[Louise]

I can't see Gracie's video, but Chequer looks wonderful. You wouldn't suspect that just a few months ago, he had a very different job. I, too, would love to see some pictures of Lexi and agree that Cuervo is lovely. As we get ready to start the backside walkabouts in about a month, it is so heartening to see so many of last year's graduates doing so well.

[Ishi]

Somewhereinbetween is the quietest, kindest, sweetest mare! I really thought she was going to be a hot little thing (like my other little filly Moc) but Somewhere has decided her high energy days are over.

So far it's been really laid back, she's just started this week on real work. She went through a rough detox period and needed some TLC, but once her system was cleared out, she gained a lot of weight, her coat looks great again (she had massive hair loss, which thankfully grew back in), and she's the first one to come to me out on 50 acres of grass. She loves her attention and treats! I was hoping to have her much further along by now, but she needed the time to heal (ulcers) and detox, and just learn how to be a horse again.

She's now officially in work (as of Saturday LOL), but before that I was just messing around with her, I've hacked her down the road quite a bit, to the river and back, she is so quiet and kind. I couldn't ask for a better mare, I am totally smitten with her! While she came here to be retrained and resold, I'm hoping no one else would ever want a flashy liver chestnut 15'1+ hand mare and so I'll retrain her, show her, and do my duty to advertise her when ready, but I'm seriously thinking hard about putting my very big, flashy, made Prelim horse (who is going to do his first Intermediate this summer) on the market so I can keep her. That's how nice this little mare is

I'll have to get pictures of her under saddle soon.

[Louise]

Ishi, you have no idea how happy this makes me. We all thought that Somewhere was "Someone" special and it is so good to hear that you do, also. I can't wait to see pictures!

[Ishi]

Louise, I forgot to mention in my earlier post that she LOVES little girls. We have a client with an 8 and 10 year old girls who stand in front of her stall (she has a stall guard) and she loves on them as long as they will stand there. She was so happy to have them paying attention to her and not that dirty rotten Chincoteague Pony who is stalled next to her She never gets tired of the girls and lights up when she sees them, it is beyond cute, and so nice to see her opening up and enjoying people. She also loves the barn cat who will get up on a fence post so Somewhere can rub her head all over the cat, it's pretty cute.

I still have the note Foundationmare put on her halter when she shipped here. I have a binder with all her vet, shoeing, deworming records as well as her race record and pedigree, so I put it in there, it was so cute and I can't believe it stayed in on the trip from NY to VA.

[maunder]

That's such great news, Ishi! A great favorite of mine there at the track and I'm so glad that she and you are happy!

[BoysNightOut]

Quick question for you guys....when will the Trainer Listings be updated for this coming season?

Coming to the sad realization that I now need another horse for my pony this spring (building a 2-stall barn at home) since Vinnie passed away this winter, and what better way to go about it but to re-home a Finger Lakes racer.

[Louise]

We're planning on starting to walk the backside around the first of May. We have found that it doesn't do any good to start earlier, because the trainers are still evaluating their horses, and have not yet decided which ones aren't going to make it as race horses this year.

Sending you a PM.

[foundationmare]

Please keep the updates coming! It is wonderful to hear about your success with the Finests.

Suzanne, Chequer looks phenomenal. I am thrilled for you and him! I think I need to invent a new word to describe how exciting it is to hear these reports. Suffice it to say that I'm over the moon!

Ishi, so glad that Somewhere has come out of her detox and is proving to be the spectacular girl we all knew she could be. I think she's worming her way into your heart and will be a "forever" horse. Can't wait to see more pictures of her under saddle.

Lori, so glad that Lexi has come sound and is the darling of the barn. I'm not surprised! I am especially glad that she wasn't asked for more time on the track after her traumatic last start. She's one of the lucky ones: she landed in Canadian clover!

I will look forward to more updates. Thank you all. How's Skee Love?

