I have a friend. Her name is April. April had a horse whose name was “Mo.” She had him for 30 years — since she was 11 and he was 6 months old. She lost him just a couple of years ago. She and I talked to him before he died, and she has given total permission to share about all of this.
Fast forward to 2008/2009. I’m new in New Mexico. April is too. We both lived in central Texas, before, and knew each other on and off for the last 15 years but have now become as close as family in our new environs. In fact, April has become one of my primary helpers during this phase of back problems I’ve been having. She is the penultimate animal person (an experienced pet-sitter, in fact), and loves everything animal that breathes. And she is a very experienced horse person. Her physical aid in my barn has saved me these last few months, as I have been unable to muck or do any heavy lifting. Naturally, she has developed quite an attachment for my three equines.
So . . . Copper . . . my oldest, 31 going on 32 now. And looking like 13. Actually, April and he had a good lope around our sand ring just last fall, and he was ecstatic about it, feeling appreciated and energized by the exercise, so it is quite clear how much he loves her. (I’m way too heavy to get on him at his age, with his arthritis, but April is a mite, so she and he just took off !) Well, the other day April came early to muck. Copper stared her down, demanding that she go ahead and feed him, even though it was a couple of hours too early. She tried to explain, but he wouldn’t even touch the carrots she offered him in appeasement. Finally she offered to scratch him to make up for not being able to feed him his dinner, and she asked him to let her know if he would like that.
Here’s where “Mo” comes in. Since Mo died, April has had experiences where he “comes in” through other horses and is able to be with her in that way, even if briefly. She has told me about a few of these incidences, and I don’t doubt it at all. So when she asked Copper to let her know if he wanted her to scratch him, which is something she used to ask Mo, he reached down and bit at himself in a way that I have never seen him do but that Mo used to do all the time when Mo wanted scratching. So, of course, much scratching ensued, with Copper oo’ing and aah’ing all the while. When April stopped, she asked him to let her know if that was enough, and, if not, to show her. Again, he reached down and bit himself to show her that he wanted more, and so on it went. NEVER has he done this with me!
So . . . they had a moment together, April and Mo, through Copper. God bless his soul. He is such an amazing, spectacular spirit who understands everything that is going on around (and through) him. I will ask him about this experience soon and will let you know what he says.
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