Jim Orr pours Norms Destiny a beer. They drank together on one other occasion: the night before the horse was scheduled to die.
Posted on 08/14/2003 9:20:28 AM PDT by bedolido
Hours from a lethal injection, Norms Destiny was given a second chance. You won't believe what happened next KENT -- Outside, the rain comes down in sheets, crashing off the tin roof in a deafening roar. Inside, Jim Orr can't hear the other horses in the long rows of stalls at Reber Ranch. All he can hear is his horse's labored breathing. He tugs gently at the halter. "C'mon Norm, let's get turned around. Let's go home."
Norms Destiny is standing on three legs, tossing his head restlessly. His hind leg is cupped, drawn upward, useless, as if a giant scoop of flesh had been torn from his hindquarter.
Orr knows he has to keep the horse moving. In the deep twilight, gusts of wind rip through the barn. He calls out, hoping another horseman can help. No one answers. He fumbles for his cell phone. Leona answers.
"You gotta get down here and help me. No one's here and he won't budge -- the pain's too much for him I guess. Bring some medication, honey, so we can get him moving."
He hangs up after hearing the catch in his wife's voice."This just isn't right," he tells himself. "I know my horse -- I'll know when it's time. You can sense when an animal gives up. Norm, he's a fighter -- that's why he's in this damn predicament. That's been the trouble from day one; there just ain't no quit in him."
After what seemed like hours, Leona Orr appears with medication and a ranch hand. In a little while the medication begins to take effect -- Norm stops tossing his head. Jim and the ranch hand get behind the horse, link arms, and push. Leona pulls gently with the halter. The horse takes a tentative hop forward, then another. Slowly, the horse limps toward his paddock.
Jim hears Leona weeping softly. He winces. Not now. Not yet.
"I'll know when it's time," he thinks. "I'll just know."
(Excerpt) Read more at seattlepi.nwsource.com ...
Jim Orr pours Norms Destiny a beer. They drank together on one other occasion: the night before the horse was scheduled to die.
"we'll raise up our glasses against evil forces, singing
"whiskey for my men, BEER FOR MY HORSES!""
Willie and Toby
Just damn. It does a heart good to read a great sentence like that.
Just damn.
If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...
LOL. Good post!
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