Yes, sending Theo off to be someone else's dressage partner has been hard, but I'm trying to find the silver lining. I'm still a horse mom and I still get to do the fun stuff like embarrassing my horse and spending hours making him beautiful.
In some ways I get to be his favorite person. I can't ask for anything hard in the saddle so it's all about the lazy and the cookies. There's a lot to be said for being the favorite person.
And Theo is just as happy with one partner or another. No, he's not a horse that bonds with people quickly, but he's now very confident that he's going to be treated fairly and rewarded for his work. I've read that horses can remember people for seven years. Theo's memories of BC (before Catie) are getting awfully fuzzy at this point. He's a show horse through and through now, a respected and loved dressage horse that knows the moves and people consider a pleasure to ride. He'll be happy to have an outlet for his busy mind and a chance to be big and powerful.
When people try to make Theo little is when Theo explodes. I know better than to try to make him little. Little is not safe when dealing with Theo.
He has a paddock with brand new sand footing thanks to our ridiculous weather. Flash floods again last night! But not a problem with his lovely new run in shed and sand paddock.
Trainer Z's outdoor ring is lovely and drains really well. Her indoor is well underway and should be done for this fall. At that point Theo will have a stall attached to the arena with a run out. Or he'll be such a heathen that he has to stay out in the run ins with Trainer Z's stallions. Could go either way. Theo acts a bit more like a toddler stallion than any 18 year old should . . .
Tomorrow morning he gets to work with Trainer Z. The plan is three months of just fitness, getting his topline back and rebuilding all of that hunky muscle. Then Trainer Z can spend a couple months figuring out where he's at and if he's interested in doing the hard work again. At six months we'll revisit and come up with a plan for the spring. Once he's back in work he will probably meet some potential dance partners but no rush or pressure on that. Right now it's all about getting him fit and making sure he's happy and ready to get back to his big boy work.
As for me? I'm already scheduled to come visit at the end of August and spectate as Trainer Z rides. Once he's back in work and I get the green light that he's safe?
LESSONS FOR CATIE
Probably walk trot lessons but they will be damn fancy walk trot lessons. It gives me something to look forward to as I shift to life as a dressage horse owner instead of a dressage rider. I'll be one of those owners that only rides supervised and has the trainer warm up their horse but screw it. Couldn't be a bronc rider forever.
I hope everything works out!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that you've found a way that works out for you and for Theo. There is zero shame in being the owner who rides under supervision and has the trainer warm up their horse! You have kept your horse and kept his life happy and stable when selling him was the easy way out, and I truly respect you for that!
ReplyDelete