Oh...I really feel for your granddaughter. I also understand her parents not wanting the responsibility. Becoming a horse owner is a huge investment of money and time. The purchase price is the smallest expense in the long run, too. Horse care is very expensive.

I've recently shared my sadness with giving up my horse, so you all know how much that bothered me. But I'm an adult, and I can handle it.

When my DD was 13, her horse contracted a rare disease, which rendered her unsound at the canter. ( for you horse owners out there...she contracted EHV-1, at a horse show) Anyway....she was sound at the walk and trot, and just a gem of a horse for kids. DD was heavy into Pony Club, and really needed a horse she could jump cross country, and show jump. After lots of soul searching, we decided to sell her horse to a family that needed a theraputic horse for their son. It was the perfect situation for the horse, but really heart wrenching for DD. I will never forget the night the horse left. I laid in bed that night listening to DD sob...and sob...and sob. It was awful! But we couldn't keep that horse, and afford to buy the type of horse she needed to continue to compete.

The result? She ended up with the most amazing mount for Pony Club. She still has the horse, and will have her the rest of the horse's life. She gave up one horse that she thought was the best, and ended up with one that was much better. These situations always seem to work out.

The problem with girls and horses is that they tend to share all of their hopes, dreams, sadnesses, everything with their special horse. There is no better confidant than a horse. And when you are riding a horse on a consistent basis, you become a team, and you communicate in ways that you really can't explain to someone else.

So...I really do feel for you all in this situation. But have no fear...there will be other horses, other confidants, other best friends. And this will not be the last one she has to give up...... [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img]