Sir Charles

For anyone who has ever been blessed to welcome a fur baby into their family fold, they know the absolute joy that comes from having them in our life, but they also understand the incredible heartache that comes from having to say goodbye.

About 13 years ago, after years of riding, showing and working with horses in various capacities, my daughter K realized a little girl dream she had had for many, many years.

The dream of one day owning her own horse.

Charlie was about 9 years old when he came to my daughter, and had not had the best life, as is sadly an all too common story, for this beautiful and often misunderstood animal.

Having been rather neglected in his formative years, he was not necessarily a big fan of most humans. He feared they didn’t have his best interests at heart, thus not always behaving as was expected from him.

This behaviour never phased my daughter. Instead, she affectionately gave him the nickname Sir Charles, a nod to his rather needy & quirky personality. She loved him for exactly who he was, warts and all.

Charlie & K in early days

K spent years developing a deep bond with this beautiful being, gifting him her never-ending patience, her trust in his ability and most importantly, loving him completely, in spite of his antics.

In return, he gifted her his trust and complete faith in knowing she would take care of him. The bond they shared between them was deep and beautiful.

Introducing Charlie to a small human

Sadly & unexpectedly this past week, my daughter had to make the gut wrenching decision to say goodbye to her beloved Charles.

For those who have had to make this kind of decision, you know the heartbreak of which I speak.

There is an indescribable kind of unconditional love that comes from sharing our lives with our fur babies. We love them so deeply and the grief we feel when we lose them is profound.

I find myself at a complete loss as to how to find the words to comfort my daughter in losing her beloved boy.

And so I write.

In my attempt to find some words of comfort, I leave you with what I think Charlie himself would want you to know.

I believe, first and foremost, Charlie would want to share with you how incredibly grateful he was to have found you. You gifted him a safe place to exist, accepting him for all that he was and all that he wasn’t, providing him with the opportunity to learn to trust his human.

I think he would apologize for all the times he was less than cooperative in his actions and his shenanigans, as you so patiently kept trying to teach him that it would all be okay. No matter how many times he succumbed to what he deemed to be fearful, you just got back on and gave him the reassurance he needed to continue.

I am certain he would thank you for the never ending supply of yummy treats and countless brushings, always making him feel so completely loved. Quiet time spent together in both the best moments and most challenging moments of life together, needing no words spoken to understand the depth of love felt for one another.

I have no doubt he was forever indebted to you for the copious amount of shoes he lost or threw and the warm blankets he tore or destroyed, always making his comfort a priority.

He would want you to know that you are the most patient and incredible human, always having faith in him to overcome his fears, no matter how ridiculous they may have seemed.

Most of all, I think Charlie would tell you how eternally grateful he was for the life you gifted him. Without your unconditional love and care for him, his life may have looked very different. Because of you, he had the opportunity to grow and develop into such a beautiful and happy being.

Even on his last day, you remained steadfast in your love for him, making the most difficult decision a human ever has to make for their fur baby. Setting aside the feeling of having your heart ripped out of your chest, you made the decision that was best for him.

One of my very favourite pics of K & Charlie, sharing a moment together.

I promise you that the heaviness you feel in these early days, will feel a little less burdensome as the days and weeks pass. In time that heaviness is replaced by the knowing of the incredible bond you shared and the beautiful memories of the time you spent together.

Rest In Peace Sir Charles. Run freely wherever your spirit takes you and know that you were deeply loved and will forever be held in the heart of your beautiful kindred spirit, K.

Hugs,

L💙

Advertisement