Revived Spirits

03/07/2025

We may have lost Roy last week but I also had the privilege of officially adding this beautiful gal to the herd!
Delta has been around for the last few months and I am honored to continue working with her. She has already come so far in her training and her career as a therapy horse. I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for Delta.

28/06/2025

⚠️Trigger Warning! ⚠️

Today Roy gained his heavenly wings. ❤️

The entire process was so peaceful. He was ready.

It may not be for everyone, but placing flowers all around him was truly the most healing and cathartic experience I have ever had. My goal was to truly honor him and his beautiful soul by tending to the body that carried his spirit on earth. ❤️

We took our time grieving and saying goodby all afternoon. There is no rush to these things. Just respect and honor and love.
The herd paid a visit and this evening my wonderful father helped me get Roy into his final resting place and bury him.

I’m so grateful for every kind word spoken this week and for every person involved today. ❤️

Roy’s enormous heart and kind soul will forever be remembered by those privileged to know and love him. The things he accomplished in this life and the adventures he partook in were grand. The angels have one heck of a bridle horse to ride through green pastures. ✨

27/06/2025

Roy’s Reflections: The “right” time

The biggest question we torture ourselves with when it comes to assisting one of our animals with crossing over is: “am I doing the right thing?” And “is it the right time?”

I have a few personal beliefs on this due to experience and people are more than welcome to disagree or do things differently. This is a personal journey for each individual and their animal(s).

Roy is exhausted. He no longer has teeth. His organs are shutting down, it’s hard for him to walk from his pen to the barn. He can barely go up or down the two stairs coming into or out of the barn. He can’t be turned out anymore. His eyes are sinking in. He isn’t keeping weight on no matter how much I feed and supplement him.
When I spend time with him I can feel how tired his soul is. I can see the light that has left his once bright eyes. I know without a shadow of a doubt it is time.
Could I limp him along for a few more weeks or maybe even a month or two for my own selfish desire to keep him earth side? Probably. But I won’t. He deserves dignity and respect. I would rather be a few weeks early than a second late.

I have witnessed firsthand the trauma that can come along with waiting. A cast horse, struggling, catastrophic injuries, pain, trauma, wounds. It can truly be traumatizing for the horse and the owner.

So, this evening my dad helped me dig Roys grave. It was difficult and finalizing to see that hole in the ground.
Tomorrow, Roy will gain his wings.
I do not view death as the end. I see it and believe it to be a new beginning. A new way Roy gets to spiritually connect. No more pain. No more failing old body. His spirit will be free and I am grateful.

Tomorrow morning will be spent loving on Roy, grooming him, giving him all his favorite snacks and hand grazing him for a while. Then, I will graciously and with all the love in the world stand at his side and help him cross over. ❤️

For educational purposes: Trigger Warning
1. The hole is well over 6 foot deep.
2. There is a “ramp” down to the deepest part of the hole so that we can more easily move his body into it. Some people will walk the horse down into the hole and euthanize down in it. However, with Roy’s instability I do not want to do that. Additionally, I want him to safely be able to lie down in the pasture and rest peacefully so Jazzy and the rest of the herd can come say their goodbyes. Then, he will be placed in the deepest part of the hole.
3. We will cover him up and his body will be safe from all predation and scavenging as he will be over 6 feet deep. Dust to dust. ❤️
4. Depending on the type of euthanasia utilized, it is extremely important to have a deep hole. Lethal injection drugs are deadly to a dog (or other animal) if they get a hold of the carcass. I chose to go with intrathecal lidocaine to remove any risk of “poison” on the ground. However, I still wanted the respect of a deep grave so Roy can rest in peace.

25/06/2025

Roy's Reflections: Letting go of herd mates

Today Roy enjoyed unlimited watered down hay cubes, his daily mash, and a special deep grooming session in the barn with the love of his life, Jazzy.

Roy and Jazzy have a love story unlike any other I have seen between horses. They always do better together and have supported one another through their elderly years. Jazzy is 27 and currently in a lot better shape than her older counterpart Roy. But that does not lessen the love she demonstrates for him. If they are away from one another for more than a few minutes they always meet one another with a sweet nicker and a nose to nose "kiss".

