Thanks, Priscilla. It did take a toll on me. It was hard to have to put them down when the time came. The only one I didn't have to ever put down was a younger horse I rescued--I was able to adopt him out to a loving home. He was a younger thoroughbred, originally out of Jack Klugman's stable. Not a good runner, he'd found his way to a police mounted unit. Believe it or not, the cop who owned him neglected and abused him. (The cop tried to say that the horse was ill, etc., but neither I nor my vet believed that story). He was so weak, he could barely walk and his bones stuck out everywhere. (The cop said he was a cribber and couldn't keep weight on). Within a month of living with me, he started gaining weight, and within three months, he was sleek, bulked up, full of sass and would run like the wind around my arena area. The before and after pix are astounding. I found another cop (a really WONDERFUL guy) who was "into" thoroughbreds and had a beautiful family horse property in Palos Verdes. He took the horse and has him to this day. I get reports every now and then and they're both doing great. The guy's kids are riding him now....now THAT's a happy story!!!!