My little red horse that could. Sunny was never supposed to do anything other than sit in a field for the remainder of his life, and he turned out to be a powerhouse Ferrari who tried his heart out for me. After his injury I made the decision to hand the reins off to someone who would enjoy him, and learn from him at the lower levels, and it has proved to be a struggle for me!
I first met the 16hh gelding when I went to look at a couple of other big bay thoroughbreds. I had owned the mare he was out of, and we had lost her the winter before due to unknown causes. I had always owned bay horses (minus the evil white pony) and was looking to stay with those handsome features I was comfortable with. Sunny was there, just back from his first stint at the track, and was rotten as ever. He would double barrel the stall wall behind him, pin his ears, and rake his teeth down the wall if I was looking at either of the horses I was to try instead of him. At one point in time he even reached into the aisle and grabbed the back of my coat as if to say "HEY! Look at me!"
Cathy wanted to keep racing him, so I purchased the other two geldings and told her to keep me in mind when he was finished. Little did I know that fate would bring us back together much sooner than anticipated. Sunny chipped his knee shortly after than and came back to rehab at Cathy's farm. While they thought he would run again, unfortunately he chipped the knee again while in turnout, most likely from a friendly fire incident. The vets said he would never do anything again and to find him a retirement home asap. It had been a horrific year for hay, and since we had the means to keep him on stall rest and then he could live in the field.
Stall rest lasted all of two days before he began trying to tear the barn down. We ended up putting him in turnout four months early per the vets orders, and he stayed quiet and happy. After about two years he was galloping around one day, so I began riding him. He went to his first event and was a professional, so I immediately thought of selling him. Sunny turned into a jack of all trades then, doing a lot of fox hunting, some hunter/jumper shows, a little team roping, etc. I took him to his first novice the next spring where he won the flat, jumped double clear in the show jumping, and I missed the 3rd fence from home on the cross country- denying him the win. Whoops. Sunny continued to put up with my mistakes for three more seasons of work.
He went with me to college, dealt with me while I cried when Bubba died freshmen year, and then subjected himself to my decision to sell him once again. I took the crazy little horse down to Sam's with me and told her he was for sale, to which she promptly replied that I was crazy. I continued to stay and work for her for 6/7 months, learning a lot about myself and him. He turned out to be even more quirky than I originally thought, and despite the pain we finally figured out was in his knee he kept on jumping for me. I graduated from Sam to Jan Byyny, and he went right along with me. We hit a snag in our consistency, but became masters on the flat and I finally started to have some success in the show jumping.
Sunny and I moved home, back under the watchful eye of Jill, and I began to dream of running the Intermediate. We worked hard, knowing that I would not have the opportunity to bridge the gap with a CIC* or CCI*. We dove headfirst into a hell of a first run, and came out stronger, and with more trust in each other than I ever imagined was possible.
I cried harder than I ever thought was possible after we knew he was hurt at Richland. I was afraid that he would never be ridden again. Yet he continued to behave in rehab, and the tendon came back stronger than ever.
Long story short- Sunny has now ended up in the wonderful hands on Geri, an adult amateur who had a great horse that went lame and she was in the market. I didn't want, and never will again, to sell Sunny- so I suggested that she ride him for awhile until she found something that she wanted to purchase. Come to find out they get along fabulously and it has worked out very well.
I found out that it is hard for me to not see him every day. I have a control issue, and I want to know what is going on with him all the time. It is also difficult for me because he is 3 hours away, not just thirty minutes. But when I do see him, his ears are pricked, Geri is smiling, and they look fantastic. I could not be happier for the two of them.
This past weekend Geri and Sunny took on their first recognized event and finished on their dressage score for a 3rd place! They also won the adult team challenge for the beginner novice level with their team, and they were the lowest score on the team! My heart is still bursting with pride at how far they have come in the last few months, and I would have given just about anything to have been there. I assume this is how parents feel when their children grow up and leave for college. I want to continue controlling what is going on with him, but Geri is making all of the correct choices, and it is working out in their favor.
I am doing my best to let them do their thing, and only be neurotic about certain things. I am already waiting for the 2015 season because I want to be able to attend events that they are at. I could not have hand picked a better home for Sunny to be in right now, and knowing that when he says he is finished that he comes home to me is just as good. Keep kicking on Geri! And best of luck with the red monster!!!
Now to figure out how to get to StL faster!
No comments:
Post a Comment