I am deeply aware of the profound impact Roy's death will have on Jazzy. So, she is just as much a part of these final few days. I am preparing her each day by turning her out with the big herd for the day and then bringing her back in with Roy at night. She is finding her peace and confidence with the big herd and enjoys going out to the pasture for the day and grazing with all of them. She will come in for water, check on Roy, and then head back out. At night, they eat soaked hay cubes together.

She will be given time to process Roy's death by engaging with his body after he passes. The entire herd will have this opportunity as there has been research demonstrating how a herd will mourn a death of a herd mate and the mourning process goes over a lot better if they are able to smell their herd mate and be around the body. So, we will ensure there is plenty of time for processing before Roy is buried.

Until then, he and jazzy will spend their nights eating delicious food together and Jazzy will spend her days out with the main herd. Roy doesn't seem to mind her absence during the day much. I believe they both are coming to an understanding of what is to come.

Photos: Roy on the left (fly boots on), Jazzy on the right (sporting her cute tongue!)

24/06/2025

Roy's Reflection Series: The Preparation
With Roy, we have had the privilege of being able to plan things in advance. These phone calls are difficult to make when you have the time to do them and even scarier and more difficult when you are faced with an emergent situation.
Here is a list of the preparations we had to make:

1. Call To Dig - It is vital to call and ensure you can safely dig where you would like to burry your horse. Remember you will need to clearly outline the area with white markers of some kind (flags or paint). This can be done on an emergent basis but it is less stressful if you have time to plan. It usually takes 48-72 hours for the dig site to be checked.

2. Talked with cremation companies and private burial/cemeteries such as Animal Aftercare and Angel Companions. It was important for us to know all of our options and ensure we chose what felt best to honor Roy's memory.

3. We decided to go with full body burial at a home site. So the spot was picked out, marked with white paint, and call to dig was notified.

4. Call the vet and pick a day. There is no right or wrong day to choose. For us, we hoped Roy's last day on earth would be a good one. It was important to me his death was not traumatic and catastrophic. So choosing a time and day where he could still walk around and lie down, with sedation was very important to me to honor his dignity.

5. Line up necessary equipment for the chosen day. We were blessed enough to have connections to call on so heavy equipment could be brought out to dig the grave. (If you do not have personal connections, you can rent equipment but this does require more time for planning).

6. Notifying loved ones. Roy has made a HUGE impact on many hearts over the years. It was extremely important to let people know that he would be passing so they could come and say their fair-wells this week.

It is my belief that you should have a death plan for all of your horses regardless of their health and age. That way, if you are faced with an emergency you know the following information at a minimum:
1. What vets are able to come out on emergency for euthanasia.
2. What local disposal options you have (Burial, Cremation, Cemetery, Landfills, and Rendering Services, Equipment Rentals or Use).
3. Over-all costs.
It may sound morbid but knowing these things upfront can take some of the fear and trauma away from the experience if your horse dies unexpectedly or if they suffer life ending injuries.

23/06/2025

I will be sharing a daily series this week as we prepare for one of our dearest lesson and therapy horses, Roy, to cross the rainbow bridge. My hope is that this series can assist others that are faced with the same difficult choice of having to assist an incredible equine partner with passing on. The series will include things we have planned for Roy's last week earth side and talk about different grieving journeys to take during these situations. It is a privilege to have a team come together to ensure peace and safety for Roy during this time. Although it is hard, I know Roy would want his journey to death to open conversations and healing opportunities for people out there who feel alone or are struggling through loosing or planning to lose a beloved equine partner.

Roy is loved beyond measure. He is approximately 29 years old. His body is failing him. His organs are not working well anymore. His life here on earth is coming to an end and it is our job to walk this journey with Roy and ensure it is ethical and pain free. This is part of horse ownership, of loving these creatures, healing alongside them, and caring for them and we hope to create a space for safe processing of not only Roy's passing but also any horses you all have lost or are preparing to let go of.

03/06/2025

Surgery #2 is done! I look forward to getting back into the swing of things by the end of June!

16/05/2025

Revived Spirits looks forward to offering a few limited spots for Unicorn Parties this summer!

