We are so very sorry to share the news that Buddy passed away on Tuesday night. After colicking Tuesday morning, our Equine Care Committee made the difficult decision to let Buddy go peacefully. He was surrounded by staff, volunteers (both old and new), and his loving herd.
Buddy has been with the Hearts program for over ten years. In that time, he has helped hundreds of individuals, mostly children, to achieve their goals. Buddy was the horse that everyone started with. He was kind, gentle, and so patient. He taught us that big things come wrapped in small packages. As the alpha of the Hearts herd, Buddy helped us welcome all the new horses into the program. He kept the Bad Boys in check and always set an example of strength, steadiness, and focus.
His passing will be felt by everyone - horse and human - and he will be sorely missed. We want to thank his dedicated sponsor Gilda for supporting him these last couple of years and helping us to provide him with the best care possible. And a big thank you to Beverly Mester for her donation to cover his veterinary costs from Tuesday.
We love you, Buddy. Thank you for making the Hearts program what it is today.