More gratitude

Heather Malone's Go Fund Me wasn't the only Olive fundraiser that happened last year. Stone Horses painted a model in her likeness and sold it at auction, with all the proceeds going directly to Olive's hospital bill.

It sold for over two thousand dollars.

Although I absolutely loved model Olive, I was content to let someone else have her. After all, I had real Olive, who was recovering beautifully.

Imagine my surprise, when one week later, a Stone Horses box was delivered to my house.

Imagine my surprise and also, my dismay.

I loved the model - of course I did - but my friends had already done so much for me. This felt really over-the-top and unnecessary. 

Still, I didn't want to act ungrateful. I immediately took the model to the barn for a photo shoot. 

Real Olive was unimpressed.

In November, I came out of performance showing retirement to show model Olive at Candyland Live. 

This felt a little like a forced march at first, but I'm so glad I did that. The class list was fun, and I loved creating entries inspired by real Olive. Honestly, it was one of my best showing experiences ever.

After that, I felt a little less conflicted about model Olive. 

I still thought my friends had done too much, but also, I felt as if I'd "earned" her a little bit.

Then, in December, Olive died.

It was very sudden and - for me - very unexpected.

It's been almost six months, and I still haven't really come to terms with it.

But one thing I know for sure is this: I am so glad that model Olive is mine. 

It was fine for someone else to own her before, but now? I think that would have been really hard for me. 

I'm pretty sure I would have felt compelled to seek her out and buy her, which would have been okay, except I needed that two thousand dollars for other things.

Anyway, this is a long way of saying thank you to Christie Richardson and all the members of Operation Olive for knowing what I needed even when I did not.

Although I am actively reducing my collection, I can confidently say that model Olive will be with me forever. She is a tangible reminder of not just the Very Best Pony, but also the Very Best Friends.