Offering frozen semen for overseas distribution!
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Dynamic Deluxe, "The King of Pleasure", and his last Birthday...
Destiny linked a young stallion to a young couple, And the result has the Western pleasure world talking.
By Jennifer Forsberg Meyer
Living Legend in the Horse and Rider Magazine, January 1st 2002
It was Dynamic Deluxe's birthday on January 21st, 2002. He was exactly 21 years old. The hardest thing I have ever done was to give him the gift of not being in pain. For 19 months he has tried harder than any one I have ever known, just to live. I made it possible for him to keep living his life. Without interference, he would have been gone long ago to the disease of laminitis. I really felt that he wanted to live, (or did I just not want to be without him). Selfishly, I could have kept him around in discomfort for many years to come. What I became accustomed to was hugging and holding his sweet face. The real DD would have sarcastically boxed me in the face with his bouncing little nose. Instead of me holding his wither just for him to get up. He would have tried to dance around in his stall playing the “you can’t catch me" game, then he would stick his tongue out or grab the halter in his mouth so that you couldn’t put it on him. That would have been more like the real DD.
I just got used to the new unimproved DD and he seemed so sweet. (What I would have given to have him leave this earth still in his fiesty old form!) The look on friends and visitors faces always told me that DD should not still be here. I hope DD can forgive me for keeping him so long. I just always kept thinking “what if”. Did I really think that DD would have enjoyed prosthetics? That’s getting pretty desperate and selfish. DD has been with me for so long now. He is my identity in my profession. He is the drive for me to go to work every day. He has really given to me all that I have. He has also given me all that I want. I feel unsure what I will want to do without him.
His importance to me goes much further than anyone can even begin to imagine. He brought my family and I happiness, fulfillment, prosperity. DD introduced us to many of our lifetime friends. He drew people to our business so that we could enjoy our work every day. He put Riverside Ranch on the map of the horse industry. It is so amazing how many true friends in fact DD really had.
Once I had decided that it truly would be a great day for DD to be able to go to heaven, every minute after went by like seconds. It was about noon on the 21st. I asked Sandy in our office to have our veterinarian and the backhoe to be here exactly at 4:00. Even though I knew that after DD was put down his soul would be out of his body, I could not bare the idea of his body being pulled or dragged. So I decided that he would have a last long walk from the stallion barn to our front yard where he would lay. The last four hours of his life, was the best he had known in months. I loaded his poor body with so much IV butte and ban amine, that he was on cloud nine. Many of his aches and pains that were unable to be relieved with his large but normal daily medications, seemed to melt away. He spent a couple of hours in his stall eating and enjoying his pony friend that visits his stall daily. His folded leaning back body was relaxing and standing straight. Looking at him like that gave me overwhelming second thoughts, but we continued on track. Then Sandy my mom and I together let him through the breeding barn. When I tried to make him cross the cement floor he would rear back and walk without hardly touching his front feet on the ground. Then I remembered that I was making the correct decision. I then let him down the middle of the mare motel and onto the soft grass.
Passing along the fence line of our teasing stallion, DD was able to show all of his beauty and aggression. It was fun to hear him squeal and act so bold. We then passed along the fence line of our front field. The sun was shining; it was warm and beautiful outside. About 10 mares at the fence line then greeted him. We let him stay here for about half an hour. It conveniently was the only place where the grass was green. He grazed and looked so content. He teased all the mares and looked so young on his side that did not have the body soars. I then continued him on his journey. He had to cross the driveway, and again the hard surface made him look so painful, and again made my heart OK with it.
Back on the grass again he was greeted by another herd of mares to tease. I think he thought that maybe he had already died and went to heaven! We let him stay here, teasing and sniffing the mares, looking at his pony friend who we brought with along the trip, and eating oats from his favorite feed tub. I took photos of every look he gave along the way, I even got a few photos of him sticking his tongue out (which he only does when he is happy). Stephen came and said goodbye to him, but fairing these types of situations just is not one of his strengths, so he went up to the arena to ride the young stallion by DD, 'Consider His Source' whom we call Isaac. Dr Fluitt drove up the drive. I hugged DD's face and said, "I love ya buddy", kissed him on the nose, handed the lead to Lindsey (who, thank God - drove up behind the vet). I thought I could hold him, but Lindsey was my out. My mom and I walked away while DD was leaving. We went up to the arena until the sound of the backhoe went away.
We watched Stephen riding Isaac in amazement of how much he looked and moved like DD. It is so nice that DD left behind so much of himself that we can see every day. It surely was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I miss him so much. Now I can’t wait for some time to just pass by.
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