I believe you are a survivor in many ways. You are strong and smart.
Keep up the good work. Leaving was the hardest step...they are all
smaller steps from here forward.

Hi
The lonliness does go away but the tears for the horses will last much
longer. I have been unlucky myself in living with a man who physically
abused me, another who emotionally abused me, and a third who was so
jealous I couldn't breathe. I had a beautiful mare Quarter Horse and
even bought the jealous one an awsome Paint. He walked away from his
responsibility of the horse, and after struggling for a year, to keep
them both, I had to not only give the Paint away, but my Mare as well.
My heart is broken more from the loss of my horses. After all they give
so very much and ask for nothing in return. I think of them and still
cry, can't even talk about them....but I could no longer afford to board
and vet them, so they needed to find a new loving home. Trust in your
decision to leave....if you can fight for your ranch...do it...if you
can't you need to remember that eveything happens for a reason. We
don't always know why at the time, but eventually we come to realize how
important it was, even if it is 100 years later.