# RIP Bubbles, it's over now. (long with lots of pics)



## tempest

Oh, I'm so sorry. *hugs*


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## dressagebelle

Hugs I'm so sorry its always so hard to lose a beloved friend, even if they have made it to a ripe old age. At least you were able to be there with her, and she didn't have to pass alone.


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## HollyBubbles

dressagebelle said:


> Hugs I'm so sorry its always so hard to lose a beloved friend, even if they have made it to a ripe old age. At least you were able to be there with her, and she didn't have to pass alone.


Yeah, and in a way i'm glad she passed quickly and on her own without being put down.
Mum thinks she come out to the front paddock and waited for me. When I brought her home to try get rid of the staggers she had free range of 3 big paddocks and a shed, she spent most of her time in the back paddock in the shed where I don't go until after school. She was only out in the front paddock since this morning, whenever she lay down.

But atleast I know she lived a good life and served her 25 years well, she was never abused and never overworked/competed, never ruined or had physical injury that I know of, which seems to be becoming less common these days:-(.


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## farmpony84

I am very sorry.


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## MHFoundation Quarters

So sorry to hear about your loss. RIP Bubbles. I am crying at my computer with you, my childhood mare was a red dun named "Bubbles Salty Mist", also Bubbles. I had to make the tough choice several years back. Sending a big :hug:


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## flytobecat

So sorry.


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## oberon the beasty

I am so sorry. I would never be able to get over something like that and I hope you know that you will someday see her again in heaven because with what it sounds like she deserved to be there.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## LucysMyGirl

I'm soooo sorry she looks sooo pretty and sweet.................


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## tinyliny

So Sorry. She was happy with you and she didn't suffer long. What more can you ask?


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## RedTree

Sorry for your loss  Bubbles was an incredible mare and she was lucky to have you as you were lucky to have her.
What you wrote made me cry, at least you were with her in the end


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## HollyBubbles

We've just buried her tonight, beside Laasanna who we lost on april 28th 2010. So atleast they'll be together again.

Tinyliny - that's exactly it, I know she lived a happy life here and she didn't suffer long, her final ride was a good one, her final show was a good send off in february, she was pretty much retired to live a happy end as a paddock ornament.

She fought her hardest but in the end age got the better of her, and to be honest i'm glad it was age that got the better of her and not sickness or injury


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## ChingazMyBoy

So sorry to hear about your loss. Bubbles sounded like an incredible horse and that you both taught each other a lot.


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## JamieLeighx

I am so sorry about your loss. Im sitting here crying over such an amazing story . She sounds like such an incredible horse and together you's werent a team you's were one.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Northern

Thanks for a beautiful account of Bubbles' life & what she taught you!

Yes, I agree with mum that she went to the front paddock for you. How wonderful that she died while in your embrace!

Lovely, also, that she was never abused nor overworked!


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## equus717

I am sorry for your loss of your friend. She had a long life and a well spent one with people that cared about her. She taught you the love of horses.


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## Lakotababii

Aww I'm so sorry! But she died knowing she was loved and cared for. That's all she could want and more to be taken care of so well by someone who loved her so much, even in her time of death. I'll be sending my thoughts and prayers your way. Rest in Peace Bubbles <3


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## HollyBubbles

I know it's happeed and I've got no choice but to believe it did seeing as it happened in my arms, but I nearly went out 5 minutes ago to make her feed :\ I keep forgetting she's not out there waiting for her feed.

And I also had to tell the farrier today why he had only 1 horse and a miniature to trim rather than the 2 horses and a miniature that we had planned a week ago.


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## apachiedragon

I'm so sorry for your loss. I recently lost my old man as well. It is the little things that make it so hard in the beginning, like you said about forgetting, and going to make her feed. I would be cleaning stalls, and get to his, go in with the pitchfork, and then remember it didn't need to be cleaned anymore and break down. 

Big hugs to you, and take comfort in the fact that she went peacefully, knowing you were there with her.


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## PintoTess

R.I.P Bubbles. Im so so sorry.


