Saying Goodbye to Julietta

“Oh break my heart, oh break my heart again, so I can learn to love even more.”

—Sufi Saying

It is with deep sorrow that I share with you that we had to euthanize Julietta on Friday morning, January 22, 2021. There was a tragic accident. A new ranch hand left a heavy metal gate partially open at the end of one of the runs in front of our barn. Somehow, in the wee hours of the morning, Julietta got her right rear leg caught in the gate, and broke her leg. I did not witness this event; however I was drawn down to the barn early that morning and found her in a stall, seriously injured. She was twenty years old.

As I tend to my broken heart, and move around in the stages of grief - denial, depression, anger, bargaining and acceptance, I realize that I must do the work of forgiveness because I don’t believe in blame. First and foremost, I forgive myself. I feel remiss that I did not go out to the barn to check that everything was in its proper place the evening prior. I forgive this man who did not leave the barn secured and safe. I choose to now focus on and celebrate the 16 years that I was blessed to have this magnificent, beautiful paint mare in my life. 

She was my girl! When I got her at the age of four, she was a handful. She taught me how to be a strong, accomplished equestrian. We rode hundreds of miles of trail together. We were so connected that I hardly needed to give her any signals. Emulating the empowered feminine with dignity and grace, Julietta healed many people in equine guided coaching sessions, and taught our herd how to respect and live peacefully with a Queen.

I will carry her in my heart from this day forward. She is now one of my Spirit Guides, and I will be writing many blog posts in her honor that will share all of the wisdom she imparted to many others and me.

I bid you Adieu, my beloved, faithful, four-legged companion. As you cross the Rainbow Bridge, know that your eloquent presence has left an indelible mark on my soul.     

AHO!