Magic

Magic 1984- August 29, 2015 A Magical Legacy In 2008, when Horses of Tir Na Nog moved to its current location, we agreed to add an older Tennessee Walker to our herd. So in October 2009, Magic came home to Horses of Tir Na Nog.

With his arrival a sign was added to the barn fencing, welcoming people to a place of “Special Magic,” in acknowledgement of two residents, Special and Magic. Magic had significant arthritis, but he never let his medical issues keep him from enjoying the attention of our volunteers. In fact, his wonderful disposition made him a favorite of our volunteers. They could spend seemingly endless hours brushing him and whispering sweet words in his ears. And Magic thrived with all of this attention. Whether it was a Brownie Troop visiting the ranch or a brand new volunteer, we knew we could count on Magic to steal hearts while teaching care and compassion.

We also knew we could count on Magic to be a great buddy to the other horses at the ranch. As a social fellow, he was always quick to make friends with his neighbors. Magic formed a very close bond with both Jewel and Special and would alternate between the two, grooming and being groomed. After Special’s passing earlier this year, Magic found a wonderful new friend in Silver and helped Silver to settle into her new surroundings.

On the evening of August 29, Magic exhibited mild colic signs at feeding time. Within minutes the symptoms became very severe. East County Large Animal Practice diagnosed it as a small intestine torsion, a twisting of his small intestine. Torsions are one of the most acute and life-threatening forms of colic. Based on the severity of his symptoms and the speed with which they developed, the only way we could help Magic was to say goodbye as he was humanely euthanized. It is hard in today’s world to avoid discussions of the value of particular horses. Value is discussed a great deal around the racetrack and dressage barns. At Horses of Tir Na Nog we believe all horses are equally valuable – all horses should be treated as having value.

At some point in his life, a former owner failed to recognize Magic’s value and Magic was neglected. Fortunately for Magic, he was rescued by a Fairy Godmother who helped him recover before coming to Horses of Tir Na Nog. Now, as our hearts fill with sadness at his passing, we celebrate the incredible legacy that Magic has left behind. We cannot imagine a more valuable horse than one who helped create a place of Special Magic that has offered a lifesaving home for so many neglected and abandoned horses. Clearly his legacy is worth more than all of the trophies and blue ribbons in the world. Thank you for your magical legacy dear boy!