Sadness in the Sandhills

[Soapweed]

Last Sunday evening, a little neighbor girl had a bad fall from her horse and died as a result of her head hitting a feed bunk. She was a wonderful little brown-eyed beauty, four and a half years old, always cheerful, and just everybody's little sweetheart. Her lifetime desire was to be a cowgirl, and she just loved horses. She didn't grow to be very old, but she touched the heartstrings of a lot of people in her brief appearance on Earth. We will all miss her very much. Her funeral was today.

There were about 35 riders that escorted the funeral procession to the cemetery. Her dad led her riderless horse, with her little chaps and spurs hung over the saddlehorn. Her two big brothers rode immediately behind. It was all very heart wrenching and the experience will long live in the minds of those who were there.

Here are some pictures. The original photos were nice and clear, but they downloaded onto Photobuckets rather fuzzy. Sorry they are not more clear and sharp.

 

[Northern Rancher]

That is too sad for words.

 

[Denny]

I could not imagine the pain and sorrow very very sad....

 

[DJL]

So very, very sad. My heart goes out to the family and all who knew her.

 

[Haytrucker]

Soapweed, thanks so much for sharing the pictures. Obviously there are better times, our thoughts and prayers have been with them all week. The big guy on the yellow horse is my younger brother, you probably know where he works. What a fitting tribute. Coping with such a tragedy will hopefully be aided by such a supportive communuty.

 

[nr]

Losing the youngest ones and the youth, incredibly and sadly difficult to even try to understand. Prayers for their family.
A reminder we're only passing through.

 

[Rowdy Ranch]

THank you for the photos-must of been very hard on everyone,but God must have needed a little cowgirl and she will be well cared for as she must have completed her job on this earth in the eyes of God.
Glad you and your family are home from vacation,safely.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Soapweed,
Thanks for sharing this with us. We'll add her family to our prayer list. One of the saddest stories in our neighborhood happened years ago. The neighbor boy was sent out to entertain his little sister while their mother frosted her birthday cake. She turned eight years old that day and wanted to ride while the children were banned from the house.
Her brother got off his horse to open a gate and her horse spooked for some reason, throwing her off and catching her foot in the stirrup. She was dragged to death before her 10 year old brother could catch her horse.
The little girl was the first one of several children buried out in a little cemetery plot on the prairie. Her parents and her brother never really recovered from her death.
We have a funeral here today. A dear friend of mine died of cancer this week at 58 and we will bury him in the little prairie cemetery at Prairie City. There has been too much sadness lately.

 

[Clarence]

Sad, but a time like this shows the care and concern of your friends and neighbors. The little girl will never be forgotten by her parents, neither will the expressions of deep sympathy by their friends.

If you look at the pictures. you will see Saddletramp, Soapweed, Mrs. Soapweed, I think Soapweeds son, and Bob M.

These pictures are priceless, they show the kind of people they are, and the kind of community they live in. I believe, that when you really come down it it, that is one of the reasons we are farmers and ranchers and chose to live where we are.

 

[feeder]

Well said, Clarence. I think you put into words exactly the sentiments of many on this board. God be with all those who need a comforting hand.

 

[greg]

SAD, but what a beautiful send off for a obviously special little girl.... prayers go out to her family and freinds

 

[Cal]

I feel so bad for that family. I don't think I'm going to let my kid out of my reach for a while.

 

[mrj]

It is such a hard loss when an accident or illness takes the young ones. All the "if only" thoughts make it even harder to bear. No one 'gets over' it. Hopefully, time makes it easier to bear. The great photo collections most of us have also are bittersweet......we have the memories, but pretty painful to look at them. It sure does seem that small communities are at their best when someone has troubles and heartbreak.....but as we learned recently, people in our larger cities are equally caring and supportive in times of sad loss of a loved one.

A friend who has suffered her own losses in recent years told me that we need to remember to call or visit those who lose a family member whenever we think of them. Her experiences after losing her husband were that, even long after his death, when she most needed someone to talk to, the person calling or visiting (some at odd hours in the deep of the night) said they were thinking of her and decided to call in spite of the hour. She believes, and I agree, such calls/visits were inspired by God when she needed them most.

It really seems like this year has had a disproportionate number of illness and accident related deaths, doesn't it?

MRJ

 

[Faster horses]

That is so sad. I was just able to download the photos.

Nice that so many paid tribute horseback. Fitting for a little cowgirl.

 

[judy]

This little girl reached hundreds of miles away...touching hearts in Beatrice Nebraska, and she along with her family have made us all better for their presence in our lives. Having spent time in the sandhillls this past week, we know that yours is indeed "God's country"...and God has blessed you all with the best of neighbors, family, friends...and a little brown-eyed beauty who will never be forgotten.

 

[ranchwife]

what a sad, yet beautifully fitting tribute to a little girl who obviously touched alot of lives!! Prayers with her family and friends!!!!

 

[CattleCo]

The death of one so young is hard to understand..............I was told that God takes a life in the early years at times to spare them of a more tragic event thay may have to experience later in life. I have to believe this is why.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

What a heartbreaking occurrence! Our hearts go out to the family and all who knew the little dear! Anyone who has lost a child in the family knows the gut -wrenching, almost panicky feeling one gets when that happens. One of our Granddaughters passed away 18 years ago with brain cancer which she suffered with for six years - and she was only 12 years old. It almost killed our son - he is still having problems with it! And always will.

Our prayers are with all of you who knew the little gal - not just the family - because in a way you are ALL family. God Bless you and keep you in His arms!

DOC HARRIS