Play is an important part of any healing process and a crucial component of childhood development. Plus....its FUN!
Our horses are safe and work with people of all ages and backgrounds everyday. We wanted to provide a unique and special experience where children and adults alike could partake in an experience that stretched the imagination, fostered creativity, and engaged the neural exercise of play!

DETAILS:

Facility: Access to the lobby and classroom to set up cake and presents. You can bring your own decorations and decorate the space. There are two bathrooms and a kitchen area with use of the fridge.

Unicorns: The unicorns will be "dressed" and ready to go. You will have access to the unicorns for one hour. Grooming supplies and extra glitter and paint are provided. Children have the option to "decorate" one of the unicorns with the paint and glitter provided. Staging for photos (rainbow backdrop with chair, table, and carrot stand) will be set up for photo opportunities with the unicorns. A "princess" will assist the kiddos with meeting the unicorns, interacting with them, painting them (if you so choose), and taking pictures with them!

TimeFrame: You have access to the facility for 3 hours. One hour is spent with the unicorns. That leaves two hours for presents, cake, set-up and tear down of the party!

The horses utilized as unicorns work full time as therapy horses and look forward to making dreams come true in a fun and unique way! They are safe to be around and enjoy interacting with people! Initiate play, imagination, and create core memories!

Please DM me with any questions or to get your Unicorn Party on the books! Spots are limited!

12/05/2025

Proudly welcoming the newest member of the herd at Revived Spirits! The HomeHorse!

This piece of equipment is groundbreaking for assisting riders to find their center of balance, become aware of and improve asymmetric issues, strengthen riding muscles, stretch out the hips and pelvis, ensure not to balance with their hands, and provide confidence for when they feel ready to get back in the saddle!

The HomeHorse will be available for all equestrians participating in the coaching program or mental health counseling program. It is a great step towards re-gaining confidence and balance before riding.

Accidents and life changes can make riding scary!! While working on the HomeHorse, clients can find their seat and center to make their first ride back in the saddle less intimidating and more successful!

We are all about working through the trauma stored in the body, especially when it’s connected to horse related accidents. The HomeHorse is a great place to start!

04/05/2025

Surgery went well! Thank you all for your well wishes! I am excited to gear up for the week as my facility hosts the Massage School and we can meet some new faces!

29/04/2025

Wednesday Classes will be CANCELED for the next 2 weeks due to me being out for a surgery! We will resume on May 14th!

25/04/2025

Working to find balance. Engaging a horses mind in the training process is the best part. I don’t want a shut down, dull horse. I want a horse that can think for themselves while also respecting the partnership we have created together.

What Am I Controlling...

We all feel, at least on some level, a need to try and control the outcome of the things in our life. It's in our nature, it's hard wired into our brains. The trouble is that when it all shakes out we can't actually control most of what happens, we can only control how we react to it.

This is a hard concept for me to except truth be told, I don't like it, but that doesn't change it either.

Horses are a great reminder of this, the more we try to control-at least as a micromanaging way, the less I actually will have control over.

I see riders all the time riding with the common death grip on the reins with the hope that choking the life out of whatever material is attached to the bit, and ultimately the horses soft tissue of their mouth, will somehow keep the bad from happening.

The reality is we are riding very large animals with a brain that thinks differently than ours does. Not wrong just different. In fact, get that brain going in the right direction, the one with us, and we will have a valuable team mate.

What I have learned is that we will never get more control by pulling more or harder. All we get is a distracted horse with a piece of metal in their mouth having its jaw pulled on like it's an emergency brake. But all brakes will burn out when over used.

Instead I teach a horse to manage it's emotions, just like I have to manage mine. Teach them to think versus react. This is hard, no doubt, but when the work is put in not only are we better, but the horse sure is as well. A horse that has learned this now sees us as the solution to the problem and a true partnership is formed. When this happens our horses want to be around us.

This only happens when we let go of our death grip on the reins and understand we can't control everything, we could get bucked off in life. Our horse may spook. That's the reality of life, we cant control everything.

But what we can do is use the negative and turn them into positive learning experiences, in (life or horses)

With our horse this is done in an arena gaining the ability to move their bodies and work on speed control then outside in real life, on a loose rein.

In life, well that's a little harder....

Pc Tracey Buyce