RIP Dinkum, a fine gentleman
Dinkum came to our farm December 2009. My sister was coming for Christmas with her family and asked if we thought we could borrow a horse to lead the children around on. I wasn't very hopeful as I didn't know many people here at that point but I asked the only horsey person I knew and lo and behold a couple of days later was told that Bill Howell had a couple of old horses that he thought had a bit more use in them. I called Bill and went to look at the old horses, Dinkum and Buck, beautiful old boys. At that time we were in the grip of the drought and our place one of the few around that still had some feed so it was a win win situation. They arrived just before Christmas.
Dinkum was about 14.2 hands high, a beautiful old Palomino gentleman. Easy to catch and handle and very gentle with children until he thought he had done enough work and then he would make his feelings quite plain. Up until about February this year if you saw him galloping around the paddock you would have thought him to be a horse in his prime.
Jemima, Tara, Mary and John all had lovely rides on him as did Flynn, once they had their balance you could let them ride on their own, lead him away from the gate and he would give them a little trot back. A lovely introduction to riding.
February this year it became clear that he was going downhill. His teeth almost worn out he would graze all day, on the now bountiful pasture, and was still losing condition.
Zoe thought we should get him some special feed so we did that and feeding the old horse in the morning became one of my daily rituals. One I had much pleasure in sharing with Jemima when she visited.
Last week it was obvious that he had lost all the condition he had gained and extra feeding wasn't going to fix things. At 28 he was just worn out. I dreaded ringing Bill but in the end it was OK. It was clearly time for this old boy to go. Peter, Bill and Geoff took him up the hill and gave him a speedy exit and a huge funeral pyre. I went up this morning, its a lovely spot, on the side of the Hill, the fire is still burning brightly and he will be gone without a trace. Death with dignity and a beautiful resting spot where we can remember him with pleasure. Nothing wrong with that. I'll miss the old boy though and poor old Buck is very sad, will have to get a companion for him I think.
I cant believe this is the only photo I have of him, maybe the girls have a better one.
Dinkum was about 14.2 hands high, a beautiful old Palomino gentleman. Easy to catch and handle and very gentle with children until he thought he had done enough work and then he would make his feelings quite plain. Up until about February this year if you saw him galloping around the paddock you would have thought him to be a horse in his prime.
Jemima, Tara, Mary and John all had lovely rides on him as did Flynn, once they had their balance you could let them ride on their own, lead him away from the gate and he would give them a little trot back. A lovely introduction to riding.
February this year it became clear that he was going downhill. His teeth almost worn out he would graze all day, on the now bountiful pasture, and was still losing condition.
Zoe thought we should get him some special feed so we did that and feeding the old horse in the morning became one of my daily rituals. One I had much pleasure in sharing with Jemima when she visited.
Last week it was obvious that he had lost all the condition he had gained and extra feeding wasn't going to fix things. At 28 he was just worn out. I dreaded ringing Bill but in the end it was OK. It was clearly time for this old boy to go. Peter, Bill and Geoff took him up the hill and gave him a speedy exit and a huge funeral pyre. I went up this morning, its a lovely spot, on the side of the Hill, the fire is still burning brightly and he will be gone without a trace. Death with dignity and a beautiful resting spot where we can remember him with pleasure. Nothing wrong with that. I'll miss the old boy though and poor old Buck is very sad, will have to get a companion for him I think.
I cant believe this is the only photo I have of him, maybe the girls have a better one.
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