Goodbye to the Guardian

This is a farewell post. Not so much a sad one but certainly melancholy.

 28 yrs ago was born the first son of my old stallion  Chips, and out of  my good mare Sherry's April Sunshine. "Stryker", or  Lucky Stryke ,the name, a combination of a movie(BL Stryker) I had seen and a pack of american cigarettes lol)

He was an awesome horse! Never really had a lot of saddle time  for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is he was a giant! lol .I started him and he taught me so much in return. He taught me about patience, loyalty, and the ever present reality that if you are not clear in your mind and actions you will not get what you (think ) you asked for.
Stryker, the king of the "if you don't do anything, you don't do it wrong" lol  When he was learning ,if he got confused at all he would simply stop moving altogether. Not bad from a walk or a jog but at higher speeds it got a little dicey lol .
I got hurt not long after I started him and sent him out for more work. When he returned he was great but as I said  for one reason or another he started his retiremnt early.
Not to say he didn't have work...

He was herd guardian, mentor to young ones,

Teacher, and manners police! and the old man had some moves! 

A brief, but stunning career as an equine super model lol . Only ever stood for this one photo shoot but he was all over the project!

And finally he was a friend, to me to the herd and to many  people who came to know him

I was fearful that Stryker would one day go down and not be able to get up. He was not thin or ill , just old and losing muscle mass and having difficulty maintaining his weight, I felt rather than risk him suffering...

I saw a video not long ago  in which a gentleman who was a Psychiatrist , and an indigenous scholar said (an forgive me if I butcher this in paraphrasing) That it is Okay to die on a good day, that when you die there is a party where your ancestors gather to greet you. And you should feel good for your party! . Not to say this should be rushed. just not feared.
Well I chose to believe this, and to that end,  We sent my sweet old boy to his party with a belly full of grain, a fresh brushing and our love.
He was the last of the old guard, I will miss him. But I did my best for him and that gives me comfort . This poem is older but it fits, and it is shown on my calendar on his photos.

Give me a horse

Give me a horse

With good heart and mind

Yes give me a horse

And I’ll find the time

Give me the knowledge

To manage his care

To teach and to train

In a manner that’s fair

Give me the space

And days in the sun

To first learn to walk,

Then learn to run

Give me the push

To do what I need

To earn both our keep

And pay for his feed

Give me the courage,

When he’s done his best

When his time is done

To put him to rest

Leave me the horse

In my mind and heart

The joy and the memories

Right from the start

Yes give me a horse

And I‘ll do the rest

As he does for me

I’ll give him my best

Stay safe my friends. and I will get back to that "in my next 50 yrs post " soon!