I won’t deny it. The last few months have been tough. Zelda was a big personality and one of the most fun horses I’ve ever owned, and I’ve missed her terribly. It’s the primary reason why I haven’t been blogging, although Finn is turning into a sweet, mischievous boy with whom I’m sure I’ll have great adventures.
Although I cut hair from Zelda’s tail, I’ve never felt like making it into jewelry. I might, someday, although I’ve never opened the box that holds Kroni’s tail hair and he died in 2008! I’m much happier with the bracelet my friend Lindsay had made when I retired Freedom as I can wear it knowing he’s happy in his retirement in Virginia.
About two weeks ago, I came across something perfect: a custom horse head and blaze pendant from the Etsy Shop KoreyEBurns. Zelda had a very distinctive blaze that always made me think of Dr. Seuss’s Thing 1 and Thing 2. The hand-cut horse head is made from either 18g brass, copper, or silver sheet metal. With a customized silver blaze soldered to the horse head tag. This piece is hand-sanded and finished with a patina. Korey sent me a proof of the blaze the same day I ordered the pendant and I had it in about a week.
Of course, this design only works for a horse that has a blaze, but what a wonderful way to celebrate your horse’s unique look. Too bad that Kroni, Freedom and now Finn, have no white on their faces (Finn has a tiny snip, but you have to look hard).
How have you commemorated a horse you have lost — or one that you want to celebrate while they are still with you? I know that many people love their horse hair jewelry and I wish I’d had Zelda’s tail hair made into something while she was still alive. I thought about it, but of course, thought I had more time.
Oh, my gosh. I am writing this mourning the loss of my Siamese cat, Sable. She was such a panopoly of characters-at times a dog, a monkey, a cockatoo, a sea otter. She was outgoing, friendly, adventourous, she loved to go camping with us! So when she was diagnosed with renal failure in August, as well as a heart murmer andI’d been dosing her for athritis, it was okay, but then she developed dementia. It was heartbreaking to see her confused at times, and other times normal. It broke myheart to realize it was time to put her down. Just this past monday, 22 January 24. I miss her so.
Oh, dear.
But how I memorialized my cats and my Arab, Jordan, was through a company called “Say It in Stone” (apetmemorial.com) and no, I don’t get a dime for this information. Gabrielle England did a lovely job laser cutting a photo of my Arab galloping (from a picture I’d taken). She uses river rock, but apparently also does clay.
I was astonished when I first saw the first rock she did for me back in the nineties. It felt as if my cat was here with me again. Being laser cut rock means it doesn’t tarnish or degrade, and you can keep it anywhere you like. I am not ashamed to say that I talk to the memorial stone over my horse’s grave, I made a cairn over the frave to keep the mower from disturbing it. My cat’s memorial stones re in a garden I made specifically for them, planted with blue lithadora, a flower that comes so close to the blue of their eyes.
So that’s how I memorialize my fur babies. I miss them so much.
beautiful – I want it:)