A photograph of April was the inspiration for the Overture logo; it is a line drawing of the edges of the photo image of her free jumping at 25! Her tail was very full, but it sort of floated up in a ball in this photo and reminded me of the tail on a musical note. No jumping at Overture any more, but it's a nice way to remember her.

By the way, she was not particularly interested in Anatomy. She was interested in raisins.... would do anything for them..... and there were some hidden in the pages of Grant's! Not particularly bright to have the lead rope wrapped around my hand, looking back on things (and in light of my career choice......).

April was a Morgan cross who belonged to my friend Barclay - we all met in 7th grade. She had actually also touched the life of another friend of mine - I remember going out to the hill pasture with Melissa to feed treats to the horses when April was probably about 3. Barclay and April campaigned up through the Pony Club and eventing ranks -- she was known as the little black horse that would jump just about anything. Click on the picture to learn about how April joined my life.

April pre-1992

April pre 1992

April at Maple Avenue Farm, Pomfret, VT 1990 (age 15 or so)
Ready to go, as always!

We spent a happy "freshman year" (quite a bit older than the other freshmen!) at the UVM barn, which was then a co-op for students with horses. We met Eliza, Kerri & Julie (and Tico and Steeldust and quite a few other friend!) - all of whom have reappeared later in my life as well. After my clinical rotations started I couldn't keep her there anymore, but I really enjoyed being there. Even showed a cow in the Horse Club vs CREAM first annual cow show-off! April got to be a therapy horse, and we took a few lessons where we could. My favorite memory was walking in the barn on a Sunday April 1st to find a small group of kids singing happy birthday to her - she was so gentle the farm crew would open her door on tours, so she got quite a fan club by the end.

April at UVM

I'm back at college again???
I did jump, once....

We meet the Marcottes!

When clinical rotations started it was time to find a new boarding situation. Off to Sawhorse Farm, home of the Marcottes with their marvelous Belgians and lovely facility. This turned into more great friendships and later turned into Tempo (although who knew at the time???). It seemed like a second home to me - my favorite stress busting during the first few tough years of surgical training was to wander through their woods, or clean stalls, or generally hang out with the crew. They made me feel like family, and April lived out the rest of her life there - even overlapping a little with the new youngster Tee (although not long enough to pass on her smarts, perhaps!). More about them on Tee's page....

April at Sawhorse, 1993 - 1998

Sawhorse Days

Christmas card 1994.
January 1994 - it was a nice day, but slippery! April introduces me to orthopaedics...
Swaying back, but very happy horse.
Christmas card 1995 - declared a surgeon, waiting to hear about ortho; April supportive, as always!
I may be getting rounder in my late 20s...
But I'm still frisky as heck!
April 1997, Tee is a yearling.... what are you doing, Mom? Do I have to put up with that?
Teaching the next generation 1998.
Graying mane.... otherwise ageless.

Wish I'd had the two together longer......

April Fool
1972 - 1998

Thank you to David & Dina for her final resting place.

Leave a memory or comment if you'd like.

A great friend!

The one thing April did teach Tee was the "cookie face" - which I had a picture, but it basically is a prime example of begging behavior. I think of her and laugh whenever Tee does it - she could only have learned it there!