Supreme was an American Saddlebred mare I acquired in 1995...8 years ago now. Now many would not consider this anything important, after all people buy horses all the time...but Supreme was special, over the next 8 years that chestnut mare and I would hit the highest of highs...and the lowest of lows...On April 2, 2003 at 11:27 AM at 20 years old Supreme was euthanised, she was one in a million and this is her Story.
Foaled on May 4th 1983, Supreme was a beautiful chestnut filly with four striking long white stockings, a four pointed star, a Stripe and a snip she was an eye catcher, from now until I encountered her many years later her past is pieced together from various sources. I know who bred Supreme and had the pleasure of meeting both this wonderful lady, Donna...and Supreme's Dam Fairy Spirit. I also know that Supreme was then sold to the person who would own her until I bought her many years later. I also know that Supreme had one foal..a beautiful Chestnut Gelding named Amigo who looked just like his granddam Fairy, owned by a man called Duke, both of which I also had the opportunity to meet
Here then is where the story begins to go sour, but in order to know this, one must jump ahead to 1995 when I fist laid eye on the creature that within a short time would become my best friend. Supreme was a sorry sight, we had heard of her from a family friend who had also gone to see her but had passed her by for obvious reasons, however...I was a young girl who wanted a horse...Supreme was cheap and although it broke every rule ever written about buying a horse, Supreme tugged at my heartstrings. Something about her sorrowful eyes still held an inner fire I knew I could bring out again...she was so lame she could hardly walk from one end of the driveway to the other, headshy...skittish, and an obvious victim of both Abuse and Neglect the extent of which we would hear about later Supreme none the less projected something special.
"Why Don't You and I get together
We'll take on the world and be together forever"
-Why don't you and I, Chad Kroeger & Santana
Now my mother who knew horses was skeptical...was it possible to bring Supreme back to a healthy and happy creature again? it was slim, a vet check confirmed it, severe founder, Degenerative kneecaps and Arthritis...as well as the obvious trust issues, none the less we where certain that Supreme still held a fighting spirit, the mare had heart and will...and our choice was made when we where informed that should we not buy her, she would simply be left to die in a muddy field...a muddy grass filled field, sure to kill her within the year with her founder...we took pity on the mare and compromised, we agreed to a lease agreement with an option to buy after 6 months...a few days later Supreme was home..
It was immediately obvious that the mare would need a little more then your average horse care, immediately her diet was changed to consist of only a vet recommended diet that would not aggravate her already touchy and severe founder, a corrective shoeing specialist was called in along with a vet who took X-rays to determine the angle of coffin bone rotation in her poor sore hooves, together vet and farrier decided and implemented what would be the beginning of several years of hoof therapy, including pads, silicone packing and several different shoe types. it was immediately apparent what proper shoeing could do for Supreme, with the proper angle needed for her founder in place Supreme could soon move around with little to no trouble...it would take several more shoeing's however before she could be considered completely sound.
With a careful Diet...careful shoeing and tender loving care Supreme's true nature began to shine, as she began to trust us we found out just was a catch she was...spirited, loving and mischievous she had more character and heart in her equine head then most people I know, truly something grand.
So six months rolled by and in that time we had brought Supreme back to a condition where she could not only be ridden comfortably...but. She was ready to show and of course...we bought her, we wouldn't know this at the time...but Supreme's return to the show ring would bring joy to the hearts of many people as it turned out that the Saddlebred family where I lived had indeed been sad witness to the suffering Supreme had been through in the hands of her former owner.
So we came back, me and Supreme, her no longer a decrepit old mare. And me out to prove a point, Supreme had worth despite what she had been. We would and could win...and we did, the first show brought us victory in the show ring, one of many for over the next 5 years Supreme and I toured with the local clubs, Tri-County Appaloosa – where we proved that Saddlebreds could game and rodeo with the best of the quarter horses and paints...the others stopped laughing long before the first year was over, and we where seen as the serious competitors we where, Sarnia Saddleclub, where Supreme really shined, in Saddleseat equitation we eventually beat the most prestigious of their members and came away with the end of the year championship, and of course we toured the local fairs, and here was where we met both our greatest foe...and our greatest victories, because it was here that we where able to come across...and beat Supreme’s former owner, and this is where the problems began once more.