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## HollyBubbles

I woke up this morning to be told that there had been two people apparently seen in Mitchells paddock last night around 7.30pm with lights on their heads and I thought "oh no not again, not right now" I got up to the paddock and the tape that has always been up was loose, and Mitchell wasn't in there.
The tape couldn't have gotten loose by itself because I wrapped the tape around the steel hook to electrify it, so whoever loosened it must have known how to work them without getting shocked. The fence was nearly on the ground, eventually I found Mitchell standing by one of the gates and thought oh thankgod, I can't lose him too. He let me catch him but refused to walk anywhere for me until he got the soft end of the leadrope over the bum. Thankfully he's still in one piece and so is his brand new cover.
Dad said this morning "I hope his covers still there." my reply being "Stuff the cover I hope my **** horse is still alive up there!"

That kinda reminds me of bubbles and tying up, some idiot who I will not name, tied her to a gate and waited for me, bubbles got a fright and ran backwards, snapped the steel gate hinges off and took a few steps back with the gate still attached, but didn't panic, oh how I loved her for that, she wasn't ever a bombproof horse, but she was definately not stupid.

-She also taught me that you use the bailing twine from little bails of hay not from big bales... The twine from the big bails is a lot stronger and doesn't snap under pressure. She pulled back one day and instead of the twine breaking, the entire fence did and it lifted out of the ground with me nearly getting fence wire braces. Yep, she pulled that hard... Darned horse :lol:

A week today it's been since she passed away


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## TheLovedOne

Hey HB, Just saw this today and I am so sorry that you lost your bubbles. Life can be very sad sometimes.


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## HollyBubbles

Yeah unfortunately, all my luck seems to be turning really bad at the moment in every way, not just horses, so I think I may aswell go wrap Mitch and Gemma in cotton wool and tie them to my back door after what went on last night :\


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## AlexS

I am so very sorry for your loss. Bubbles was quite the horse. 



HollyBubbles said:


> I just wish I could have had just 10 more minutes with her, only 10. To give her one last proper hug and tell her how much I love her. I know I can still tell her before she gets buried tonight, but it's not the same.


Bubbles didn't need those extra 10 minutes, she already knew how much you loved her.


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## HollyBubbles

Here's a final video of her, but because of the song used youtube has blocked it from some countries. If you want to see it but can't then I'll do an audio swap or something.


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## horsesroqke

Oh I'm so sorry. She sounded like a great mare.
Hugs to you, and Mitch. 
xox


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## Cacowgirl

So sorry for your loss. Loved the Memorium you wrote about her-very touching. I've lost many horses over the years & it's always tough. Healing hugs to you.Hope you feel better soon.


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## westerncowgurl

this made me cry, im so sorry for your loss i just recently lost the horse i learned to ride on too but he was far away and i never got to say good bye


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## HollyBubbles

Thanks everyone, I'm starting to feel a bit better, I think it helps that Mitch has turned back into his cuddly self and would prefer to sit with me rather than eat grass. He followed me around the entire paddock yesterday and wouldn't let me out of it.

I want to get a cross made for bubbles' grave when I find the time.


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## jojonono

I'm so sorry but at least you were with her and you loved her dearly *hugs*


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## Toffee

Im sory to hear that. R.I.P Bubbles


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## Moonstruck

T___________T R.I.P Bubbles!
I'm happy for the sake of you and bubbles that she made it through peacefully... God bless her gorgeous furry-self and I hope that things at home will get better for you. 
I'm sure Mitch feels your pain and just wants to comfort you. I am sorry for your loss, sweety.


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## HollyBubbles

Moonstruck said:


> T___________T R.I.P Bubbles!
> I'm happy for the sake of you and bubbles that she made it through peacefully... God bless her gorgeous furry-self and I hope that things at home will get better for you.
> I'm sure Mitch feels your pain and just wants to comfort you. I am sorry for your loss, sweety.


Thankyou .
She always did get very furry during the winter, like a teddybear with long legs :lol: things are starting to get better, but I have no motivation at all to go and do anything with my other horses, pretty much the only reason I do see them right now is to feed them or cover/uncover, although I've started lunging Mitch again, but I just don't want to ride yet.
Yeah I'm pretty sure he is feeling it, he wouldn't let me out of his paddock the other day, completely ignored his hay and refused to let me out, I think he knows somethings happened but not that it was bubbles, I seperated them about a week before because he was picking on her, so he never saw her.


