I wished on every falling star, & smoking birthday candle for him. He was on every one of my Christmas lists since I can remember. I begged my parents for a real, live horse, but they never seemed to hear. Then one day he was there; my every wish, thought, & hope come to life, in the flesh. I could not believe it, but I had won a horse! This is only the beginning of my story with Sunny. He was a part of my life from high school, to my wedding, to welcoming my children into the world. We were soul mates until the day that he crossed the rainbow bridge. I am counting on seeing him again one day when my time here on Earth is over.
“God forbid I go to any Heaven in which there are no horses.” ― R.B. Cunninghame Graham

Sunny came to me from a 4-H essay contest that I begged my parents to let me enter.  They figured that my chances of winning were slim & so they allowed it.  Well, I won.  A real live horse!  I don’t know that it was my essay that won me the horse or just the fact that I called the 4-H office everyday to see if I had won.  The people working there must have known how brokenhearted I would have been had the contest ended & left me horseless.  The original colt donor fell through & Sunny was given to me by the late Virgil Lawson from Westcliffe, CO.  Sunny was small & didn’t have enough white to be part of the regular American Paint Horse registry.  He was not worth much to other people, but to me he was worth his weight in gold.  I don’t know where I would be today if I had not had that horse in my life.  Now I am sure that Virgil Lawson is with Sunny someplace on green pastures.

I morn your loss so brokenhearted
since my horsie friend you have departed.
You were there for me until the end
a gentle soul my dear friend.

Sunny sent from God above
you were my very first true love.
With a gentle eye & sweet smelling mane
you were there to hug when I was going insane.

We learned to ride together somehow
and I recognize your sweet nature now.
There was nothing together we didn’t do
I will never ever find another like you.

I’m sure now you have wings & a halo of gold
leaving me with life’s mysteries to unfold.
In my life you played a very big part
and will forever remain deep in my heart.