Catching Up and Amish Horses

You don't know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.  – Unknown

Cowboy and I are officially plotting our course to our first event of the year, May Daze in late May.  We packed up and moved to Leigh’s barn in late March and have had an amazing first few weeks there!  You can’t beat boarding at your trainer’s barn.  No more hauling for lessons!!  We had two solid dressage tests at the Stone Place CT in early March, our Novice dressage test was not only his first at that level, but a personal best for both of us!  Sadly it was not our day in show jumping.  Mom had just a few too many emotions going on to relax and ride.  However, it showed us where we needed to focus for the next month or so and we are well on our way!  We have a cross country schooling at Flying Cross and then the Mini-Trial there in May to get a little more experience before we make the jump into recognized competition.

Speaking of recognized competition, Emily and Romeo did their first event of the season at Pine Top in March (yes, I know I’m REALLY behind on my blog already!) and brought home a 3^rd place ribbon!  They are moving up to Novice at River Glen. Sadly I won’t be able to go and support since that is Thunder weekend but I can’t wait to see the whole family at May Daze.  It’s so much fun to see a horse you brought along being successful with another rider! 

Thunder can only mean one thing, my favorite day of the year, DERBY, is almost here!  While I haven’t taken the plunge and purchased a hat yet (I can take TWO or even THREE lessons for the cost of one hat!), I have been rather unsuccessfully handicapping the prep races.  Hopefully this weekend will go better than last weekend did.  We did manage to win a little money on Animal Kingdom in the World Cup so that cut into my losses.  I am one happy girl that he is going to be shuttling to Kentucky after he retires from racing.  I won on him in the Derby and his Breeders Cup race last year was one of my all-time favorite racing moments. 

Before I get too off topic, I’ve wanted to post this for a while now.  Let me preface this by saying that this is only my opinion based on my own experiences.  I realize that many people have a different opinion, which is likely based on their own experiences.  However, I thought I’d share this with everyone.

I’ve read several times over the past few months that many people in the equine industry have an issue with the Amish who want to buy ex-racehorses to use as carriage horses.  I grew up in a small town where the Amish have a large community.  It was an everyday occurrence to see an Amish buggy drive down the road.  They were, and still are, our neighbors, our business partners and our friends.  I doubt I would have the love for horses that I have if I hadn’t been exposed to them so often at an early age.  While there are certainly some Amish who do not care for their horses properly, you will find this with all types of people.  Our Amish neighbors use their horses as work animals first and foremost but they take excellent care of them.  It is not uncommon to see an Amish horse standing with a rug on or to see a young person riding their fat pony down the road.  They are good farriers who treat their horses like we treat the cars that drive us to work every day, they take care of them.  Below are a few pictures, both from the past and this year of Amish horses in our community.  A big thanks to Wendy Gordon for helping me by taking the pictures!

A very happy little girl (me) getting to sit on a pony!

The picture doesn't do this mare justice, she is absolutely beautfiul!

Enjoying the sunshine on a warm spring day

This guy was really friendly and happily posed for his picture