# RIP Mozart



## Macaroni (May 30, 2017)

I work for an Equine-Assisted Activites and Therapies program and this past Friday we very suddenly lost our biggest rockstar pony, Mozart.

Mozart was a little 13.2hh red roan welsh pony, the cutest little thing you've ever seen. He was 21 years old and still had so much fire left in his little body. He was simultaneously incredibly kind and sweet and generous, and sassy and grumpy as a pony could be. He was the most reliable mount you could ask for - he started out as a fancy show pony so had a ton of fancy moves and was the perfect pony for kids wanting to w/t/c and jump, but he was also sweet and safe and whenever an instructor had a difficult case coming in - whether it was a small kid who had little control over his or her body and needed little movement under it in order to feel safe, or a wild child who loved nothing more than to throw his or her body around and stick his or her hands in a pony's face - Mozart was the go-to pony. He could do anything and everything and never once did anything to risk the safety of one of his riders. He naturally was also the most bomb-proof little guy I've ever met. For months, we had construction going on on our property because we were building our indoor arena, and through all the work with bulldozers and cranes, he was the only pony who never flinched at any of it. He was endlessly trustworthy. He wasn't just kind to humans, either - he was so easy to get along with, that he was friends with every horse he ever came near (the ONE time he had to be separated from a horse he was turned out with was when he was turned out with the most docile mare in the world who would never even THINK to so much as pin her ears at anyone or anything, and he saw an opportunity to finally be an alpha pony so chased her around the paddock for fun). Most of the time, though, he was turned out with Shasta, a 27-year-old arab/welsh cross who is the coolest customer, the most laidback horse you'll ever meet - normally a babysitter horse for others, he was Mo's best friend and would even have fun teasing him, trotting after Mo to keep him on his toes. Mo brought out the best in Shasta - normally a horse who would just stand there for hours doing nothing, Mo brought out his energy and joy. They made the perfect pair.

Mo may have been gentle and sweet, but he was certainly also silly as all heck and sassy to boot. We have two kinds of turnout at our farm - big grass paddocks with electric wire fencing, and smaller dirt paddocks with wooden fencing. Mo could never get turned out in the wooden paddocks, because he'd break right through the wood planks either because he'd scratch his butt on them with such vigor or just because he felt like it. There was one day when I walked past the paddocks and saw Mo simply walk through the wooden fence until it cracked. I yelled out to him from afar and he just looked at me like "Yeah, I did it. So what? I'm proud of what I've done!" 
He also had a knack for being lazy and occasionally when in a lesson, if he felt like it was a day he should be napping instead of working, he'd just stop dead in his tracks, and no matter how many times you kicked him or tapped him with the crop, he would not budge. But if you clipped the lead onto him or the lunge line, he'd do anything you want (including the weirdest, most exaggerated flying lead changes in the world "LOOK AT ME, I'M DOING A FLYING LEAD CHANGE!")
He also had a particular distaste for being girthed, but the only thing he would ever do when unhappy was to curl his top lip up. We called it Mo's little smile. But he also smiled when he was happy - whenever I scratched his special happy spot on his neck, he would curl his top lip up and drop his bottom lip down, creating a huge goofy grin that I will remember forever.

Mo was the perfect little pony, and even right before he passed, when he was in an incredible amount of pain and was frustrated I was making him walk, he never did anything other than stop and give me a frustrated look. He would never even consider acting out in any way. Every time I passed by his stall, he would excitedly poke his little face out to say hi, and only put it back in after I had given him a kiss on the nose and a scratch behind the ears. We were all incredibly lucky to have had a pony like Mo on this earth and I and many others will miss him forever.

A few hours before Mo's passing, I went out to his paddock to bring him and his best friend Shasta inside for the night. I had Mo in one hand and Shasta in the other, and Shasta started to move towards Mo. I was wary, as usually Shasta likes to mess around with Mo and chase him away, but this time Mo didn't seem nervous and I let Shasta approach him. The two reached out towards one another and gently touched noses. I watched as they stood like that for several long seconds and then the three of us turned and walked quietly together back towards the barn. I'd like to think Shasta was telling his friend Mo that everything would be okay - that he would soon be at peace and that he would always be with him.


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## EmberScarlet (Oct 28, 2016)

This is so sad to hear. I'm glad he left so peacefully. <3 I hope he leaves a bright impression on the hearts of all who encountered him.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

So sorry that you lost Mo. Ponies like that are worth their weight in gold. 

I also have done work with EEAT programs, and losing a beloved pony/horse can be difficult for the whole program community. You are probably thinking about this, but there are some resources out there to help create a memorial for a horse that passes, using language that is accessible for people who may have a difficult time understanding death. For example, here's a brief guide. One thing our center did last year when an older horse was put to sleep was keep his stall open for about a month, with a table set up inside that held big posters with lots of pictures of him. People could write little notes about their favorite memories with him. We also made an announcement on our Facebook page and in our newsletter that explained a little about his medical condition and why it was the right choice for him using clear, non-technical language. It's definitely not easy when a horse/pony has made such a huge difference in so many people's lives!


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## EmberScarlet (Oct 28, 2016)

Yeah, sort of like what Egrogan said, when my sister was doing horsey therapy at a place called BEAT riding (BEAT riding) one of the horses died, and they did a little memorial.


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## KLJcowgirl (Oct 13, 2015)

I liked your post because what a sweet, cute looking little guy. Condolences. He sure seemed like 1 in a million.


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## JoBlueQuarter (Jan 20, 2017)

I'm so sorry for your loss. He looked so sweet, cute, and stubborn! Hope y'all are doing OK.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Aww, he sounded like such a sweet horse. I'm so sorry for your loss. :sad:


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## Eggyemi04 (Jul 26, 2017)

Lovely little pony. So sorry for your loss.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

RIP Mo- your memories will always bring happiness to those who knew you.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Rest in peace Mozart. If you run into a big chestnut Appaloosa gelding up there, running freely across those green pastures, and if he listens to the name Einstein, give him my love!


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