This year began with me hoping to event my OTTB mare, "Chasing Piper" in a mini event series. We made it to the first one at Flying Cross. She ran away with me in the Dressage warm up, both days. She jumped, sometimes over jumped, everything in SJ and on cross country. By the end of the 2 days, I was totally exhausted.
After four years of owning "Piper", I decided to sell her. I placed ads on several sites and on Facebook. I got a few calls, but only two people tried her. One was a trainer, who said that she did not have any students who could ride her. I sent her to a farm, where the trainer taught students at Xavier U. She said that she had advanced students. After a week, she called for me to take "Piper" back. "Too much horse! Exhausted, after riding her." You see, "Chasing Piper" was an OTTB, chestnut mare, with Storm Cat on the top. People do believe in the "Chestnut mare, beware" thing.
I am a 65 year old person on Medicare. Friends had told me that "Piper" was not the right horse for me, but I am stubborn and wanted to prove that I could still ride/train this mare. I finally sent her to Paulus Racing and Performance Thoroughbreds. Amy found Piper her person. She left 2 days ago, as a Christmas present for a Pony Clubber. I am so grateful that Pipes found a good home!!
My 18 year old Event mare, "Tessie's Brite Star", had strained a suspensory in 2013. I gave her most of the year off. During this recuperation time, "Tess" began to show signs of having Cushings. She went on Pergolide and Tyro-L. In 2014, she came back strong and had me placed 4th in the USEA year end awards. Then, she injured the other suspensory. I gave her a year off for that one. She came back and I began to ride her bareback and pony Piper to get them both in shape. She was good for about six months, then reinjured the same suspensory. Another six months off and she began to pull me when walking. She decided to go gallop with her pasture mates and strained it, again. So, I made the decision to euthanize her, before she ended up with a catastrophic injury. "Tessie" was my heart horse, who took me places that I never dreamed that I could go. May she rest in peace and gallop with all of those who have gone before her.
Enter my new horse. I found "Nike" on Dreamhorse. He was way up in Ada, MI. Madeline Bletzacker, one of my good friends, who kept telling me that Piper was the wrong horse for me, saw the ad and told me to send them a deposit, immediately. My DH and I pulled the trailer up on a Monday. I rode him on Tuesday morning, had him vetted Tuesday afternoon and we hit the road for home around 5pm, pulling "Nike" in the trailer. We dropped him at the barn and got home at 2:45am. My DH had to go to work at 8am. I was exhausted. "Nike" was exhausted. My DH, well, I cannot even imagine how he got through Wednesday?
"Nike'' is a cutie pie. He is a Paint, with a splotch of white on his left hind pastern. Other than that, he is a Bay. The previous owners did not have papers. Being a gelding, it does not matter. The fact that he has a "forward" and a "whoa" are what I needed. He is especially kind. He has lovely cadence and a very cute jump. However, the previous owner was riding him in a Gag snaffle and a contraption which caused his neck to develop wrong. I am riding him in a leather bit. I am lunging and teaching him that it is OK to stretch down and not brace against a rope on his neck. So, "Nike" and I are saving each other.
Please share your stories of 2017?
After four years of owning "Piper", I decided to sell her. I placed ads on several sites and on Facebook. I got a few calls, but only two people tried her. One was a trainer, who said that she did not have any students who could ride her. I sent her to a farm, where the trainer taught students at Xavier U. She said that she had advanced students. After a week, she called for me to take "Piper" back. "Too much horse! Exhausted, after riding her." You see, "Chasing Piper" was an OTTB, chestnut mare, with Storm Cat on the top. People do believe in the "Chestnut mare, beware" thing.
I am a 65 year old person on Medicare. Friends had told me that "Piper" was not the right horse for me, but I am stubborn and wanted to prove that I could still ride/train this mare. I finally sent her to Paulus Racing and Performance Thoroughbreds. Amy found Piper her person. She left 2 days ago, as a Christmas present for a Pony Clubber. I am so grateful that Pipes found a good home!!
My 18 year old Event mare, "Tessie's Brite Star", had strained a suspensory in 2013. I gave her most of the year off. During this recuperation time, "Tess" began to show signs of having Cushings. She went on Pergolide and Tyro-L. In 2014, she came back strong and had me placed 4th in the USEA year end awards. Then, she injured the other suspensory. I gave her a year off for that one. She came back and I began to ride her bareback and pony Piper to get them both in shape. She was good for about six months, then reinjured the same suspensory. Another six months off and she began to pull me when walking. She decided to go gallop with her pasture mates and strained it, again. So, I made the decision to euthanize her, before she ended up with a catastrophic injury. "Tessie" was my heart horse, who took me places that I never dreamed that I could go. May she rest in peace and gallop with all of those who have gone before her.
Enter my new horse. I found "Nike" on Dreamhorse. He was way up in Ada, MI. Madeline Bletzacker, one of my good friends, who kept telling me that Piper was the wrong horse for me, saw the ad and told me to send them a deposit, immediately. My DH and I pulled the trailer up on a Monday. I rode him on Tuesday morning, had him vetted Tuesday afternoon and we hit the road for home around 5pm, pulling "Nike" in the trailer. We dropped him at the barn and got home at 2:45am. My DH had to go to work at 8am. I was exhausted. "Nike" was exhausted. My DH, well, I cannot even imagine how he got through Wednesday?
"Nike'' is a cutie pie. He is a Paint, with a splotch of white on his left hind pastern. Other than that, he is a Bay. The previous owners did not have papers. Being a gelding, it does not matter. The fact that he has a "forward" and a "whoa" are what I needed. He is especially kind. He has lovely cadence and a very cute jump. However, the previous owner was riding him in a Gag snaffle and a contraption which caused his neck to develop wrong. I am riding him in a leather bit. I am lunging and teaching him that it is OK to stretch down and not brace against a rope on his neck. So, "Nike" and I are saving each other.
Please share your stories of 2017?
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