[SMF11]

He's 29 now and retired at my farm. He's a gray TB, and the owners told me he showed at Madison Square Garden in his prime. He is such a gentleman, and a sweetie so I thought someone might want to know he's doing well and enjoying a well-deserved retirement. And I've grown so fond of him, I'd love to hear any stories anyone has. It's a long shot, but thought I'd try!

[Darkwave]

Not sure if it's the same one, but I remember a "Nickle and Dime" that was a nice gray being shown by Bob Crandall in Maryland in the early 90s. I don't remember too much about him, other than that I liked him

[KayPink]

I don't know of him, but what a great name for a horse! I love it! I'm glad that he's getting a nice, loving retirement :-)

[FastBreak]

Could be the Nickle & Dime from Bob Crandall....would have been early mid 1990's...Meghan Gross I think? I was on ponies but Bob Helped us a few times when we came to VA to show and I remember the girls last name!

[Darkwave]

Could be the Nickle & Dime from Bob Crandall....would have been early mid 1990's...Meghan Gross I think? I was on ponies but Bob Helped us a few times when we came to VA to show and I remember the girls last name!

That's the same one I'm thinking of -- Bob Crandall showed him in the greens (can't remember whether it was conformation or working) when he was owned by the "Nickel & Dime Partnership" (which always cracked me up). Then Meghan Gross showed him (I *think* she bought him) in the Juniors.

[ringmaster]

I owned this gray horse in the beginning of his very successful career. If this horse has a sway back then this is the same horse.

I found him at a backyard show in Virginia jumping around 3'6" as a four or five year old with no help from his rider. Instead of cringing at the trips, I thought I should buy this horse because he is still jumping willingly when most horses would be quitting. I gave this horse a chance when many others passed probably due to his conformation. I had another sway back working hunter at the time so what was one more!

This horse had a wonderful attitude and a huge heart from the beginning and was a very easy study. He just needed to be educated and polished and fattened up. I showed him a couple of times and then sold him quickly to a top trainer in North Carolina who put some mileage on him and then he made his way back thru Virginia to be sold to Bob Crandall as I remember and won everything in the 1st and 2nd year green divisions. The rest is history.

He is well deserving of a good retirement life. I would be very interested to hear more.

[Ace]

Awww! I want to see pics of this sweetheart!

[Brittanysd]

yes, pics!

[SMF11]

Ooh, Ringmaster, thanks for reviving this thread! Nick is still with us, although now pushing 30 I believe. YES!! He has a sway back! And he is still such a kind gentleman.

There are many pictures of him on the farm's facebook page (the link is at the bottom of my posts) -- and he is the close-up profile picture, of him cantering through the snow.

He has melanoma and is on cimetidine twice a day. When he came here, the trainer told me "Don't get attached to this one, he has probably six months left." Well . . . that was over three years ago, and he's going strong. He lives outside in big fields, in a herd of other geriatric horses and one geriatric donkey who is his very best friend (they are inseperable, and share a stall when he does go in).

If you go back far enough on the facebook page you can see a reunion he had with his old groom (now an investment banker!) from his show days. She responded to this thread too, and visited him.

He is a very sweet guy, and his owners love him a lot. They come by every week with a bag of carrots. They bought him for their daughter, who evented him at a low level, and when she went to college, the Mom rode him, just walk/trot as she was a beginner, but he took care of her.

This horse has been very lucky with great, caring owners his whole life (or at least, starting with Ringmaster!) and he really deserves them as he's so kind.

[SMF11]

Went back to look at the Facebook page, and the most recent picture of Nick is on June 11, "Nick and Donkey on the hill" -- you can very clearly see his signature topline in it! I'll try and put up some pictures of him in the next couple of days.


[Added later -- there are pictures or videos of him on June 5, May 18, May 1, April 22, April 3 and March 22 (of him playing). That's as far back as I went, but there are lots more!]

[ringmaster]

Sorry to say that I do not have any pics of "Nick". I did not own him more than a few months. When he came to me his nickname was "Arthur" but I much prefer "Nick".

I looked at all his pics on facebook and he looks so happy and is in amazing condition. I question that he is quite 30+ because I had him 21 years ago and I think he was only 6 but I could be wrong. I can't remember if he is tatooed or not, if so that would tell the tale.

Thank you for what you do at Sugar Maple Farm; giving back to many wonderful animals that have given us so much enjoyment over the years. All your animals look fantastic and happy.

Please keep me posted on his journey.

[Concetta]

I remember a Nickel and Dime that was shown by Louise Serio and might of been owned or leased by Courtney Robinson at the time back in the late 90's or early 2000's! while riding with Pixie Gilles

[SMF11]

I looked at all his pics on facebook and he looks so happy and is in amazing condition. I question that he is quite 30+ because I had him 21 years ago and I think he was only 6 but I could be wrong. I can't remember if he is tatooed or not, if so that would tell the tale.

Thank you for what you do at Sugar Maple Farm; giving back to many wonderful animals that have given us so much enjoyment over the years. All your animals look fantastic and happy.

Please keep me posted on his journey.

Thanks for your kind words, I love working with the old(er) guys -- they are uniformly friendly and sweet (my trainer did tell me "people don't retire mean horses" when I was considering opening my barn )

You are probably right about Nick's age -- he may be 27 or 28 instead of 30. I don't think anyone here knows for sure.

If you want to follow what he's up to "like" my facebook page (if you haven't already). I post pictures of all the horses here regularly both for their owners and their fans (Nick isn't the only horse here with previous connections interested in him).

I am so glad you wrote, it is so nice to hear about him when he was so young!

[Long Spot]

Darn it all. There is something in my eye.