October 16, 2012:   Last night a friend in
Canada had to put down Onyx, her beloved
horse companion of 21+ years.

A freak accident lacerated Onyx's skin
resulting in anaerobic bacteria rapidly
infecting her body, eyes, brain and organs
in a few days, despite state-of-the-art
efforts of a remarkable team of compassionate
veterinarians at the Caledon Equine Hospital.

Onyx was enveloped with healing thoughts
and vibes from concerned friends across the
continent, as my sister and our friend made
the 3-hour round trip to the hospital each
day to spend time with her.

Like other 4-legged family members,
a horse is a treasured friend and inspiring
teacher; however, with a horse, the
relationship is more of a partnership.

Whether penning cattle in friendly competitions
or out on the trails, Onyx was the embodiment
of unconditional love, trust, gentle persistence,
intelligence and patience.