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Home › Articles › Essays › With the Eyes of Love

With the Eyes of Love

Heart, Hoof & Soul

By Vicki Beach Knocke

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Jamie's surgery and week-long hospitalization were something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. The surgery involved fusing 13 vertebrae and inserting two steel rods along her spine. With a photo of Twisty at her bedside, she told all the doctors and nurses that she would be riding again in six months.

The day after we brought Jamie home from the hospital, still healing from a two-foot-long incision along her back, she woke up and said: "I NEED to go see Twisty." We carefully bundled her in the car and drove to the barn so she could see her beloved horse. Although she was excited to see Jamie, Twisty seemed to know Jamie was hurt and stood quietly to receive a hug from her girl.

Many people predicted that Jamie would never ride again. Today, at 14, Jamie is bravely jumping her 17-hand Trakehner gelding, Artiste. Twisty was not as fortunate. While Jamie was recuperating from her surgery, Twisty suffered a kick in the fetlock from another horse. We managed to buy Twisty, but even with veterinary care and physical therapy, she was never able to recover from the injury and is permanently lame. Yet, Twisty, at age 20, remains the "boss" horse at our house. And while Jamie is unable to ride her, she continues to dote on her most special horse.

When people are impolite enough to tell me that I could have gotten a "good" horse for all the money I spent on Twisty, I tell them I did buy a good horse. I bought the only horse my daughter wanted.


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