Dutch

Arrival Date:  July 23, 2019

Farewell  Date:  April 14, 2024

 

Dutch is a beautiful Dutch Warmblood that came to the ranch in July of 2019 at the request of Dr. Oman. He had been asked to euthanize Dutch because of a change in his owner’s circumstances. However, Dr. Oman is hesitant to euthanize horses that come running up to greet him.

Dutch is definitely one of the oldest horses at the ranch, although no one would guess his age when they met him. In spite of his age, he lives an active life with “da boyz” in our gelding corral.

In the time Dutch has been with us, he has reconnected with two different people who quickly recognized him as a horse they had ridden in the past.  Clearly, this big boy has touched a lot of lives.

 

Farewell Date:  April 14, 2024

 

Our handsome Dutch passed away on his own last weekend. There were no signs of a struggle or rolling. It looked like he simply collapsed. Given his advanced age of 35, Dr. Harlan indicated that it is possible that his heart simply stopped.

Regardless of his cause of death he has left a lot of broken hearts behind. Before coming to us Dutch had a career as a hunter jumper. In the time Dutch was been with us, he has reconnected with two different people who quickly recognized him as a horse they had ridden in the past. Clearly this big boy touched a lot of lives.

Dutch was definitely one of the oldest horses at the ranch during his time with us, although no one would guess his age when they met him. In spite of his age, he lived an active life with “da boyz” in our gelding corral. The majority of our photos are of Dutch with his buddies, Buddy, Doc, Twister, Frankie, Gulli and the Cisco Kid.

We knew Dutch as a kind, gentle soul who was always ready to kick up his heels and play. He was a bit of a bridge between Twister’s seriousness and the juvenile delinquency that Frankie, Cisco and Gulli are prone to. The boys have taken Dutch’s passing hard with both Gulli and Frankie demanding more attention than usual. Of course. it was only six weeks earlier that the boys lost Buddy on March 1.

It is easy to picture Dutch crossing the Rainbow Bridge. No doubt a long line of his hunter jumper competitors and barn mates were waiting to welcome him. Dutch would have politely passed by these until he found Buddy quietly waiting farther down the path. Dutch would have called out to Buddy letting him know that Twister sent him to check on him and inviting Buddy to show him around their new digs. We can see our quiet, unassuming Buddy standing tall and proud as he led Dutch across the green meadows and bubbling springs.

Take care of each other boys!