By Laura Doyle ~ Horse Trainer / Singer / Songwriter
I have a soft spot for thoroughbreds. It began when I worked at the track for a couple of summers as a teenager. They are smart, athletic and very connective with people. Despite the fact that they have all that energy to run, they really love their people and even seem to give more of that athletic energy to those they love. I picked up a sweet dapple grey filly named Silver from the track at the end of September 2009. I had ten or so to choose from since it was the end of racing season and many horses just weren't going to come back in their fourth year. I picked her because dapple grey is a rare colour for thoroughbreds, she was well put together with a short back and unlike many of the horses I saw, chunky and well fed.
I began her training with natural horsemanship but I noticed that she just wasn't connecting the same way the other horses I was training did. She would lose her mind sometimes and just run her self around the arena frantic with energy and anxiety. When she did connect she was amazing but over the next 4 months I kept seeing this aggressive and stressed out side to her. I asked my vet Kerstin Schwitchenberg in a chance meeting at the supermarket about this erratic behavior. Don't get me wrong, I know what a thoroughbred full of vim and vigor is like. This wasn't it. Kerstin asked me two questions. Is she more muscular than she should be for the work she does? Yes, I answered. Like a little tank. She also asked if the filly had been in heat since I got her. Well, it had been four months at this point and I hadn't seen one squat and pee or tail lifting or winking. Hmmmm, weird, eh? Kerstin shrugged and said, anabolic steroids. You know, the ones Ben Johnson took. They made my lovely dapple grey horse crazy. Not all the time and you could see her trying to be really, really good. But sometimes she just wanted to literally run her legs off from all the energy she felt. Sometimes too she acted like a stallion and reared above me on the lunge line to prove how big and powerful she was.
I treated her like any drug addict. I offered her forgiveness and compassion for what wasn't her fault and I sent her to rehab. Pasture turnout with a herd helped her. She excelled under saddle during this time mostly because I never got on her unless she'd lost what I now call the crazy eye. I look for it all the time now in all the horses I work with and use for lessons. The horse's eye tells you if there is a spook in them, if they are anxious, or if they are feeling comfort and well cared for in your presence.
The filly is now four, technically a mare. The steroid issues were gone after six months and Silver is now a delight to ride and be around. She has started jumping and shows great gusto for getting over obstacles. I just put Silver up for sale since this was always the plan. I have had a few teenagers come out and try her and she has been a model citizen. She impresses me every time I see her give her full effort to her riders. All that energy is now focused and when she canters around the arena it's like riding one of those pure white clouds in a blue summer sky.
VFTH is happy to announce that Silver found her new owner on May 10, 2010
Voice For The Horse enourages those that are looking for their next equine athlete to consider adopting a re-schooled Thoroughbred. There are a handlful of societies across Canada and the United States that retrain and rehabilitate if neccesary Thoroughbreds that do not make it on the track. Please consider to contact one of these societies when looking for your new horse. We invite you to visit New Stride Retirement Center For Thoroughbred's located in the Fraser Valley / Lower Mainland area of British Columbia.
Visit the VFTH~ In The News web page and check out the News from April & May 2010. Much of it pertains to Thoroughbred's and the journey they endure if not succesful as a race horse. Please share with others that may care about this subject. Thank you ~ Voice For The Horse
Radiance by Laura Doyle
Movie viewable with Windows Media Player. Click here to download.
Other Music by Laura Doyle
"Enjoy the vocals of Laura Doyle and be sure
to visit her web site and check out her new CD, Dark Horse"
