My rescue horse

[Alison Farrin <alison@hirschcompany.com>]

Katee wrote:

>>>I think it would be interesting for folks on ridecamp to share their
personal stories about their rescued/previously unwanted/freebie horses.
Let's not forget that Rio was a freebie, and Cash was not $2,000!
My own favorite horse was given to me by a stranger...who didn't want
the horse to go to the killer.  This was as an untrained, scrawny four
year old...that is now an awesome, gorgeous 7 year old...that sits down
if anyone else gets on his back.  He may or may not ever be an
incredible endurance horse, but he'll always be my buddy.

Well, my guys certainly aren't Cash or Rio, but we have 2 seasons of base 
under our belts, with no lamenesess yet of any kind. Gydion was a rescue of 
sorts.  His owners were doing fine with their relatively small breeding 
operation until both of them were involved in serious car accidents.  Two 
broken backs, two lawsuits and no end in sight to the medical bills.  Out 
of work, this lady gave her horses away to good homes.  Mine was one of 
them.  He came to me in good health, but at 4 years old the extent of his 
training was to stand quietly for the farrier.  After you chased him around 
for an hour to catch him.  Gydion is pure polish and his dam was imported 
for big bucks.  During her racing career she held one of the speed records 
for stakes mares.  His pedigree says he should be an awesome performance 
horse.  We'll see.

Caer Donn is my most recent foray into being a backyard breeder.  But don't 
yell at me.  Blame his dam.  100' from that luscious stud (ok at that point 
ANY stud would do), she worked her gate off his hangers, walked up the hill 
to the stallion pen and worked Gydion's gate off his hangers.  Eleven 
months later (and at least a week early especially for a maiden mare) I 
leave in the middle of the day for four hours and return to be presented 
with a dry, standing, nursing colt.  This mare was just a tad too 
opinionated for my taste so I sold her and kept the colt.  That's Caer 
Donn.  He's 3/4 Polish and what I have always called Crabbet - linebred 
Real McCoy.  He grew a hand and a half past Gydion and at coming six, I'm 
not sure he's done growing yet.

My friend who often rides with me (I'm trying to talk her into her first 50 
:)) comes from the showjumping world.  She constantly marvels that these 
guys are two of the happiest healthiest horses she's ever ridden and they 
get "no care" from her point of view.  No care translates as free chioice 
bermuda hay and beet pulp treats, but no grain, no meal schedule, no daily 
grooming except on days when we ride, trims, but shoes only when we are 
competing and lots of turnout time.  i gues I'll tell you in five years if 
these are good endurance bloodlines and if my "let 'em be horses" attitude 
works!


Alison Farrin
The Hirsch Company/Innovative Pension Design