Julie Kenney is a Best Horse Practices Summit board member and runs Blackberry Farm in Harpswell, Maine. She writes of her horse Khoura in this thoughtful, heartfelt poem:
Your chestnut coat shines
Under the bright morning sun
Beside me, your excitement is palpable
At rejoining the herd
A springing jog carries you along
To your closest friends
Who touch noses with you to confirm
All is well
Warm, sunshiny ground
Beckons for a nap
The arthritic body eases down
Safe amongst your herd, you would not arise again
Each horse came
A gentle touch, to breathe you in
To say goodbye in a language
Only understood between yourselves
The sun slipped below the tree line
Slowly my palm stroked your warm coat
Whispering my love for you
As the vet assisted your final exhale
We are caretakers
Of God’s beautiful creatures
Goodbyes are infinitely harder
Than hellos
Overnight, the herd stood sentinel
Morning slipped in
They watched silently
As your body was lifted and carried away
To a little forest clearing
Prepared for you
Unencumbered by man-made trappings
You complete a circle
Your soul
Lives in memories
Your body
Nourishes ferns and wild grasses
In that wooded glade
Protection for white-tailed spring fawns
Where wild turkeys
Pluck seed heads in mid-summer
Remembering brings
Sadness and joy
Smiles and tears
Most of all, it brings love
For a sweet, red-haired mare
Who asked for gentleness in life
And received it also in death
It was the very least her human family could do
Khouramia “Khoura”
5/20/1988 – 3/16/2020
~ Julie Kenney
This is beautiful Julie. I was blessed to have walked part of Khoura’s journey on this earth. She was blessed to have walked to eternity with you <3 She was a special mare, once she trusted, she would give her whole heart.
Thank you Tenley for such kind words, and for entrusting me with Khoura for the last half of her life
This poem blessed my soul. Thank you for sharing such a wonderfully written poem full of tenderness that only horse lovers can understand.
Thank you Lisa for your kind words of support. Those of us who have had the privilege of supporting our beloved animals at the end will recognize these words personally. It is never easy, is it
I tear up reading this… I feel the love for your equine companion and the letting go so she could pass peacefully among her herd friends. A very beautiful tribute to her, sweet girl that she was.
Becky
Khoura’s soul lives on in your words. I’m saving this poem for when we lose our boys, may it be long from now, but as gentle as your mare’s passing. Thank you.
This is really touching and made me think of every beloved equine that I loved and lost. This poem of your mare is brilliant, I felt like I may have known her too. What a bright and vibrant life she must have had. I bet that is what she felt for you, too. Thanks Julie…this is very special and beautifully portrayed.