A tribute to Rambo...

For my Mom.

As most of you know, for years now my Mom has raised miniature horses, and a couple nights ago she lost one of the very first ones she ever owned.

His name was Rambo.

I got this email from my Mom Friday morning and it made me cry...

Some of you already know, but instead of having to send way too many individual messages I thought I'd let you all know at once that I lost my Rambo today. :(
He had seemed to be in excellent health all this winter which made me so happy.

But he had to be put down tonight.
All day today he would not eat and acted just slightly colicky. I finally decided to take him to the vet this evening and he did bloodwork and found out he was extremely dehydrated and on top of that his kidney values were terrible. His kidneys were failing horribly. I had to let him put him down or watch him die over the next few hours or days. :(
He was 22 years old in March and has been the personality that I wished all my horses were all these years. He has truly been a one in a million little horse. I am so glad I have several of his daughters and his grandson Lil Chap of Bar Bar E to carry on....... as their dispositions are very similar to Rambo. I need to train Lil Chap to drive. Over the years Rambo and I went so may places together, just him and me and his cart. I got Rambo when he was 4 months old in 1988 and thus started Hilliard Horses to Hug. I always felt Rambo and I were a team.
And I will sure miss him.

For me this is the end of an era. I just want to say I'm so sorry Mom for your loss. I know how much you loved him and how many great memories you had with him over the past 22 years.

Everyone knows that I'm not much of an animal person and all of these years I've never much been involved with the horses, but I'm always so proud to tell people that my Mom raises miniature horses.
From the time she was a little girl, my Mom remembers LOVING horses.

It has always made me so happy Mom that you got to fulfill your dreams and finally got to have all of your own little horses. And I'm always amazed at your vast knowledge about all of them and anything to do with miniature horses!I remember drawing this picture when I was 11 as we went to look at miniature horses for the very first time. (quite the artist I know!)

And back then, I do remember being excited to get some of our very own!

Anyway here are some of the pictures my Mom forwarded me of her Rambo.

Cute little Ashton feeding Rambo :)

An even smaller Ashton riding Rambo...My Mom always thought it looked like he was looking at Lars and saying "How am I doing Daddy?"
And here Rambo is pulling My Mom, Ashton and me in the cart in the parade...

Rest In Peace Rambo :)