This has got to be one of the hardest days I've ever had to face.
We pulled Booker from training on July 31st, and have let him spend some time to settle down and discuss what his future plans would be. My mom has been avoiding the subject, and I've been so busy that I haven't really noticed it until today.
As some of you may know, Booker is my morgan gelding. We have several horses out on my parents farm, and I used to show horses competitively. I retired from the ring at 18 after a successful 10 year stint as a Jr. Exhibitor, but have been planning my return to the show ring with amateur status. 7 years ago, my mare Lexy gave birth to our first foal, Booker (Rush River Candide). Little did I know how fitting that name would become
My optimistic little colt took 5 years to grow up, and he got BIG! HUGE! Beautiful. He is the embodiment of a morgan hunter, and his size and elegance alone far dwarfs the competition (and while I may be slightly biased as I love him so much, I'm not too far exaggerating this fact). When we sent Booker off for training, I had high hopes. I was sure that within the year, me and my precious baby horse would be making our debut in the show ring, and I was assured of our ringing success. He was full of potential and was so sweet-natured and willing to please that I was only counting down the months until I got the "ok" to ride him myself. But things didn't go according to plan, and all I can say was the woman who we sent him to (with the intention of helping boost her barn, as she was a new and upcoming trainer), did evil to my horse. That he suffered abuse at her hands was blatantly obvious. But the mental abuse she has inflicted on my horse has become even more apparent in recent months.
My mother has confirmed that Booker will not be returning to training. He is officially "ruined" as a show horse, too many phobias and fears have been developed from this woman's brutal mishandling of my poor, sweet baby. Despite having someone work with him for six months to help "unwind" him, as when we got him back he was freaked out by even a fly landing on him, he has returned to being a happy horse at home, but will never have the mental capacity to adapt to the stress of a horse show life. He has "meltdowns", and while these things are easy to handle at home, she has decided that they are the ending to his never-started professional career. I am devestated. After seven years of anxiously waiting for Booker to be ready to go to the ring with me, today I have been informed this dream will never be realized. And words cannot express the anger I have towards the woman who ruined him.
My parents have sunk quite a bit of money into Booker, as they know of our special bond and wanted so much for us to have our time together in the ring. And I am SO grateful for my parents that despite his quirks and faults, they aren't looking to sell him off to someone else, or simply have him destroyed. No, Booker is going to be one very expensive trail horse for us, and we shall continue to love him as we always have, and he will have a forever home on our farm, forever my mount, forever my soulmate in the form of an equine.
Its a sad day today.
We pulled Booker from training on July 31st, and have let him spend some time to settle down and discuss what his future plans would be. My mom has been avoiding the subject, and I've been so busy that I haven't really noticed it until today.
As some of you may know, Booker is my morgan gelding. We have several horses out on my parents farm, and I used to show horses competitively. I retired from the ring at 18 after a successful 10 year stint as a Jr. Exhibitor, but have been planning my return to the show ring with amateur status. 7 years ago, my mare Lexy gave birth to our first foal, Booker (Rush River Candide). Little did I know how fitting that name would become
My optimistic little colt took 5 years to grow up, and he got BIG! HUGE! Beautiful. He is the embodiment of a morgan hunter, and his size and elegance alone far dwarfs the competition (and while I may be slightly biased as I love him so much, I'm not too far exaggerating this fact). When we sent Booker off for training, I had high hopes. I was sure that within the year, me and my precious baby horse would be making our debut in the show ring, and I was assured of our ringing success. He was full of potential and was so sweet-natured and willing to please that I was only counting down the months until I got the "ok" to ride him myself. But things didn't go according to plan, and all I can say was the woman who we sent him to (with the intention of helping boost her barn, as she was a new and upcoming trainer), did evil to my horse. That he suffered abuse at her hands was blatantly obvious. But the mental abuse she has inflicted on my horse has become even more apparent in recent months.My mother has confirmed that Booker will not be returning to training. He is officially "ruined" as a show horse, too many phobias and fears have been developed from this woman's brutal mishandling of my poor, sweet baby. Despite having someone work with him for six months to help "unwind" him, as when we got him back he was freaked out by even a fly landing on him, he has returned to being a happy horse at home, but will never have the mental capacity to adapt to the stress of a horse show life. He has "meltdowns", and while these things are easy to handle at home, she has decided that they are the ending to his never-started professional career. I am devestated. After seven years of anxiously waiting for Booker to be ready to go to the ring with me, today I have been informed this dream will never be realized. And words cannot express the anger I have towards the woman who ruined him.
My parents have sunk quite a bit of money into Booker, as they know of our special bond and wanted so much for us to have our time together in the ring. And I am SO grateful for my parents that despite his quirks and faults, they aren't looking to sell him off to someone else, or simply have him destroyed. No, Booker is going to be one very expensive trail horse for us, and we shall continue to love him as we always have, and he will have a forever home on our farm, forever my mount, forever my soulmate in the form of an equine.
Its a sad day today.
Ginger, have I told you lately that I love you? That's just what she deserves! Well said.
