05/23/2025
Straitz. The one in a million horse. The one that taught me that I could literally do anything with a horse. The one that taught me patience and true love. My first buckskin. ❤️ I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. Even to get rid of the heartbreak of losing him.
He was the bestest boy.
I'll never forget.
♡🐴♡
A few days ago, I stood in front of his stall longer than I meant to.
Not doing anything. Just… standing.
The gate was closed, but it felt like something else had shut too.
And I thought — what if we could forget?
Forget the last goodbye.
Forget how quiet it’s been since.
Forget how your hands still move on autopilot to grab his tack — only to remember, a second too late.
Would I do it?
Would I erase the ache of walking past the empty stall every morning?
Would I silence the instinct to turn my head, thinking I hear his soft nicker — only to face the stillness?
Maybe.
But then…
I'd lose the warmth too.
The first time he leaned into my touch.
The way his ears flicked when I said his name.
The weight of his trust, heavier and more sacred than any ribbon I ever won.
I’d lose the scent of sun-warmed coat, the quiet rhythm of hooves in the sand, the heartbeat that matched mine on cold, early mornings.
The ache is sharp — yes.
But it’s the echo of something real.
Of something that mattered.
So no, I won’t trade it.
Not for forgetting. Not for peace.
Because he made me more than a rider.
He made me someone who remembers.
