins, endings and new beginnings are revealed in our daily dying to life. In this way, paradoxically, death gives rise to hope, for without death's mysterious and definitive interruption, we would have precious little use for hope. " The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of our God." Job 1:21.
BamBam's death makes way for new life. At this moment we do not know what that new life will be at Barrett Farms, a new horse coming to share life with us or this expanded understanding of death and regeneration which a such a natural part of life? What I do know is that this brave fellow creature will always be remembered and loved.
The next morning Ann left with the trailer (pictured above) and with Charlie, our latest equine companion and headed off on a trail ride. It was a new morning.