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## Moonstruck

Aw, if he ever knew he probably feels bad about pickin on her. Horses I'm sure are very sensitive to emotions, and feel when something is off kilter.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Hoofprints in the Sand

So sorry  I haven't read this whole thread so someone may have already mentioned...but you should read The Rainbow Bridge for horses...it's a beautiful poem about where they go when they pass away and that Bubbles will be waiting and you will be reunited one day  so don't worry about that last 10 minutes you didn't have with her because you will have an eternity with her someday 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## HollyBubbles

Moonstruck said:


> Aw, if he ever knew he probably feels bad about pickin on her. Horses I'm sure are very sensitive to emotions, and feel when something is off kilter.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


To be honest I hope he does feel bad for picking on her, I don't know how many times I defended her from being bitten or kicked in the short time they were paddock mates. That backfired on me one day and because he got told off for trying to get her, he tried to get me with both hind legs, so he promptly got a haynet wrapped around his bum... He hasn't done it again since and wouldn't come near me for the rest of the night.


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## HollyBubbles

Hoofprints in the Sand said:


> So sorry  I haven't read this whole thread so someone may have already mentioned...but you should read The Rainbow Bridge for horses...it's a beautiful poem about where they go when they pass away and that Bubbles will be waiting and you will be reunited one day  so don't worry about that last 10 minutes you didn't have with her because you will have an eternity with her someday
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I've heard about the poem, but I've never read it and it hasn't been mentioned in the thread until now. Right now I think she would be playing up there with Piper and Laasanna, Piper being her old paddock mate from her last owners, she got put down from a heart condition. Laasanna being our old arab mare that got put down to a mystery illness a year ago on thursday.
I never really thought about it that way


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## Moonstruck

HollyBubbles said:


> To be honest I hope he does feel bad for picking on her, I don't know how many times I defended her from being bitten or kicked in the short time they were paddock mates. That backfired on me one day and because he got told off for trying to get her, he tried to get me with both hind legs, so he promptly got a haynet wrapped around his bum... He hasn't done it again since and wouldn't come near me for the rest of the night.


 Poor bubbles. 
What do you mean he got a haynet wrapped around his bum? Does that hurt or something?  sounds like it looks kind of funny...


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## HollyBubbles

Moonstruck said:


> Poor bubbles.
> What do you mean he got a haynet wrapped around his bum? Does that hurt or something?  sounds like it looks kind of funny...


Yeah so I brought her back home where she wouldn't get picked on.

Well he kicked out at me and I was holding a nylon haynet at the time so I smacked him over the bum with it, just an instant reaction really. It must have either hurt or given him a fright though he's never tried anything like that since. Gotta be cruel to be kind I guess lol but there's no way I'm gonna risk being kicked in the face


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## Hoofprints in the Sand

Hoofbeats In Heaven - "The Rainbow Bridge For Horses"
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Moonstruck

Yeah! I'd do the same thing. Yikes this makes me think before I start really getting into horses that I should have my health insurance in order lol


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## HollyBubbles

Moonstruck said:


> Yeah! I'd do the same thing. Yikes this makes me think before I start really getting into horses that I should have my health insurance in order lol


Haha yeah that may be an idea. I don't think I would be able to even get health insurance after how many injuries and health problems i've already got.


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## PumpkinzMyBaby22

Wow. I am so very sorry. I have only just seen the thread. 
Many many hugs coming your way, and I hope it gets easier for you soon. It is so sweet that she waited for you, she truly must feel loved. You gave her wonderful life which she fully deserved. 

R.I.P Bubbles.


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## AQHAgirl

Beautiful story of you and her together. I am sorry to hear that she has passed on, sounds like she was waiting to say goodbye to you. You will see her again one day. There's a reason why they leave us with so many good memories,it's so we can live with the fact that they are gone until we meet with them again. Hugs to you


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## HollyBubbles

AQHAgirl said:


> Beautiful story of you and her together. I am sorry to hear that she has passed on, sounds like she was waiting to say goodbye to you. You will see her again one day. *There's a reason why they leave us with so many good memories,it's so we can live with the fact that they are gone until we meet with them again.* Hugs to you


 Thankyou.
That's what I think too, afterall she chose to be in the back paddock because it had a shed, she wouldn't have just come out to the front for no reason I don't think.
That's a good point, although I think i'm getting worse not better. For the past 5 nights I've been pretty much sleepless because I can't get the words "I think she's gone" out of my mind, and when I do finally get to sleep she's all through my dreams.

Last night I dreamt we were having huge earthquakes and she was outside my window while I stood in a doorway during a quake, and for some reason I dreamt the earthquake gave her a heart attack and she died from that. Now I can't get the way she looked at me in the dream out of my mind. When in reality there's been no earthquakes in this part of NZ for ages. To make things worse I have to go back to school tomorrow and face up to my teachers asking questions about it again now the school holidays are over. oh joy:-(.


