Updates from Summer, 2011

Well hello, everyone! It's been a long time...and for that I apologize, but I promise it's all for good reason.

Right now I'm in Montana at the Yellowstone Club, because last night I was Maid of Honor in my best friend Molly's wedding. I can't believe she's a Struve now!! Wow how time flies.

There are more updates than I can even plan out on how I'll say them, so I'll start with Jimmy & move on from there...

Jimmy has been leased to the most caring & wonderful family in the world. He now lives at Daybreak Farm & belongs to a darling girl named Miranda. They are enjoying trail rides, lessons, and competing at PTS horse shows in the "Special WT & WTC" division. Here is a photo of the two of them together at their first horse show a few weeks ago - where they won Reserve Champion in the Special Division. Go Miranda & Jimmy!!

Next comes Diesel. Diesel has been my project since March of 2011 & he's really been an honor to work with. He came to CVE not understanding riding or steering or much of anything at all so I started him from the ground up (literally) and helped him trust & understand that riding & being with people is a cool thing to do. He progressed beautifully & this past week was sold to Oakwood Farm's trainer Katie Rose. He will be her personal "project" to finish out & then he will be a school horse. Go Diesel!! Here's a photo of Diesel & I in May, 2011.

Backtracking to June, 2011 - I had a tremendous fall from Marci, which left me in the ER with a possible fractured femur, tailbone & right arm. Luckily...none of those bones were broken but it was a solid 6 weeks before I could ride anyone, which is when I decided it was time Jimmy found a home to love him. I realized he and I just weren't right for one another anymore - we no longer did one another a favor. He was a chore for me & while I loved him & (I believe) he loved me, we didn't enjoy our riding time together any more. I wanted to ride hard and jump and train & he was much happier trail riding and doing light hacks here & there. One conversation at a horse show had Betsy Anderson out to see him with Miranda & her mom & the next day he left for his new 'home'. I couldn't be happier with this situation because it's allowing me the time I wanted to spend with Bill & my family & my friends through this crazy summer/fall of WEDDINGS. Here's a photo of what my leg looked like about a week after the fall. Not one of my finer moments ***CAUTION GRUESOME PHOTO AHEAD***

That said...I can never sit still too long & when I had my accident a friend had posted an ad of a little solid paint 15hh bay mare who desperately needed to get out of a bad situation. She was purchased to be a family horse and in the wrong hands, any wonderful horse can go from great to ghoul. Well, I watched her as long as I could & when I knew Diesel was sold & Jimmy was leased I jumped at this little mare....who is now known as "Chloe". Chloe came home Thursday night, however I've been in Montana since Thursday morning so it will be a few more days before I'm home and can see her. The resemblance between her & Jimmy is astounding and the moment I saw her I fell in love with her. I think in a few short weeks she will have her mentality straightened out, her rough patches under saddle smoothed & she'll be coasting over-fences like nothing. I expect she will also find a wonderful home in the very near future - once she & I have had our fun. Please click the following link to view a video of my Chloe: http://youtu.be/XOl0UDZRQ10 You can also see a photo of her below...the similarities are uncanny. Long lost sister?!

That about brings us up to speed - there's just one other project I'm working with (a little) right now & that's my friend Jamie's horse, Haleigh. Haleigh is a 4 year old Belgian Warmblood who's sired by the phenomenal show jumper, Coronado. I am grateful for the chance to work with such a well-bred mare, and anxious to see how she progresses. She will be for sale late fall. Everyone, meet Haleigh:

9 weeks 6 days until Bill & I are husband & wife...and I become Mrs. Bedsole!! I have 4 more weddings before ours though, so it will be a wild 9 weeks :) Wish me luck & I'll do the best I can at updating everyone on Chloe's progress and the progress of the other projects CVE is getting in. Enjoy the weather!!

Camelot Horse #904

Every week I look through the Camelot Horse Weekly Facebook and pick out a horse to promote & hopefully find a home for. Even if I don't, I like to think that my voice helps more people become aware of Camelot and join the force to find homes for these horses on their way to slaughter every week.

Of course, I always pick one who I would pick for myself "If I could get another horse, I'd pick..." but this week it's gone too far. I'm sitting in my living room sobbing uncontrollably because I've found the one. "The One" I was never supposed to look for or find. I found him. He's Jimmy's twin and it breaks my heart to look at his picture, but I can't stop. Even his description sounds like Jimmy at that age. My heart is breaking.

#904 Bay QH colt.  No papers.  13H and 9 months old.  Really sweet!  Skinny, filthy, and riddled with lice (one dose of ivermectin cures this)  He’s a real in your pocket baby.  $110

 

Now look at this baby:

 

Does anyone see the resemblance?!?!? My heart is absolutely broken to think that this little QH will go to slaughter on Saturday morning without the chance that Jimmy was given. I just keep replaying these words that are written in the comments below this little angel's photo: "‎$234.50 to bail with credit card, sales tax, Health Cert, Coggins and Franks fee." 


More than ever, I wish I could have just one more.

Camelot Horse Weekly

Today I learned about a Non-For-Profit Organization called Camelot Horse Weekly. Anna from Diary of a Mad Horsewoman shared the cause on her Facebook, so I'll quote her on how it works.

"Basically its the 'end of the line' for the auction market horses. Every Wednesday night the girls on the Facebook page go and see the new arrivals and post them online. They ride, lead, etc the ones they can and try to provide some kind of description. Basically, if you find one you want, you just call Frank at the auction and give him a hip # and your credit card number, then it's all yours. The 'discussion' tab on their page has people willing to do quarantine and ship them where you want them, most for very reasonable prices. The total auction price already includes a coggins and health cert. The auction is in New Jersey, but there are a lot of people associated with them that are willing to ship all over."

I am usually pro-slaughter, because I believe that some horses are best put out of their misery & if they are mentally unsafe, they aren't doing anyone any good alive. I'd rather horses get slaughtered than starved, and I'd rather their meat feed hungry mouths than rot in the earth. That being said, looking through the photos of the horses from last week (2/9/11) on the Camelot Horse Weekly Facebook page was one of the more difficult things for me to stomach through. Normally I can look through photos of starving horses with a neutral eye and think "Help is coming for them" but in this case, this is it. I don't know how many of those horses were saved, but the thought that every one of their gorgeous necks were broken and they were all chopped to bits for my dog's food is gut-wrenching.

I know I'm a trainer, and I'm a trainer who makes part of her income from selling horses so this will sound backwards, but for the love of horses, PLEASE look into rescuing. If you are looking to take on another horse, or you've recently lost your beloved equine buddy, at least research the choice. Rehabilitating Jimmy's mentality has been the most challenging, but rewarding experience in my life and if my lifestyle were such that I could allow more four-legged friends into my life I absolutely would be rescuing a new horse every day – but it's not. So I am asking all of you - before you scour the internet to find your next "perfect mount" and spend thousands and thousands of dollars on a perfect pedigree, think about the rescues. People often become tied up in their minds with the thought "I need a horse". For one moment, I'd like you to think about all those horses who need you.