Texas Equine Veterinary Association

www.teva-online.org • Page 27 in that hole. The trip back across clover field to say goodbye to Leonard was a long one. I dreaded seeing his wrinkled ole eyes filled with the memories of how much he loved his horse. We came through the last gate and hung the halters on their hook in the barn. I patted him on the back and told him it broke my heart for us to have to do that, but assured him it was the best thing to do. He looked up from behind his hat and the emotion of 28 years of friendship ending on that day poured down his weathered cheeks. "I'll be to town in a couple of days and I will get you paid Doc, thanks for coming out here and doing that." "You owe me nothing, Leonard. I couldn't live with myself if I charged a man to kill his best friend." "But you drove a 75 miles to get here Doc, I gotta pay you something." "You been paying me for 20 years my friend, this one is on me." It is why I do this every day and dreamed of doing it when I was a kid. I get to work with the salt of the earth, people that understand the bond between humans and animals. It is the essence of what we do as veterinarians and it has nothing to do with state-of-the-art equipment or making money. I was a part of keeping those horses happy and going for most of their lives, and I was a part of laying them to rest when their days were done. Leonard appreciated that, he knew I did it because that is what I love to do, and he knew in the end that taking care of critters was what the local vet does. I had worked on his horses since they were eight years old. As we walked across the field of West Texas clover that day, they were now 28. Leonard is a crusty old codger. A cowboy who has lived in Borden County for 75 years. It is all he has over known. His wife died in September, they had spent a mere 55 years together raising cattle and living off the land. The ranch house they spent their lives in got water from a windmill and electricity from the sun and wind. Their lives were as hardworking and fulfilling as anyone I have ever known. This trip across the clover to catch the two old horses brought tears to my eyes. The two noble steeds had spent their lives serving Leonard and his wife, and they had both worn out at the same time. It was time for them to be put to sleep. Leonard had stayed back at the barn. He had his arms draped over the top rail of a pipe fence and his hat pulled down over his eyes so we couldn't see the tears streaming down his cheeks. Dr. Emily Berryhill had gone with me to the ranch. She was the intern at our clinic and hadn't been around long enough to know the history of our relationship, so I told her as we ambled across the field to catch the old feeble horses. I looked over and saw tears in her eyes. It is not often that a person will ever see a proud old cowboy cry and Emily had not seen this side of the gruff cowboys that come to the clinic. She was seeing first hand the bond between a cowboy and his favorite horse. Leonard had arranged for a neighbor to dig a hole under the only tree visible for miles. The hole was positioned in the perfect place for these two old geldings to be buried. It was their favorite spot to spend the day. They could see their barn and get back to it in a hurry if need be. They could see the cars pass on the county road in the distance. They could see the cliffs on the canyon to the west and watch the hawks ride the updrafts. These two critters loved to be in the shade that tree offered and Leonard knew that is where he wanted them buried. It is an awful job, killing a man's best friend. All of the memories of rounding up cattle and the stories of how that horse had gotten him out of a tuff spot filled my mind as we laid the last one to rest Leonard BO BROCk, dVM, daBVP Submitted by TEVA Founding Member Bo Brock, DVM, DABVP. Author of "Crowded in the Middle of Nowhere"

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