photo Courtesy of KC Montgomery

The Equine Chronicle regrets to announce that Flamingo Bay, renowned AQHA over fences horse was euthanized due to lameness complications this past Saturday at the age of 21. The 1989 bay gelding nicknamed “Buster” had won nine AQHA World Titles and five Reserve World Champion titles in classes such as Hunter Hack, Working Hunter and Equitation Over Fences.

Longtime trainer Charlie Cole says, “We had to euthanize him this past Saturday. We tried our best to keep him comfortable, but in the end we really didn’t want him to suffer. Sharnai really adored that horse and she didn’t want him to suffer either.”

“I’ve had a lot of horses, but I loved that horse with my whole heart,” Sharnai says. “He was my heart and soul, he was so sweet. Anytime anything would happen, right up until the end, I could go over to him and just start crying. He was always in a good mood. He has touched the lives of a lot of people, even the people who watched him. No other horse did what he did as well as he did it.”

Sharnai says that although she was gone the day Buster was euthanized, she was told that he was buried up by the house in his blanket embroidered with her name, that he wore all the time.

“I came home and sat in the house for the last few days and cried,” she says. “I can’t even look over there yet, I am not ready to see it yet. Believe it or not, this is the first time I’ve been able to talk about it without crying. There is no other horse like him and I know that he feels better now than he did.”

Sharnai requested that the following quote be included in this piece.

“To place your horse’s need for you to let him leave his failing body above your need to keep him with you – that – is the greatest and purest love.”

-Cynthia Garrett

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