a beautiful day

Saturday was a beautiful, thoroughbred-y day.

I started the morning riding one of Alana’s new prospects, who I shall refer to as the Gray Baby.  (We just can’t decide on a name for him, and he’a resale project, so really, why waste a good name on him?!)  He’s been off the track a few months and I’m not sure if he ever raced or not.  He’s shockingly well balanced with great brakes and steering.  He’s a bit timid on the ground but super under saddle.  Such a fun baby to ride.

Gray babies look adorable in pink and purple.

After my ride, I went with my roomie J and Alana to get a couple of new horses off the track.  We went to a trainer-friend’s barn and toured around and patted her winners and the losers and even coaxed the goat out of her stall for some cuddles too.  I met my future project horse — a big gray stallion who is horny as all get up (even though he’s never bred anything but his hay bag) but who works fast.  Anyway, the horse we picked up, Auggie, is a 17.2 hand 2 and 1/2 year old who had brain surgery recently — by which I mean, he was castrated.  He took a bit of a tough look at the trailer but got on for his trainer and settled in for the ride.

Auggie after settling in at Alana’s — his pen got a little mod to help him rehab a minor injury.

Next we picked up a mare from a breeding farm.  Scarlet hated the track, and went off all feed, so she was quickly retired and we’re hoping to place her as a sport horse soon.  She’s petite and adorable and I, like a twit, didn’t get pictures.

On our way back from the breeding farm we stopped in at Tractor Supply to get a couple of new big water tubs and some shavings for Auggie to sleep in on his tender nuts.  We were there during the Belmont, so J quickly pulled HRTV up on her phone (thank you HRTV!!!) and we watched the Belmont in Tractor Supply.  The three of us were crowded around the little phone screen watching American Pharoah win by miles with two ottbs in the trailer.  It was insane.

I cried.

I don’t know that I could accurately describe all my feelings watching the Belmont, but AP was impressive.  And it was amazing to watch history in the making — for a title I have read so much fact and fiction about.  I know there are so many mixed feelings and fucked up things that happen in racing.  I know there are bad trainers and bad breeders and people who don’t care about the horses.  But I spent my day in the company of people and a trainer who really, really, really care about the horses.

So that was pretty sweet.

Gray Baby