One Last Thing

I swear I have posts written about Speedy's First Level debut, but yet again Sydney is getting more than his fair show of "air time."

I am just overwhelmed by the many, many positive comments you all have made about my decision to let Sydney go. I wanted to share a few things about that with you.

The day I made the decision to part ways with the big, brown OTTB, I told only my husband. Next, I told my barn owner and shortly after that my trainer. I didn't share on Facebook, and I didn't blog about it until the deed was done.

Over the weekend, I also shared the news with Sarah (Eventing in Color) because I knew she wouldn't gossip about my decision and her feedback would be honest. 

I told her that I was dreading having to blog about it because I was certain I was going to get a lot of negative backlash. There are many people who delight in saying I told you so. I also assumed that the comments on my post (assuming there were any) would include the many ways I had failed Sydney and how if I only had done this or that he would have enjoyed his job. 

In a nut shell, I projected my own feelings of inadequacy and failure onto you all. I think I owe you all an apology. Out of twenty comments on the blog and numerous comments on Facebook, not one single person offered anything but hugs and best wishes. Wow. Just … wow. Thank you all for that.

I didn't sell Sydney; he was donated to New Hope Equine, a non-profit. Here is a snippet from their website:

Debbie Davis owns and operates Sport Equine Training Center and is a founding board member of New Hope Equine a non-profit 501(C)3 Corporation and has been actively involved in rescue work and helping unwanted horses and their owners for almost 2 decades in central CA. With a true heart for unwanted/unused horses, Debbie reaches out to assist owners in need and receives horses of all kinds across the country that meet her soundness criteria for varying levels of training and use. She believes most horses are happiest and healthiest serving a purpose in accordance to suitability.

Sydney certainly wasn't unwanted or unused, but I worried about finding a suitable owner for him on my own. He is not a beginner's horse and intermediate or advanced riders are usually looking for a horse who is already going well in their job or for one who is young and green and can be brought into the work correctly. Sydney just didn't meet any of that criteria.

Money was never a factor. Not that I am rich or anything, but having him be placed appropriately was far more import than getting a couple of thousand bucks for him. Debbie and her assistant will evaluate him, school him as needed, and show him to potential riders who have been carefully screened.  I feel enormous relief that I don't have the burden of screening his next owner. Debbie will do a good job.

Back to Speedy. Oh, boy. He is taking Sydney's departure much harder than I thought he would. When I pulled into the barn, he started pacing and whinnying for his friend which I knew would happen. When I didn't open the trailer door however, Speedy became quite upset, mostly with me.

Since he was already throwing a fit in his little run, I thought it would be a good idea to turn him out and let him run off his anxiety. That always helps him. I put front boots on and added bell boots; he tends to whack himself when he runs hard.

After a quick roll, Speedy took off at a tremendous gallop, screaming the entire time. He ran and ran and ran, all the while keeping his eye on the trailer. When it looked as though he had run out of juice. I went into the arena with him and walked around. He loves to follow me while I scratch his back and face. We then went out onto the lawn and hand grazed for a while.

By the time I put him back to bed, he was feeling much better and was eating and looking well.

I saddled him up as usual the next day, Wednesday, and began with some walk to halt transitions. He felt great. As soon as I asked for the trot however, I felt a definite hitch in his giddy-up. He was lame behind. I got off and did a trot in hand to confirm. 

I am pretty sure he just over did things in turn out, so I actually did a walking ride around the neighborhood. He walked out big and easy, and was only lame when I asked for the trot. There is no heat or swelling which leads me to believe it's just a muscle strain.

I have an appointment this afternoon so I won't get to the barn today, which is a good thing for Speedy. He'll get another day of rest. Hopefully he'll work out of whatever this is by the weekend. And truly, I am not worried about it. He was perfectly sound for his lesson on Monday. 

This is just what happens when you get rid of your back up horse! Onward and forward.