Near the end of this morning's Pony Auction at the Chincoteague Volunteer Fireman Company's Carnival Grounds, a freak accident occurred at the rear fence line. Butterfly Kisses, a 2006 chestnut pinto mare, is the stallion Surfer's Riptide's lead mare and favorite girl in his harem. She was in "foal-heat" this morning, and Riptide was in eager pursuit of her breeding pheromones. Several other mares and Butterfly Kisses were running around the rear of the Carnival Grounds pasture, and Riptide was gaining ground in his pursuit. According to eyewitnesses standing outside the fence, B Kisses tried to make an acute turn in an area where hay was scattered on the ground. The hay was still wet with rain. The mare's hooves flew out from under her. She went flying, sideways, through the air - and the top of her neck hit the fencing with a very nasty-sounding thunk. She never moved again. Her neck had been broken instantly. Riptide plowed to a stop beside her and stood there, nuzzling her body and whickering to her, until the vet arrived and covered with a tarp. Her body was removed by truck and taken to be buried on Assateague. Then, by common consent, the Saltwater Cowboys rounded up all of Riptide's mare, along with the big man himself, and trailered them back to Assateague. They will not make the return swim tomorrow, with fingers pointing at them. (Some people have already stated that Riptide caused Butterfly Kisses' death.) It was a freak accident, folks.
On the other hand, the chestnut colt that Butterfly Kisses and Riptide produced 31 days ago was supposed to be a Fall Pick-Up. The new owners already have Trigger at home and are bottle-feeding him, with close instructions from the attending veterinarian.
Butterfly Kisses 15 May 2006 - 26 July 2018
Riptide
Butterfly Kisses and Trigger, her 2018 colt
sired by Surfer's Riptide
Trigger being bottle-fed this afternoon
