Cosequin/anybody care?

[Janice Taylor <JANUSTUDIO@compuserve.com>]

> Mattingly won the Cosequin Ride on Cash with Danielle
right behind on Jedi. (that should go over like a lead balloon)<

Does this trully bother you?  I'd like to know why?

> I think this is sort of sad.  I think about the great stories
that came from Tevis...none of which were from even top 10...they were
personal victories...people who had so many different handicaps, from
cancer to horses who had been through some ordeal at some time...they
were all winners...."To Finish Is To Win" and all that.  Somehow, it
seems that at this ride, to get cash was to win and the rest are losers. 
There was no real history, no time for people to set this as a major goal
in their lives...<

I thought you hadn't heard anything about the ride yet.  Maybe Lori's post
will make you feel better after all there is at least one horse with a
scary/sad/comeback story. I bet if you listened there are others as well.
Tevis has a history because it has been around a long time.  Cosequin is
new with new concepts and ideas. Give it some time.  Don't be knocking
something you haven't tried, and if you don't want to try this type of
ride, simply don't bother yourself about it.
Because a top rider didn't choose to go dosen't mean anything.  You are
putting neg. thoughts into some elses choice.

> To me, one of the joys of endurance is finding a horse and bringing him
along yourself.  No matter if the Kanaveys did buy Jedi, I'll still think
of him as Nina Warren's horse.  She made him.  I'm sure it takes lots of
skill to continue to win with him after you buy a winner, but it's just
not the same to me.<

Certianly this is the most rewarding way of doing it.  Has the story of
Cash already faded?  He was not a made horse when Valerie bought him.  And
I like to think that Valerie knew a good thing when she saw Jedi,(
especially since I am his breeder) <g>.  Jedi has a long and colorful
history.  He started his career as a race horse (on the flat) with three
other partners slowly going broke trying to keep him on the track <VBG>  In
the two seasons that he raced, he only won one race, lots of seconds and
thirds.  But when he finally won  he won it by fifteen lengths.  Yes, by
this time he was running against dogs, but he broke the track record, so he
was cruiseing pretty good. I found out later as I put him on the CTR trail
as my backup horse (yes, I laugh at that one a lot) that he didn't like
being in the front where all the boogie men were.  Obviously he's gotten
over that one, but he set my teeth into my brain more than once and had me,
(all of me) hanging by my fingernails on one side of him too many times to
count.  The only time I took him to an endurance ride, 50 miler, he got me
to 8th place even though I was ill for the second half of the ride. Jedi
simply has what it takes to be an exceptional distance horse.
Nina did a great job with him, and now at 15 yrs. he's doing a great job in
Valerie and Danielle's hands.  All these ladies know how to get the most
out of a very talented horse.  Am I sorry I sold him?  Heavens no!  I
haven't ridden distance for several years, though I hope to get back to it
next year, so he would have wasted as no more than an occassional pleasure
horse here.
I see nothing wrong in buying a horse that shows the most potential of
being a great horse.  Not every horse has to come from some
abused/neglected' former owner'  or survive some horrific disease or
accident to win our hearts - does it?

Everyone to his own heart.... thanks Nina, Valerie and Danielle.
And I say - Go Jedi go, my heart is riding with you!

Jan