Everyone has a true best friend. For me, my best friend was an old horse named Vandi. I met Vandi around three or four years ago at Open Gates Equine Rescue. She and I were both new. Vandi came form a long past of racing and was indeed a retired grand national champion cutting horse. She was about 30 years old when we met. She had a bad back and couldn’t be ridden. She came to Open Gates because her owner could no longer take care of her. It took us a while to get to build a strong relationship but we made it happen.

As the months passed, our relationship grew and grew and grew. When I was in seventh grade was when Vandi and I became true best friends. It was my birthday; we were at the barn that night. The owners handed me a manila envelope with my name on it and said happy birthday. As I read it I realized that they were adoption forms for Vandi. March 16th, 2008 was the day I adopted Vandi.

From that time life was good. We were meant for each other. She would follow right behind me when we were in the pasture. I would brush her and love her. As the summer came, so did the warm days. I was cleaning bans with my mom that summer, which gave me time to hang with my “Old Woman”. Summer ended and I had to go back to school, limiting the time I got to spend with Vandi. But whenever I was at the barn I would usually be with Vandi.

Winter was horrible for her and she was stuck inside, not being above to go outside because of her age. It was tough; it wasn’t pleasant but Vandi showed how much of a trooper she was and made it through with Belle by her side; (Belle is a stubborn pony that was attached to Vandi). She had done extremely well for her age and condition but it was known that she would sadly not see another winter. Through the spring we couldn’t do much for her or with her because of all the snow and rain we had. Once things dried up, Vandi would go out in a roundpen with Belle for the day but we learned that that wouldn’t work because she would roll and more often than not she wouldn’t be able to get back up on her own. She spent her days inside a big stall where she could walk around and keep order in the barn. From then on she would be like a bullet being fired when she got out—all she wanted to do was GO.

The summer was actually very good for Vandi. She got lots of love, attention and yummy green grass. She was ready to run and rumble even into the fall. That was when she began to slow down and that’s when we realized that it was coming close to her time. It was supposed to happen in early October; that didn’t happen because of financial reasons.

November 28, 2009, that was the day that we had set for her passing. It was sad to say the least, to see the horse you love be put to sleep. The process didn’t take long. When she went she was surrounded by friends. That was probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do and to go through. I wish to never go through something like that ever again. But I must admit that she went in peace. She was ready, and it all came down to quality of life versus quantity. Vandi was a strong, loving, caring, protective, amazing horse who knew how to get her point across. She was going to turn 34 in March. This was the story of my true best friend Vandi.