09/27/2026
“I am a horse, and I have been a good horse, and I have been a faithful horse, and I have been a loyal horse, and I have been a brave horse, and I have been a happy horse, and I have been a horse that has been loved.” From Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
We are so saddened to share that Sonny (Red Sun), our Sunshine, passed away last night after a sudden and severe colic. Everything happened very quickly, and despite our best efforts, we were unable to save him. He was 25 years old.
Sonny, QH Gelding, came to Equi‑librium in 2015 and has been a pillar of our herd ever since. He was endlessly patient with our young riders, letting them learn the basic skills without pushback and with grace. He was the best teacher for our new leaders, showing them exactly what they needed to learn in order to get him to go. He was the horse we all trusted to do the job well, and many of us don’t know Equi‑librium without Sonny. He’s the one who quietly watched staff come and go over the years, staying constant through every change.
Sonny carried riders to their first horse shows, both on and off property, and helped others earn their first championship medal. He made this work his own, and he gave so much of himself to our community.
We will miss seeing his head poking out of his stall and into the barn aisle, surveying everything as if making sure all was in order, or simply dozing there in the middle of it all. And we will never forget his expression during “treat time” after a lesson, waiting for his little sugar‑free reward with that unmistakable look of anticipation.
His loss will be felt deeply, and for a very long time.
Thank you. Sonny, for your years of service, love and sunshine.
Karin Nifong, Equi-librium Program Director
