We all have those special horses

Every horse person has that special horse that walks into their life. It's that once-in-a-lifetime horse that you will never forget and never replace. For me, it is my 24-year-old Quarter horse George Bailey. He is happily enjoying his retirement and loves that I come visit every night after work to spoil him with cookies and a good grooming.

George and I clicked the second I hopped on his back in seventh grade. I was looking for a horse to move up into the children's with and someone to replace my aging gelding. George was the one. He has been my baby since day one and I have spoiled him like no other. We have been through long horse shows, moving back and forth between barns, he has been my best friend listening to all my boy problems and never saying a word. 'Pudge' is irreplaceable and I cannot imagine what I will do when the day comes that I will have to be without him.

For my mom, this special horse was Dash. This gorgeous paint gelding was her baby. Paint the Town was the star of the show from age 4 when we bought him till he retired due to recurring tendon injuries. Together, he and my mom made it to various finals, high point rankings and shows up and down the East Coast. Dash was the horse that I grew up with, babysat at horse shows, and played around with at home, while learning how to not get bucked off.

Dashing, as he was, held a special place in everyone's heart. He was my mom's 'George' and will never be replaced. The last few years, he had been retired, with mostly stall rest, some time out in the field and the occasional hack where he would let loose and try to buck you off. In the past few weeks, he got an abscess, and another one and just would not get better. Dash let us know that he had had enough of hanging out in his stall and he didn't want to be on pain meds anymore.

The horse that had the most personality and will to jump can now gallop across as many fields as he wants and eat as many stud muffins without getting sick. Although my mom has her other horse, Orleon, he will never take the place of Dash.