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## AQHAgirl

Oh I know, it's very hard. You are going to have dreams of her for a bit and your gonna feel sad for a while. You just hear about her name and then your mind just goes back in time remembering all the memories you had with her. You are gonna feel like it's not gonna get easier but it will I promise


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## HollyBubbles

AQHAgirl said:


> Oh I know, it's very hard. You are going to have dreams of her for a bit and your gonna feel sad for a while. You just hear about her name and then your mind just goes back in time remembering all the memories you had with her. You are gonna feel like it's not gonna get easier but it will I promise


Yeah, it seems to be getting harder rather than easier right now, but she's not the only thing thats gone wrong lately so that doesn't suprise me.
I'm just glad I have most of those memories, good and bad, stored into videos and pictures, I literally had 12GB of video just from her over our 3 years together. And I don't even kow how many photo's.


--I just realised I made a typo in the original post, I was 13 when I got bubbles, not 12.


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## zurmdahl

I'm so sorry about Bubbles  It's nice that you got to be with her in the end though, that doesn't always happen, especially when they pass on their own. People asking about it will be tough, but it will get easier, I promise. It might take months but it will


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## fuadteagan

I am so sorry for your loss. She looks beautiful. RIP Bubbles!!


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## Phantomstallion

Sounds like she was a great horse! :hug:Hugs. So sorry! I got really touched by what you wrote.


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## HollyBubbles

Thanks everybody. I know it's been a while now but it still sends me to bed in horrible moods most nights. And to make it worse we have to do english speeches this week... Our given topic is "what makes you who you are" and guess who that is... That's going to be really hard for me to do, and I talked to my teacher about it and he said I can choose some friends and him to do it in front of instead of the entire class.

I still lie in bed at night, my mind wondering maybe if I had gone out to check her earlier maybe she wouldn't have died, but in my heart I know it was her time to go and keeping her alive if we could have, would have been unfair.
Whatever it was she was born to fullfill, she must have fullfilled it.

I also came across this quote:

*“Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.”*


^even just writing those paragraphs above I've had to blink away tears and swallow the growing lump in my throat. It doesn't help that bubbles isn't the only thing getting me down lately, everything else seems to be too, even before she died.
Has it already been a month and a half?? Wow, doesn't feel like it.


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## JessPintoMare

I'm so sorry. I remember how much I cried when my moms horse died. I can't imagine my own horse.:'(


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## lildonkey8

So sorry for your loss. RIP Bubbles, may she always be by your side. She was a sweet girl who you always talked about...RIP:sad: *HUGS*


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## HollyBubbles

Yeah, it was kind of wierd this past weekend, we went to Mystery Creek field days up in Hamilton, and thats the biggest field days in New Zealand. Every year up until now I have gone up and bought gear for bubbles and I, usually bright colours or treats and saddle blankets etc. But this year of course, no Bubbles, so I come out with a saddle blanket and a few other things for Mitch instead. It was so wierd because the one year I don't have bubbles, they have everything I would have every wanted for us. Now i'm buying blue gear instead of pink.


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## fuadteagan

That is terrible. Horses dieing is the worst thing in the world. I remember a horse I really liked & only rode once died. My trainer pulled aside my mom (knowing it would upset me before my lesson). I wasn't sure & I thought it was about Secret or about the horse, Spencer. I looked for Spence in the field & at the time we have 3 horses that looked like him. I was very young and there were far away. So I thought it was him. And it ended up, he died by being kicked in the head . It was the worst thing that ever happened to me!


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## atreyu917

Gah, I cried.

The ONLY downside to having animals as such good friends/teachers is their lifespan isn't nearly long enough. I do not have a horse....but my dog is 13 and i can sympathize with you because I know how devastated I will be when I lose him. I too, got him at 12 years old.


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## HollyBubbles

Fuadteagan - Yes, I've since learned that I actually handle human death a lot beter than I do animal death. My great nana died late last year, I never once cried or even got upset, I was one of the only ones at the funeral who didn't burst into tears, but yet bubbles died and I just broke down completely.
-But in saying that I knew my great nana was dying, bubbles just took me by suprise.

atreyu917- That'll be the next thing :\ I have a black lab x hunterway called Sophie who is 13 now, I've had her since she was born, since I was 3. And she's definately not young anymore. She's been run over before, so now she's got bad hips. Shes getting cataracts in her eyes, going deaf (apparently, I don't believe this though) and is also getting very forgetfull. So I doubt we'll have her for much longer.