[EventingJ]

I took my mare, Jolly, down the road to a lesson barn that my bff teaches a lesson or two at today with another fingerlake's finest - first time off the property since I got her. She was such a good girl - laid back and happy, even jumped a little vertical a few times! Loaded in the trailer both ways like a champ I'm totally thrilled even if it felt like winter today! brrrrr

[maunder]

I took my mare, Jolly, down the road to a lesson barn that my bff teaches a lesson or two at today with another fingerlake's finest - first time off the property since I got her. She was such a good girl - laid back and happy, even jumped a little vertical a few times! Loaded in the trailer both ways like a champ I'm totally thrilled even if it felt like winter today! brrrrr

That's splendid! It IS cold today. So glad for you and Jolly!

[danceronice]

I had the chance to watch Lucky run on calracing.com and I've got to say--I can totally see why he ran in blinkers. He is mister Horsey ADHD--anything going on half a mile away is more interesting than the monkey on his back. Or even the crackly leaves blowing right in front of him. That's nothing but there is A DOG THREE FIELDS OVER OMG. He also has a HUGE trot. I watched my BO's daughter (the fearless one--her son has also ridden Lucky, so the fearlessness is genetic) ride him for a bit and then she watched me. We've decided his right rear stifle is a little wonky--he doesn't seem to be in pain, but the way he moves and stands we think it's at least less developed than the muscle on the left and it bugs him a bit. It was nice being able to stand back and watch him trot with a rider--he does have a HUGE trot, it's not just me! Cantering, we'll see. He definitely needs building up a bit in terms of fitness--I keep being surprised by how he cannot bend or turn as easily as I remember Old OTTB doing, but I am thinking of Old OTTB at the end of his life after I'd had him fifteen years. He probably was just as stiff and no-power-steering when he first came off the track, too. He needs to work to keep his mind on it, but I think it will be a fine line of keeping him moving but carefully building his muscles up first. We might try a canter in the big ring soon if everything works, but right now I wouldn't want to ask on the small circle of the round pen. It's an adjustment, thinking of racing fit versus riding fit.

BO's daughter is another OTTB person, and we were talking about their general disposition and how Lucky, despite being ADD, is generally much more a workhorse than either of our others. And also how, though both our other OTTBs were best described as hot, you could put a little kid on them and they turned into lead-line ponies. They just knew the little monkey up there did not have any idea how to stay on if they got cute, so they didn't. I love meeting other people who appreciate OTTBs!

[EventingJ]

bumping this up!

Here are some pics from today's ride - not our best, its our second ride outside this spring and she started off rather tense - so we just worked on going forward and tried to get her to loosen up a bit!

tense mare:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

getting a little better:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

and some happy canter/handgallop pics
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

I think this is neat -

Before
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

After
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink


And my good friend's Fingerlakes Finest from today:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

[Tyrian]

Skee's doing great, thanks for asking. She has turned into one of the sweetest horses. She is still enjoying her time off in the pasture, especially when the foals next door come out. I think she wants one!!! I don't have any new pics, I'm terrible about remembering that, but I will try to get some soon.

I was very surprised the other day to receive a phone call from her former trainer asking for an update. He was very nice and I was pleased to know he cared enough to find out how she was doing.

I know it's not the best or most informative update, but hopefully the ground will dry up and I can restart her soon.

[Skeezix]

Ishi, I tend to follow these threads because I love the follow ups. I remember on the original thread when Somewhereinbetween was first listed thinking what a neat name and a neat looking horse, and you kept bumping it up and asking that someone get her. I even thought of her then as your horse and kept hoping that you would end up with her. And post after post when she kept getting bypassed . . . and then she was yours I think some things were just meant to be. Thanks for the update!

[maunder]

Skee's doing great, thanks for asking. She has turned into one of the sweetest horses. She is still enjoying her time off in the pasture, especially when the foals next door come out. I think she wants one!!! I don't have any new pics, I'm terrible about remembering that, but I will try to get some soon.

