Adopted Horse UPDATE: Liberty

I received a touching email and photos from Liberty's adopter, Nanci, and wanted to share it with all of you.

Liberty in her home:

She also included the following about Lladd E., who was Liberty's best friend in her adoptive home:

Lladd E. was Miss Liberty's boyfriend and from the moment your mom unloaded her they were inseparable. This is not an exaggeration! They evidently needed each other more than I could have ever imagined and thus began my first frustrating experience with "separation anxiety".

Lladd E. bossed her around and yet could not make a move without her. I think Liberty knew all along and very cleverly accommodated his male ego. They wandered around together like those lovely, elderly couples you see in day to day life who make you stop and think wonderful thoughts about the future and how blessed it will be to be in their shoes one day. It was all about Lladd E. & Liberty for these past several years.

Liberty's anguish was palpable the day Lladd E. was euthanized. Her anxious whinnies and searching were unbearable for us to hear and see. Our hearts broke again as we witnessed this sad behavior from our sweet, gentle girl whom we had no way of communicating with or comforting.

But life had a beautiful plan unbeknownst to me on that dreadful day... Within a week of Lladd E.'s passing a dear friend contacted me to see if I might be interested in adopting her gorgeous NSH, Iceman. I didn't know they had been desperately seeking a home for him! I was beside myself with grief, and not thinking clearly, but in spite of - or because of my emotional state, I agreed to take him, and he was delivered to my home within 2 weeks. Now, it was Liberty's turn to receive a new friend and complete another cycle of life. The joy of her arrival in Las Vegas was repeated in Wrightwood with the delivery of my new riding horse and Liberty's new "young man"! And guess what... SHE bosses HIM around now. She learned a lot as Lladd E.'s companion!

Well, the story continues and I have already taken up so much of your busy schedule so I will end here. Thanks for letting me share. Please feel free to use the poem in the memorial section of your publications. I'm sure anybody who reads it will be touched by it and connect with it. Those of us who love our animals will feel the emotions of this poem over and over again in our lives. We will swear we will never do it again, and then do it again. The author, my brother John Bearden, is a gifted writer and a loving human being. He captured my heart so perfectly and I was overwhelmed by his gift. Be prepared to cry.

Also, please know that your efforts at Shiloh are reflected in our story with Liberty. What you did for her mattered. What you do matters now. We really love her dearly and only want her to live her days in peace and happiness, getting fat, swatting flies, and wandering around quietly with her special guy. Because of you, this is the reality of Liberty's life. Thank you.

Your friend,
Nanci

The following Tribute was written by Nanci's brother in honor of her beloved horse:

Lladd E.

In an instant

He is running up the mountain clouds

Galloping through the wind

Free from the restraints of age and illness

He runs with wild abandon and pleasure

Stopping only to graze in the endless white fields

He pauses

His heart slowing to a strong steady beat

Ears pert and eyes sharp

He raises his head and searches

And from the mountain clouds he peers down

To his old home

To a mountain

To a house

To a woman searching a pasture and weeping

And He knows many years from now

He will take her for long rides along the clouds

Rides full of wild abandon and pleasure

And she will cling to his mane and laugh

And grieve for him no more