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The next few days were a bit of a blur: conversations with OSU, letting friends know, calling the family we purchased him from, insurance and bankers, autoposy and cremation. Daniella made me promise to bring him home--a promise I quickly made and immediatly wondered how to get it done. After a conversation with Ohio State they referred me to the folks that do cremations for them. Although I was told to talk to one person and another, OSU eventually agreed to pay for it.

They were going to send me Reiley's halter, shoes, tail and a clay imprint of his hoof. They did, however it said Martini on the imprint instead of Artini or Reiley. Under normal circumstances I'm sure this would have been no big deal, but it seemed catastrophic at the time. I called OSU, asking how I could take the "M" off. After the third person I spoke to asked me if he was euthanized I believe I began to be known there as the "the crazy lady." Fortunately, a great customer of mine took it home with her and the "M' is indeed gone. Thanks, Barb.

On Saturday, three days after Reiley's passing, Daniella was supposed to go to Springfield, Ohio to run for Ohio Quarter Horse Queen. We couldn't decide even on Saturday if she was up to it. I had called the folks in charge to give them the heads up on the possibility of her not being able to come. They have to have dinner with the judges, give an interview, take a test and ride a horsemanship pattern the following day. She hadn't studied since Tuesday, she didn't know if she could get through an interview without crying, she didn't want to see all of her show friends on their healthy horses, she didn't want to talk to anyone or have anyone talk to her, and yet she just couldn't decide to not do it either. Finally we just left for Springfield, knowing we might turn around and go home at any moment. I give her all the credit in the world for going through with it. She did cry at the interview, but she did it. We'll know the results at the Ohio banquet in February.

It's amazing how quickly news travels in our quarter horse world. The support we received in Springfield, at Congress, and throughout Ohio and West Virginia is amazing. The trainers and competitors already knew and as little as we wanted to talk about it, having people cry with us helped to heal us in spite of ourselves. Our thanks to everyone that understood how emotional we were.