I was very surprised the other day to receive a phone call from her former trainer asking for an update. He was very nice and I was pleased to know he cared enough to find out how she was doing.

That's super about Skee and her trainer! I met him late in the season when he was soooo concerned about her and wanted to place her. I'm sure he was so pleased that Skee was enjoying her pasture time and had found such a nice home.

[up-at-5]

Great up dates everyone! I love reading them. Dancer...maybe get a chiro out to look at Lucky? I never believed in chiros in the past, but decided to have Lexi looked at, and it has been a payoff! Lexi moves much, much better now, and she too, had a wonky hind end, probably from her crash. Her right hind foot toed in, amongst other things, and now it is straight. Worth every penny I have spent on the Chiro($170)

We moved Lexi and my other two home on Thursday. Lexi loaded no problem, I was alone, walked her on, and headed home. She didn't react at all to any of it, not the other horses, nothing, just la la la here we go I guess this is my new home!!

She loves her turnout in the group, she is with my other OTTB, and my daughters pony. She is the kindest mare we own, and will be with us forever. Sadly, we lost our old pony AJ last weekend, and with losing her we lost our herd "babysitter". I think Lexi will be able to somewhat fill AJ's roll as the calm one in the herd, the one you can count on to put with a new horse, companion in the barn, etc.

YES, I will post pics soon, I will I will!!!! She's still ribby, such a slow, picky eater, I'm rather embarrassed to put her pics up until she can fatten up a bit more. For instance, I fed them an hour ago, and I can bet she will have only eaten a handful of her grain since then.....I leave a full bucket at night and she picks at it over the course of the eight hours she is in. Silly girl, she needs her groceries!
I have her on ulcer meds now, hoping that will make her feel better and be able to eat a bit more.

[Tyrian]

I am really very mad I forgot my camera yesterday. I did some "spring grooming". Skee got her first bath from me, I took advantage of the 80 degree weather. Her mane and whiskers were trimmed and I brushed out her tail. I think my favorite feature of hers is her hair. She has such a babysoft coat, a soft and fine mane; it doesn't even feel like horse hair, and her tail is AMAZING!!! I believe it was EventingJ who commented on her pictures that she had a nice tail, well after brushing it out yesterday I can say she has the best tail out of any horse I have owned, even better than my hairy little mustang. It is so thick and I had to trim 10 inchs off of it becuase it grew so long since I first got her. And, to top it all off, she has dappless!!! Just had to brag a bit.

Up-at-5: Skee is also a very ssslllloooowwwww eater. It has gotten better though because I got her new hay, an amazing second cutting alfalfa mix, and she HATES it. She turns it into very expensive bedding. I am hoping that when the vet is out and does her teeth she will start eating even better.

[up-at-5]

Tyrian, Lexi has the same soft hair that Skee has, from what you've described. It's really, really fine,and baby soft. I have never seen hair like that on a grown horse, it's neat, but the bugs will eat her alive!

I have some great second cut hay, too, which she picks at, but scatters a lot of it. Her owner did say that she was not a big hay eater.

Lexi went on a long hack this weekend, her first since we got her, and she was an absolute STAR!!! She is amazing, so pretty and so laid back. She may not be the biggest, fanciest horse out there, but she more than makes up for that with her superior attitude and friendliness. She is worth her weight in gold!!

[danceronice]

I updated with some more pictures at my blog, http://luckytocope.wordpress.com including Lucky cantering and Lucky's favorite part (posing for pictures.) He also got a nice treat bag, it being Easter and all--another Peep fan!

My parents are now big Lucky fans. They very much think I got a massive steal for $600. BoysNightOut--I would heartily endorse a Finest for your next horse!

[EventingJ]

Lucky is lookin' great!

I had a wonderful lesson this past weekend with a local trainer, so nice to have someone on the ground! She did great, and we have some new exercises to work on until next time

photo!
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink