WEALTH

Triumph and tragedy are two sides of life with horses, and we are so saddened to confirm the tragic loss of our precious, pink-nosed boy Wealth to colic. None of us imagined that this was how, or when, we’d have to say goodbye. We all had big dreams for Wealth, and he had them for himself. Whether it was being our first real public venture as a new nonprofit, the poster child for our mission, the ambassador of the breed that we believed he could be, or just finding him his very own equally talented person, everything was on the table when it came to this plucky boy’s future. On a professional level, we’re devastated that he did not get to realize those dreams. And on a personal one, we’ve lost a dear friend, a horse we would have been all too happy to care for, root for, spoil, and dote on for years to come. A million more kisses were meant for that pink nose, and we’re poorer for the loss of his presence in our lives. 

Our thanks go out to Wealth’s regular vet, Dr. Erika Jo Beck, who worked tirelessly over the last year to get to the bottom of this, and all at NBC who cared for him in his darkest hour. And we send our deepest condolences to the people who loved Wealth and gave him their best each and every day. To the whole Sydney Solomon Eventing crew, who brought our boy out of his shell and helped him show the world, and himself, what he was made of-you loved him like your own and dreamed big for him as much as we did. There was nothing quite like seeing Sydney and Wealth fly around a XC course. To Ali and her team at Meadow Spring Farm who made sure he wanted for nothing and were at his side on the day-you made all the right calls, acting in perfect accordance with our shared welfare values. The last thing Wealth knew in this life was that his people were going to take care of him, and we’re so very grateful for that.

We have mourned horses before, but something about this one hit us all a little differently. Perhaps it’s because Wealth is the first horse we have lost since founding Pastured Place. Perhaps it’s that we used to have to mourn our horses privately, and this is the first time we’ve had a community with which to grieve. Perhaps it’s because of what an incandescent individual Wealth was, the sense of humor he had, his love for his people, and his gameness. Perhaps it’s the festive season and what it adds to how loss feels. Perhaps-and probably-it’s all of the above. One of the more poignant scenes in A Christmas Carol comes to mind, and we’d like to borrow from it now:

“I am sure we shall none of us forget Tiny Tim… or this first parting that there was among us.”

Henry, our resident goofball, left us for greener pastures at the end of January. Purchased as a yearling out of the 2013 Keeneland September sale, he developed a bowed tendon before his first start on the track and was responsibly retired by his connections. Though he never raced, he spent his days living up to his name by endlessly entertaining the many humans who loved him, as evidenced by his bucket trick in the below video.

Our condolences go out to Lindy Clark and the whole Six M Farm team. They helped us ensure that Henry wanted for nothing in retirement, and we know they all feel his loss deeply. The happy hunting ground is richer for having gained a world-class-and very lovable-entertainer, and we comfort ourselves in knowing that his memory will live on in our hearts and the hearts of all who loved him.