Sapphire at Hanaeleh
Today we took Sapphire to her forever home in Encinitas, CA. It was both wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time; we are so very happy for Sapphire and her new family, and we have wanted her to have a special family to love her through the end of her years. At the same time, Sapphire is a very special horse, and we all grew to love her very much, and will miss her presence at Hanaeleh.
We started out this morning taking Sapphire to the arena to say our own personal goodbyes (it doesn’t look good to cry in front of the new family). She seemed more interested in the cookies than anything I had to say, although I’m not sure what she and Lori talked about.
Sapphire and Elizabeth talk in the arena
Sapphire and Lori
Sapphire and Elizabeth
We had a bit of a snafu at first; we tried to put Sapphire into the trailer, but she doesn’t care to go into a trailer unless there is another horse in there as well. After a few minutes we shrugged and put Tamahome in the trailer first, and Sapphire hopped right in. Rolling our eyes (and apologizing to Tamahome as he now also had to take a trailer ride), we set out to Sapphire’s new home.
We were pleasantly surprised when we got to her new place. It is very relaxed, and the stalls are all more like small paddocks with large shelters. All of the horses looked happy and fat, and everyone there seemed very nice. Sapphire’s new family was all there to greet us and we walked her up to her new stall.
Walking Sapphire up to her new stall
Sapphire’s new stall
Sapphire comes over to say hi to her new family
Sapphire spent about five minutes straight walking around the stall, calling to whomever might answer her. She was pretty stressed until a very attractive chestnut gelding walked by, and then she seemed to calm down quite a bit, knowing that there were at least some good-looking neighbors nearby (her next-door neighbor is a sweet Palomino mare, who Sapphire completely ignored).
Sapphire eventually began to calm down, took a drink (dunking her entire head into the water), and roll in the shavings.
Sapphire looks at her new neighbors
Sapphire checks out her stall
Sapphire in her new stall
Rolling in the shavings
We finally had to leave Sapphire to her new family, and get back home (Traffic! and the fact that Tamahome was waiting in the trailer). The family promised to love and care for Sapphire, and we will continue to post updates on Sapphire as we get them. Between Lori and the girls, I’m pretty sure about two hundred pictures were taken of this beautiful girl in less than 10 minutes.
Saying goodbye
It was horrible to say goodbye to Sapphire, but seeing the awesome smiles on the faces of the new family was so worth it. She now has a lovely new family to love, including three young girls who have promised to brush her until she glistens. The sweetest picture is when the family all got together in front of the stall to take a picture, and Sapphire walked right up to make sure she was in the family photo as well!
Sapphire’s New Family!
We wish Sapphire and her new family many happy days together! For a horse like Sapphire who has been through so much, it is wonderful to know that she will end her days being loved and adored.
Last look