By the time my sweet, salty half-Arabian mare, Sally, passed away in April 2025, I’d spent plenty of time thinking about what her replacement—if there would be one—might look like.  I had owned Sally since 2006, and she had set a high standard for any future horse. But in the last few years of her life, multiple health problems had left Sally fully and permanently retired. As a result, I spent many hours contemplating how life might look after she was gone. The moment of her death, when it came, brought relief as well as sadness.

Looking to the future

Once I was past the worst of my grieving, I was ready to think about the future. I started by returning to the notes I had made for myself during Sally’s last years. Briefly, I considered getting out of horses. I could sell my young horse, Bucky, and find companion homes for my two donkeys. That, I reasoned, would free up some much-needed space in my very full schedule. However, my horses help keep me sane, so it didn’t take long for me to drop that idea.