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## GreenTreeFrog

My god I just balled my eyes out reading that. I am so sorry... she sounds amazing. xxx


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## HollyBubbles

I'm actually quite suprised at how many people have said they cried. I never thought anybody would cry, only me


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## atreyu917

I'm not surprised. Most people on this forum are here because they love their horses (or horses in general) as much as you loved Bubbles.
My dog is like my son, and when he goes I'll be a wreck. So we can all sympathize with your loss. And I know it hurts, but I'm SURE she passed knowing she was loved. Many horses and animals in general are not so lucky.


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## HollyBubbles

atreyu917 said:


> I'm not surprised. Most people on this forum are here because they love their horses (or horses in general) as much as you loved Bubbles.
> My dog is like my son, and when he goes I'll be a wreck. So we can all sympathize with your loss. And I know it hurts, but I'm SURE she passed knowing she was loved. Many horses and animals in general are not so lucky.


That's a good point actually, I never thought about that.

I'm pretty sure she passed knwoing that too, afterall I think if she thought we didn't love her she wouldn't have bothered to come out to the front paddock so we could see her.


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## Katze

My heartfelt condolences go out to you, seems like you had a really special bond with your mare. Chin up it does get easier, and she might be gone but you will always have memories of your time with her.


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## HollyBubbles

It did seem to be that way, a lot of the time we never got on well. But towards the end we finally became a proper team instead of just horse and rider.

It's slowly getting easier, I think the fact that Mitch has such a funny personality is helping me a lot. Some days he thinks he's a cat or a human... Like the other day he was tied up to the fence and I was washing his tail when I felt him start leaning backwards and thought "what??" he leant down right onto his stomach with his bum still in the air, and was stretching his front legs out like a cat does after a sleep. I couldn't help but laugh :lol:


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## tsugarcoated

very sorry she looked like a very sweet horse


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## Oakley Eastern Miss

Im so sorry to hear of your loss, you have brillant memories of your time together by the sounds of it. My mare is 27 and i am dreading when this day comes, my thoughts are with you.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## HollyBubbles

Seeing as 3 days ago was exactly 6 months since bubbles died i'm going to resurrect this thread for a minute to say that her favourite tree is in full bloom now, with bright pink flowers again now that it's spring.
I also realised the other day that Bubbles gave me a confidence in riding that I never realised until now, that I'm not phased by bad situations anymore. When I first got her I would bail off if I felt threatened by any movment she made. But now I just handle it, and I suppose with a big young thoroughbred that comes in extrememly handy.

I still have really bad days most days, although I guess thats not suprising since I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety about a month ago. My sleep is still getting worse, only 2-3 hours most nights and the freak dreams and all. But I'm happy to say I've started riding properly again. I realised that while I don't have Bubbles, I have Mitch, and Mitch deserves to learn from me, what I learnt from Bubbles.

And his nature is almost the same, almost like she lead me to him before she died. He found me, I didn't look for him. He has the same quirks as her in some instances, and just like her, loves to go and go and go. Unlike her, he doesn't take much to hold back :lol:

One of my favourite quirks of Bubbles was when you worked in circles.. I would work in a circle around a friend of mine who competes dressage, and I would pat her or give her a scratch every time she did what I wanted, and as soon as I rewarded her she would make her way in to the centre of her circle where my friend was standing, as if my praise wasn't enough for her, she wanted all the praise she could get and she wasn't going to work again until she got a good scratch from whoever was in the middle of that circle. she just loved it and could never get enough.

Bubbles grave has sunken in now, so I want to put some more dirt over it, but I guess if it stays sunken like that then I'll never forget the exact spot that we lay her to rest. Not that I could forget the spot anyway, considering I walk past it most days and it plays on my mind anyway.


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## HorseLovinLady

I'm very sorry for your loss.


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## All Shook Up

I'm so sorry, big hug. She does look like she was a sweet mare and it is good she passed quickly and on her own. RIP Bubbles


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## outnabout

{{{hug}}}


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## HollyBubbles

I was quite upset the other day when I was forced to use one of her rugs on Mitch :\ didn't want to pull those out yet but I suppose they can't lie in the shed forever


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## LadyNeigh

hugs from me too


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