I was heartbroken to learn that a friend and work colleague's horse passed away later a two-yr boxing with a torn ligament that lead to other health bug.

Subsequently years of rehab and trying treatment plan later on treatment plan, she learned that that the horse and competition partner she'd loved for more than than a decade would never be completely hurting free. So she made the difficult decision to let him finally residue in peace.

As the news started to circulate on social media, my inbox began to fill with messages from concerned colleagues who wanted to assist but didn't truly sympathize how. I struggled to explicate to these non-horsey (simply sincerely concerned) coworkers simply how deep of a loss this was. It'due south and so difficult to express to someone who is not an equestrian.

And so I started to begin the proper etiquette when an equestrian you know loses their equine partner. Hither are some suggestions for all the horsey and non-horsey friends who want to aid.

Offer to help, but give them infinite.

Merely like with any loss, information technology's likely that your friend or family fellow member will be in a semi-country of stupor for the first few days or weeks after the loss of their horse. Call or text them and offering your condolences and ask how you lot can assistance. Only don't badger. They volition need some time and space to recover from this initial dial in the gut to brainstorm the healing process.

Gift in groups.

Instead of overwhelming this person with a series of cards or flowers or pocket-size gifts, get your coworkers or family members together to ship ane gift or carte expressing condolences. If you're a horsey friend from the barn, at that place are several personal and thoughtful gift ideas out at that place: there are companies that make cute jewelry out of horse pilus. Or utilize an old halter to brand a hanging blossom basket at the barn.

Salve an old horse shoe that can likewise be created into a memorial piece of art or photo frame. Plant a tree at a memorial site at the subcontract. Only over again, don't rush this. Greenbacks tin go a long way if in that location's leftover vet bills to pay or gift cards tin can provide several meals that they don't accept to worry about while they're grieving.

Offer to do the small-scale stuff.

Afterwards losing my ain horse to colic, I didn't leave to the barn for months. If your friend or family fellow member boarded their horse, y'all could offering to clean their tack or begin moving equipment out of the befouled.

Sometimes distractions are needed.

Make plans to go to lunch or run into a flick. Exercise something fun that's not necessarily horse-related at first.

Exist encouraging.

It took me a while to want to get back in the saddle. Luckily later a few months, my trainer started bugging me to take a lesson. I was unsure at first, merely I was glad she did. If you accept an actress equus caballus, maybe offer to go on a no-pressure trail ride with your friend. Invite them to a polo match or m prix. Have information technology easy, but start bringing up opportunities for them to slowly bring horses dorsum into their life, if they want it.

Less is more.

Yous don't have to empathize the relationship between a horse and passenger to understand grief. Don't tell this person how they should be feeling. Avoid asking about the details of what lead to their equus caballus's death or if they plan to buy another one. This is the fourth dimension to exist a practiced listener.