Blog – Page 18 – My Ex Racers

30Sep 2013 by myexracer

Enter Circe

It happened so fast it kinda made my head spin. I saw the posting the Racehorse rehab farm I got miss Jezebel from was getting a couple horses back though no fault of their own and didn't have room for them on the farm. They were looking for sponsors, or fosters or some way to accommodate for them. One of the things that i love about After The Races is how dedicated they are to they horses that go thought their farm on the way to new homes. I got in touch with the program director and we discussed the options, one of the horses coming back to them one a horse I had followed closely when I was laid up with a broken hand. A striking chestnut super fancy…

06Sep 2013 by myexracer

McTavish

Barn tales, Injury

It has been 5 months since Ive been on a horse. Thats a long time. I haven't had a horse to ride since i broke my hand and got taken away in an ambulance. Ive been frustrated and missing riding. Jez has another month of rest then I have to get someone to restart her (my vet is helping me with some names) shes lost most of her manners and well i feel so guilty keeping her on rest the I let her get away with all kinds of things. Come October though times will be a changing for her. In any event i've been sad not having a horse to ride. Enter McTavish! McTavish is a Halflinger, McTavish is a ex Mennonite cart horse, McTavish is a love bug.…

26Aug 2013 by myexracer

Aloha

Barn tales, Injury

[caption id="attachment_429" align="alignleft" width="200"] My Friend Aloha[/caption] I got the phone call in the afternoon. I was happy to hear from a friend from my previous barn. A really awesome girl who also had an OTTB. A charming goof ball named Aloha. A recent college grad who has dreams of being on stage and screen. Em and i became quick friends. I've hung out with her outside of horse things, seen her act in plays and visited her at her waitressing job. Shes a good kid. It wasn't good news, she just that afternoon put Aloha down. It was sudden and it was bad. Aloha came in from the field lame a few days back, he had cuts at one of his rear hocks, there was swelling. The vet was…

07Aug 2013 by myexracer

One Day At A Time

Barn tales, Injury, Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Vet

[caption id="attachment_423" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photoshoot![/caption] Our third shock wave was done and the vet came out for Jezebels final ultrasound and check before the claim for this injury ran out. I was very nervous, our last check didn't go so great and at that time decision was made to give Jez some turn out since she was really falling apart on 24/7 stall rest. Two hours a day was all she was supposed to get, though it later was brought to my attention my last barn was not adhering to that schedule. I'm really happy I'm out of that place for so many reasons, not following my vet's instructions is just one of them. When Jez was moved to her temporary home at my friends house she was in a…

24Jul 2013 by myexracer

Downtime

Barn tales, Injury, OTTB

[caption id="attachment_419" align="alignleft" width="300"] Bad Ass Fly Mask[/caption] I've convinced my better half to take riding lessons. It's all part of my not so secret plan to get a second horse. Theres a local barn that has a pretty descent lesson program and a stable of school horses and he's been going once a week for the last couple of months. Its been really fun watching him figure out the basics of steering and halting. He's the only adult in the class, his class mates are little girls which brings back all kinds of memories for me about when I started ridding. These little girls remind me of me. His instructor is really good at tailoring the lessons so that it works for children and adults and it cracks me…

19Jul 2013 by myexracer

Turmoil

Barn tales, Life with Jezebel, OTTB

[caption id="attachment_404" align="alignleft" width="300"] I swear shes smiling[/caption] I have moved horse farms. It was sudden and very unpleasant. I was treated extremely badly by people I had always been kind, helpful and went out of my way for. It left a really bitter taste in my mouth but I was lucky enough to have a couple very supportive friends who helped me move my horse and give her a temporary home. They treated her like one of their own while I searched for a good place for her to be. In less than 48 hors after the incident my horse was in a safe place, being well cared for. Which pretty much is all that matters to me. I drove all over Maryland looking at farms to keep my…

17Jun 2013 by myexracer

Right in the middle of her forehead

Injury, Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Vet

[caption id="attachment_387" align="alignright" width="225"] Look Ma what I did![/caption] I showed up to the barn mainly to give Alex the head caretaker on site instructions on administering Jezebels new oral Ace compound. Were using this to dope my pony so she can have a couple hours of turn out in the small round pen a day and she wont go nutso running and jumping around. When I got there my pony greeted me like she always does with a happy nicker and I went right over to nuzzle her and smooch her face. It looked to me like she was sweating under her forelock and I brushed it away only to find a rather large gash on her forehead that was dripping blood. Yeah that wasn't sweat. How did she…

21May 2013 by myexracer

Mind Lost

Barn tales, Life with Jezebel, OTTB

[caption id="attachment_383" align="alignleft" width="300"] Yummy Noms[/caption] So the controlled grazing isn't really working. I'm blaming the weather. Its been like thunderstorm central around here, every day predicted chance of thunderstorms and when the pressure drops my horse likes to go nuts. Ive been taking her in the round pen where its a smaller enclosed space for her to graze. I have her at the end of my lead and i do use the whole racehorse chain over her nose thing. In out last trip in the round pen for a graze it didn't take long before she was all four feet off the ground. I was able to get her back but man oh man it wasn't easy to calm her down. Then she decided that pulling back to break…

17May 2013 by myexracer

Things Are Happening

Barn tales, Injury, Life with Jezebel, OTTB

[caption id="attachment_377" align="alignleft" width="225"] Naked![/caption] I finally got the pins out of my hand last week, that's the good news! The bad news? I can hardly move my finger, I can't bend it at 2 knuckles and my DR is likely going to send me to expensive physical therapy that I will have to pay for out of pocket. Even if I had a horse to ride right now I wouldn't be able to, cuz I cant hold the reins in my left hand. Ugh this sucks so hard. I hope eventually I will get my range of motion back but we will see. Jezebel is progressing well with her rehab and I've been cleared to do more with her so I've been taking her out for hand grazes. Its…

04May 2013 by myexracer

Bad Pony

Barn tales, Life with Jezebel, OTTB

[caption id="attachment_373" align="alignright" width="300"] After the Ace[/caption] Jezebel tried to kill Nik. At least that's how I'm telling people the story. Jez has been really good while being aced for her walk rides that Nik and i got to thinking it might be a good idea to try her un-drugged. I've had better ideas in my life. So we get Jez out to the outdoor so Nik can mount her and shes being a real brat. Tossing her head at the mounting block, stepping back from it trying desperately hard to get a good look at the barn managers new handsome dappled gray draft cross who she was riding for the first time. Jez though he was hot as hell, which meant damn shes in heat and i didn't notice…