# Bettywoods Sad Story



## Mariel (Jul 8, 2008)

I first met Betty in NC when I was 13. She was a off the trace thoroughbred who was strict dressage. Much to my disappointment I had no other horse to ride due to my jumper being sold. At first we didn't get along, but that soon changed. Three years later, my instructor decided to move to Vermont. I didn't have money to move her to a different barn so Betty went up north. A few weeks after she got north she stepped on a rusty nail in the field. The vet was called and got the nail out of her front left and cleaned the hole. Leaving my instructor with directions on how to clean a care for her the vet had good faith in a quick recovery. It was winter, having a bucket of hot water to soak her hoof was when my instructor realized Betty had gotten worse overnight. The diesel in the truck froze and turned to jell, my instructor called someone with a truck and trailer to pick Betty up and take her to the vet hospital in New Hampshire. The truck was making it up the driveway when it hit a patch of ice and slid down the driveway and crashed into the trees. So the next plan of action was to thaw out the diesel in the truck. Eventually Betty got to the vet. The doctors cleaned her up and kept her there to keep an eye on her. They cleared her and said she could go home. Betty could only walk or canter but either one was on three legs. After living a year injured, she developed an abscess in her other front hoof. Again all she could do was stand. Once the abscess drained Betty was a good as she could be. In October the vet came to do x-rays to see if she was making and progress. The vet didn’t notice anything different. The vet came in November to do more x-rays. This time the vet noticed a big change. The metatarsal (cannon) bone was gone. November 19, 2007 Betty was put down.
I am in Vermont and I saw her grave. It made it feel like I found out all over again that she is gone. Although we only knew each other for four years and our partnership was short lived I cherish every moment I got with her. The good, the bad and the beautiful, the ugly. I will always remember my sweet friend Bettywood.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

So sorry for you and Betty  We had to put a horse down a few years ago, you never forget them. Thanks for sharing her story.


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## Mariel (Jul 8, 2008)

it helps having other people know the feeling and try to help...most of my friends (not horselovers) were very nonhelpful when i lost her...thank you!


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