I am the Sun

During the recent cold snap I worried about the animals living in our barn.  I gave the horses extra hay and even the sheep with their 4 inch wool coats got a larger ration of grain.  But I'm concerned a little more about my Thoroughbred mare; Ceci.  She’s going to be 24 years old this year and when the weather’s cold she doesn’t zip out into the field with her counterparts – the feisty pony or the stubborn Appaloosa.  On cold days, she walks slowly and reluctantly out of her paddock.  “It’s tough getting old,” I thought.

Ceci was 19 years old when she was dropped off at my trainer’s barn by an owner that no longer wanted to care for her or maybe couldn’t.   When I laid eyes on her she was nothing but skin and bones.  My trainer had a reputation for taking unwanted horses no matter the condition they were in.   She was one of the thinnest horses I had seen.  Yet, there was still a spark in her eyes.

"This horse could take you to your next level, she’s got all the buttons”, my trainer said.  I knew where she was going with this.  It was November and the last thing my trainer wanted was to feed a starved Thoroughbred thru the winter months.  Wryly, I eyed Ceci wondering if her rickety frame could even hold a rider.   My heart ached looking at her sad condition and even though her eyes were soft and kind, I flat out said, “no way.”    I’m not sure what changed my mind.  Maybe the desperation in my trainers voice when she called again to see if I was interested, or was it the unlikely chance that if I dusted her off and gave her some time and care she would be a real gem of a horse.  Either way, by December, Ceci was in my barn starting her journey back to health.

It troubled me I had no background on her.  I called the women that owned her to see if I could get some history.   She was reluctant to talk, but with a little prodding, she told me Ceci had an injury early in her life, was a brood mare 3 times, and then a school horse.  Unfortunately, the rest I have to imagine.  What kinds of shows did she compete in?  Did she win ribbons?  She must have been something to watch in her prime standing at 16 hands with her four white feet and flaxen mane and tail.  How many riders soared as she flew over jumps?

Most Thoroughbred’s have a tattoo on the inside of the upper lip.  It links the horse to their registration papers.  I checked to see if Ceci had this tattoo.  When I first curled her lip, I was looking for something small maybe an inch long, so I didn’t even see it.  When I looked again, I was shocked to see huge bold black ink letters blazon across her upper lip; S43159.

I searched for her number by logging into the Jockey Club website.  Anxiously, I typed each of the characters, and then hit the Enter key.  C’est Le Soleil meaning I am the Sun, Chestnut Mare born May 08, 1989 popped up.  “Oh my god,” I thought.  I know her real name.  The name is appropriate too.  She’s listed as Chestnut, but her coat looks almost golden like the sun, closer to a Palomino.  Her mother was Solar Royalty and her sire was, That’s a Nice.  She had 8 starts meaning she raced 8 times and then it was over.  Her racing days were done.  Was she injured or too slow on the track?

It took about two summers of weight gain and building muscle before she was back to her former elegant form.  I compare Ceci to high quality second hand clothes. You know the kind you can’t afford new.  Even though they have been previously owned, the fine fabric makes you feel good.  Ceci’s like that, she’s been owned a few times, but she’s bred from quality stock and riding her lifts my spirit and makes me feel extraordinary.

We have turned the corner on the worst of winter. Longer days and warmer weather will start to show in the same way Ceci’s elegance shows as she sheds her winter coat.  I look forward to watching her canter with her herd mates rocking back and forth enjoying the sunny days of Spring living up to her name -I Am The Sun.

-Trisha   
  

Major's Lesson

I love all my horses beyond words; each one has a unique personality.  Dusty’s my little rascal, Ceci’s my teacher with a big heart, and Major’s my sad good looking boy.

Major and his thick neck

  

At 14 hands, Major’s mostly grey with a muscular, thick neck like a draft horse.  His body is strong and compact, his handsome head has small ears, and he dons a Mohawk mane.  He’s not an elegant horse, but he is flashy with his white rump and black spots.   When I put him on the crossties, his expressive eyes make me think of Eeyore from Winne the Pooh.   He makes a long exhale and throws me a gloomy sad look as if to say, “What do you want me to do now”?

Major with his distinctive spotted rump

Unflappable, he rarely spooks and goes thru and over anything; bridges, water, rough ravines.   This all sounds really great, a flashy horse that never spooks, but let me continue.

Major has definite opinions and one of them is not moving very quickly anywhere except if it’s in the direction of the barn or food.  Every trail ride starts out as a death march only to end up flying full steam the moment his nose is turned in the direction of home.   There were a few trail rides when I watched my husband fly past me down a rocky slope hoping he would be alive when I reached him.  To my husband’s credit he would eventually get Major stopped and turned around, but it was scary and dangerous.

 "You want to ride who?" 

My husband and I did learn the horsemanship skills to correct this problem.  When riding Major you have to be in charge or he will quickly take charge.  He tends to live up to his name.  In the future, I will never own another horse named Major, General, Sergeant or any other military rank.   He loves using his shoulders and big neck to turn himself around saying, “I’m not going.”    Now you’re thinking this horse is awful-right?   Well, I thought so too for awhile.

Ceci in the field

When Ceci, our Thoroughbred mare arrived, Major took a backseat as my horse of choice.   She’s well schooled and at home in the arena.   She ignited my passion for riding and became my new teacher.  I was frustrated riding Major.  He could be stubborn, opinionated, too slow, and too much work to ride.

"Yes, I'm beautiful, smart and eligant...now go away!"

     

While riding this summer, Ceci, who is refined but high- strung, stumbled, and I landed hard on my back.    Ceci recovered quickly, but I didn’t.  After a month, still walking gingerly, I saddled up Major not having the confidence to deal with Ceci’s nervousness.  Major made me feel calm and safe.   Over the next few months my back slowly got stronger as I continued riding Major, and I began to understand him better.

Major starring in a movie for a film festival...is that Brad Pitt?

I realized that his short neck and back meant I had to be far more balanced and solid in my riding than I had been with Ceci.  I have a much smaller margin for error on Major.  Any leaning too far forward forces him to compensate making it difficult for him to be balanced.  You learn from every horse and Major is still teaching me to be a better rider.  When I wrote him off thinking Ceci was the only horse that could teach me, I was wrong.  I guess the saying for every bad horse there is a bad rider is true.  

Major and I are moving forward.  He is more relaxed now than ever before, largely because I’m riding him better.  He's still an opinionated, pony and has discovered a new trick...bucking at the canter!  Let the rodeo begin I say.  Stay tuned for more adventures on Major.

-Trisha 

Let's play "What is it?"

While walking around our barn, we spotted this.  Is it black mold? 

Is it storm cloud?

Is it a swarm of locusts?  Could it be the end of the world.

 Is it an Inkblot test?  I see two porcupines sharing an ice cream cone.

Is it a skunk?  Aren't you glad this isn't a scratch and sniff blog!

Is it a constellation, Ursa Major?

Is it a satellite photo of the eye of a hurricane?

 Is it my newly upholstered couch in a Northwestern motif?

It's Major! Our Appaloosa with a classic spotted blanket.

Major came to us in 2008 from an auction in Pennsylvania. He had serious trust issues.  In time, using gentle horsemanship techniques, he turned out to be a great addition to the farm.  

- Chris