Through a slight error on our part...and the mistake of laying trust in another we did not have the registration papers for Supreme, which kept us out of the point classes in most fairs, we of course approached the former owner for the papers and where refused, we went to the Saddlebred association and through great trials...time and errors we attempted to gain them, however after a year of fighting, with emotional conflicts, the uncovering of some of Supreme’s former torment unearthed during the investigation we called a stop to the process and had Supreme’s papers voided and nullified, we had proved our point...Supreme had by this time earned the respect and amiability of the horse world in our area and beyond, her former owner whom had been the cause of so much pain for Supreme as well as for many other horses she had owned over the years was brought to a grinding halt as her reputation was forever tarnished...I take heart in knowing at least that future horses would be spared the suffering Supreme had gone through...unfortunately for Supreme...it was already to late
Although we had enjoyed 5 years of good health, things soon began to degrade, by now my beautiful fiery chestnut mare was 16 years old and old injuries began showing up again, retired from the show ring we still enjoyed a few years of easy trail riding, before unfortunate things compounded a sudden onset of founder once again consumed her, confused we called upon the vets from the past…they soon determined the cause to be cushing disease...or teddy Bear syndrome, which unfortunately had irritated her already previously damaged feet, with the use of herbals and several new laminitis treatments it was brought under control.. Supreme could still frolic in a pasture...but it was unlikely she would be ridden again...that was okay Supreme had given so much she deserved her retirement...and so she was kept happy and comfortable, on a steady herbal treatment of chase berry which kept the cushings under control for another year, but with the onset of severe temperature changes...typical for the area where we lived the problems came back and unfortunately seemed to be getting worse...despite our best efforts and my heartbreak it was decided that Supreme...a champion and loving creature to the end was suffering...and I her owner...had a decision to make...and I did
"So ironic, an' so confusing,
To do the right thing and be losing.
I'm always stuck with choosing,
And ain't that just like life?"
- Beautiful Goodbye,Jenifer Hanson
I spent the last few hours of her life with her in her stall, I told her how much she ment to me. . And how much I loved her...but in the end I said good-bye to my best friend...
"I know you had to go away
I died just a little,
and I feel it now
You're the one I need
I believe that I would cry just a little
Just to have you back now
Here with me"
-Here with me, Michelle Branch
It still hurts...and I don’t think I will have another horse for a while...but I’ll never forget the saddlebred mare who was by my side while I grew up, a creature who was there for me whenever I needed her...I only hope that wherever she is now she knows that. I tried to be there for her as well. . I cry still as I write this, fore Supreme truly was one in a million and this is her story
"I’m here without you baby but your still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time"
Here Without you, 3 Doors Down
2 years later...
I still cry sometimes when I think of your magical canter, orthe way your coat shone like fire in the sun, I added some poems to your songs page that Sarah found, I know she misses you as much as I do, it dosen't feel like two years since you left me, I think about you everyday..I haven't touched another horse since the day i lost you ..I think I'll cry when I do, I didn't think it would still hurt this bad after 2 years but it does..I still love you and always will, I lit a candle for you today..sleep well my beautiful Supreme
Check out more about Supreme in her Photo Album
Have similar story to share about a beloved pet ? post it here in a virtual memoir and dedication. .
TO learn more about The American Saddlebred Breed, just follow the link below, and keep this giving and very special breed of horse in mind the next time you go horse shopping
The American Saddlebred Horese Association of Canada
For information on Laminitis and Cushing Disease please follow the links below, remember..laminitis can be avoided, please don't let your horse end up like Supreme did, protect your horse friends by following simple Equine health care practices
Laminitis
Cushings Disease
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