tlw
Oct. 21, 2009, 01:44 PM
Thanks again for all the great recommendations for a vet to review my mare's suspensory issues. Unfortunately, Dr. Allen suspected DSLD, which was just confirmed by a nuchal ligament biopsy. I'm crushed. Anyway, for those of you out there who know my wonderful Cleveland Bay/Eng TB mare, Carolina Knock Out, here is my wholly insufficient tribute to her competitive career. I could never come close to putting into words what she means to me as a partner.
In the brief five years Carrie and I competed together I learned a lifetime of horsemanship. She adjusted from the English climate to that of south Louisiana and experienced Hurricane Katrina and never missed a step. Only two blips appear on her record, both my fault (senior moments I admit). She won 8 of her last 10 horse trials at training level (a 2d and 5th in the other two on her dressage score) and finished 2d in her only prelim/training horse trial. In 2008 she finished all her horse trials on her dressage score and ended up 8th on the USEA's Leaderboard. In our short time together, she won 4 national championships from the Cleveland Bay Horse Society of North America (in versatility and eventing) and twice won its Apple of my Eye award (top CB mare in the country), a USDF all breed award at 3d level and 2 Performance Horse Registry Silver Stirrup national championships in eventing. She also won numerous regional and local awards in both eventing and dressage. Carrie is truly a horse of a lifetime. I will cherish whatever time I have left with her and she will know how much she is loved every moment of every day.
In the brief five years Carrie and I competed together I learned a lifetime of horsemanship. She adjusted from the English climate to that of south Louisiana and experienced Hurricane Katrina and never missed a step. Only two blips appear on her record, both my fault (senior moments I admit). She won 8 of her last 10 horse trials at training level (a 2d and 5th in the other two on her dressage score) and finished 2d in her only prelim/training horse trial. In 2008 she finished all her horse trials on her dressage score and ended up 8th on the USEA's Leaderboard. In our short time together, she won 4 national championships from the Cleveland Bay Horse Society of North America (in versatility and eventing) and twice won its Apple of my Eye award (top CB mare in the country), a USDF all breed award at 3d level and 2 Performance Horse Registry Silver Stirrup national championships in eventing. She also won numerous regional and local awards in both eventing and dressage. Carrie is truly a horse of a lifetime. I will cherish whatever time I have left with her and she will know how much she is loved every moment of every day.