The horse I had to shoot was a mercy killing but it has haunted
me for years. The rule around here, set down by my grandfather
(Born on this farm in 1889) is to check all of your animals each
day. No exceptions, if your legs are broken, send somebody to
do it. Well, my sister's horse "Patches," hadn't been seen for
a couple of days. She usually went out in the pastures and
hung out with or near our herd of beef cattle. I finally went
looking for her, I found her down, on her side with a hind foot
tangled in barbed wire. I was only about 15 but normally
carried a firearm all of the time. Wern't my horse, wern't my
job to watch her. But I had to set things right, and did. I don't
think a vet could have saved her, or if we could have afforded
it. I know nobody had the time to deal with it. My father was
gone most weekdays as he worked for the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers. Social Services would have everybody in jail
if it were today and gun control freaks would be nuts. Liberal
urban people have destroyed a way of life, and it gets worse
every day. Legalized pot isn't going to improve things either,
when those brains soak up all they can afford anytime, any
where, the thought processes of the next generation is scary.
