Saying goodbye to a beloved animal sanctuary companion is never easy.

We are sharing the sad news of the loss of Dixie, our cherished gray Arabian mare who, even at 32 years old, touched so many lives at ResqRanch.

She had been suddenly losing weight, despite our best efforts to do all the things, free choice alfalfa hay, senior feed, weight builder, etc. I had done her teeth only a few months ago and they weren't bad. She had a hernia on her side, though, and I finally decided perhaps the hernia was effecting her ability to absorb nutrients. So last week, after our open house, I did surgery on her to repair the hernia. She recovered quite well from surgery. But then several days later, even on antibiotics, she began to have concerning mucous discharge from her right eye. Within another two days that progressed to blood draining out of her eye, and then Friday morning, she went down and could not get up. It was then clear it was not the hernia, her teeth, or lack of feed, but likely cancer which was spreading and overtaking her. Chilli stood over her, saying her goodbye's, then it was time to send her to heaven.

I know that for many Dixie was your favorite, and for good reason. We will miss her dearly, she was the only horse who regularly "talked' to us. Always eager to communicate "Hi! Welcome Home!", and "Hey! Time for me to come into my stall and get my special feeding!" and always with a hearty "Good Morning!" whinny at dawn. She practically ran the place.

I will miss her vocal communication. I will miss her spry trotting all about. Her loose but gentle lips grabbing for treats. I will miss how in the end she finally trusted us enough to halter and groom her without protest, remembering those first few months when she ran away and would not let us do nearly anything with her. I will miss her white sparkly mane and gray coat, a living unicorn. All things I am grateful for.

What about you, Animal Loving Angel? What are you grateful for today?

She will always be a very special girl to us. But now she is free, rejoined with her mother, and siblings, who all died before her, and why she came to us in the first place.

​Run free in heaven sweet Dixie!

Check out my YouTube channel for a daily "Good Morning!" from the rescues and lots of free tips and training resources. https://www.youtube.com/@the1drq