I never thought I’d be looking for another horse. When you’ve had the best, how do you think about something less than the best. The truth is I don’t want another horse–I want Finn. I can’t have Finn, anymore. Our majestic horse, Finn McCool, was euthanized a week ago.
Finn was a chestnut colored, fourteen hundred, fifty pound, seventeen hand, Irish warm blood. He was seventeen years old and extremely well trained in jumping and dressage. He was once a lesson horse and my husband, Roland, took him trail riding. He was a dream horse for two people, in their fifties, learning to ride.
His previous owner, Carrie McPherson Kimmel, sold him to us after we leased him for a year. Finn wasn’t quite good enough in dressage to take Carrie to the Olympics, so he became ours three years ago.
He loved the beach and didn’t want to go back to the trailer when you tried to turn him around on the sand. He was purrfect, except he couldn’t purr. I gave him scraps from the juicer; it was a funny site seeing a huge horse lick my hands. We both loved it, though.
Finn had many friends, some with two legs and some with four legs. He was an unusual horse, both in stature and demeanor. He was admired by all. HEAVEN CAN WAIT, a rescue organization dedicated their newsletter to Finn McCool and I’ve included the dedication below: (Thank you Ramey Zamora.)
HEAVEN CAN WAIT NEWSLETTER – July 2010
This edition of the HCW Newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Finn McCool, a big hearted big horse owned by a good friend and supporter of Heaven Can Wait. Finn suffered a torn diaphragm diagnosed through surgery on June 25th — the damage was too much to save this great 18 year old. Our hearts are with his owner, and that’s where Finn’s heart is, too. Thanks for years of beloved companionship.
Finn McCool, by Roland Hinkle
Your kindness continues to inspire us.
You can visit their site at: http://www.heaven-can-wait.net/site/
Roland wrote a explaination of how Finn died for the people at our barn and I’ve included it below:
Sadly, we lost Finn Friday night June 25. After looking distressed that morning, Dr. Osborne saw him at the barn. When he hadn’t improved in the afternoon, we took him to Alamo Pintado. Additional tests at Alamo indicated exploratory surgery.
Dr. Judy discovered a tear in Finn’s diaphragm that let his liver and intestines migrate into the chest cavity (a diaphragmatic hernia). All of his colon and much of his intestine had died from the compromised blood supply.
The damage was too great to save him and he was euthanized on the operating table.
Dr. Judy commented that the tear was the largest he had seen and most horses wouldn’t have been standing with the damage he saw. Finn had walked into the clinic and later to the surgery prep room on his own.
He was Finn to the end!
Here’s a photo of Roland and Finn jumping. Finn had jumped many times before and much higher, but it was Roland’s first jump.
The two most special memories I have of him are when he trusted me enough to roll and when I trusted him enough to lean forward and let him take a jump with me on his back. Although, I’m leaving Finn’s trust behind I’m taking my trust and the love of a great horse with me.
Tags: Animals, Feeling, Grief // 2 Comments »
