LivingInPatagonia.com

Our Dear Beloved Guapo

Written by Shanie

As some of you may or may not know, our first chapter in Argentina began on a farm in southern Mendoza.

It was a special time. We learned a ton, grew immensely as people, and gained a family. The family, of course, included humans (as most families do). But our new Argentine family also included a horse.

The vineyard didn’t originally come with a caballo, but at the urging of our farm’s caretaker we decided that it was a needed purchase. Being a small town girl, I had a bit of experience with riding a horse (although one of those times included the horse stepping on a bee’s nest, and me ending up with over a dozen bee stings), but had never owned one.

Along with our caretaker, Juan, we shopped among the San Rafael surrounding communities for an appropriate horse. It was much like test driving a car; Juan would drive the potential candidate around the seller’s property, seeing if age, commands and work ethic were up to standards. We weren’t having much luck finding an appropriate work horse. Then one day Juan showed up at our door excited,

“Vamonos! Encontré el caballo!”

He had found the horse!

We went for a look and Juan was right. Here, standing before us, was a gorgeous black stallion. He was strong, sleek and gentle. His demeanor was timid — he hadn’t come from the most loving family — but he was curious and still open to trusting. We agreed to a purchase price of 1200 pesos, including all of the tools that go along with a work horse. Juan was a beaming new papa. We watched him proudly walk his new best friend home.

We decided to name him Guapo because he was so incredibly handsome.

He became an important part of the family. With the 65 acres as his playground he would greet us in the mornings by sticking his nose in the kitchen window, secretly wander the vineyards enjoying the sweet nectar of our champagne grapes and run with his mane flying in the San Rafael breeze to his heart’s content.

Guapo taught me that brushing a horse is meditative. He taught our dogs that horses are mighty creatures. He taught Jamie that giant can be one in the same with gentle and kind.

At one of my lowest points in our time thus far in Argentina, I found myself with my head on Guapo’s shoulder crying my eyes out. He let me stand there, hugging him and weeping for nearly an hour until I was done. Throughout the experience he only looked at me with love and tenderness. I had no idea that horses could be so caring.

When we sold the farm (which included Guapo in the deal), he was one of the reasons that my heart ached to go. His calm spirit would be missed.

But I didn’t think that the day we left would be the last day I would see him.

We found out yesterday that Guapo died of heart failure.

As with the friends and loved ones that I have lost through the years, Guapo’s life and death have taught me something. Treat each day as if it is the last, because it just may be.

Thank you Guapo for being you. May your next life be filled with joy.