They were scheduled to have a meet and greet Bonni told me to attend, it was on a Friday. It happened to rain, but we never saw an update that it was cancelled, so off we went. Upon arrival, nobody was there other than the volunteers and workers, reason being the meet and greet was cancelled! They showed me around anyway, took me from paddock to paddock and mentioned some horses they thought would be a good match for me based on what I was telling them about myself. They approved my application and asked several questions for a "screening" and I set an appointment to come back Monday. Of course that Monday was the start of the heat wave with 100+ degree weather. We ventured over there anyway at around 6:00, Bonni, myself and Rhiana, who came for moral support. I went there with 3 horses in mind, Closer, who was a beautiful red headed boy standing at about 16.3 (I'm a sucker for the tall ones) Spirit who was a small mare and Angel, another smaller mare. Well, turns out, NONE of them were for me. Closer was dreadfully lazy, Spirit was a little too much to me on the ground, very antsy and very pacey under saddle, and Angel. Angel and I just did not get along. I asked for a trot and I got three bucks and a turn to the inside in an attempt to get me off of her. Once she was done putting on a show, I got down (willingly). Luckily before I had left to head over there that night I took one last look at their website and jotted down some other names of horses that would interest me. Once I was done with those three and ready to give up, I said well I have a few more names. We ran down the list and Shadow was the last one on it. Everyone else on the list had some sort of issue or was already adopted. Trish, the adoption coordinator went and got Shadow from the field and placed him in a stall until I was ready for him. Finally, exhausted, I made my way into the barn and down to the stall he was in. I opened the door, he picked up his head perked his ears up and came right to me. I brought him out on the cross ties, got him ready, and as I was doing this, he was falling asleep! All I could thing was "what a sweet boy" he did everything I asked him to do (on the ground) without a fight and very gently. We finished getting ready and out to the ring we went. I got on and we walked around nicely, even went over a little cross rail set up at the walk, he kind of stopped and looked at it, then went on his way. So far, the nicest horse I had seen the whole time there. I then asked for the trot, and then the canter. He was great, I really loved everything about him. Trish told me there were several other people looking at him, so Bonni came in and asked me to take a walk and talk with her. We discussed my options and how I didn't need to settle for the first horse that felt nice, but there was just something about him. She said she watched him go, and he looked great. He didn't seem to show any hitch or stifle issues or even hip issues. I then looked at Rhiana for her input, and she gave me "the look". The look that says I know your happy so just do it. She said she could tell me and him would be a good fit. So I went back to the barn and spoke to Trish, did the paper work and handed over a check. Shadow wasn't supposed to be home until August 1st, but Bonni convinced me and he came home the next day!
Shadow standing outside SRF's barn after our ride.
Bonni went and got him while I was working the next day and I rushed out of work to go see him. He was a little upset being alone, but he eventually got used to that. He sat around for a week doing nothing, just spending time with me grazing and being groomed. His feet were really bad. Very long toes, and very flat heels, which caused for a lot of tripping. As you can imagine, once we got under saddle, it was even worse. I also noticed something funny with his back right hip, which I didn't notice before. When I would ask him to pick up his foot so I could pick his hoof. instead of lifting it straight up, he would push it out. I didn't mention it to anyone, I just kind of let it go. Then our farrier came out and met Shadow for the first time, I sat and I talked with him for a while and then he got to that back hip, and I still didn't mention it. I watched Rob ask Shadow for his back foot, and Shadow pushed Rob over into the wall. Not meanly, but because of the way he lifts his leg. I asked Rob what he thought of it, and he replied "There is definitely something wrong there". All I could think was GREAT. I had gotten this horse in hopes of continuing my jumping career and I had felt like that all went out the window, but I had calmed myself and said, maybe its just weak muscles. Nothing a joint supplement and a little work won't fix, right? Shortly after this, we started riding together.
Shadow's first day home with us.
It finally started to show that I was at a loss. We started riding, and he would run away with me, super super fast with an extra large lurch for a transition. He was not trotting, not even a step, and I tried everything I have ever know and nothing was working.. I was starting to get discouraged. Asking myself, was this right? Did I make the right choice? and then eventually I NEED HELP!
So one night, Shannon and I were talking about Nikko, who has terrible trailer loading issue and she told me about a girl that was recommend to her. Her name was Dom. Shannon showed me her website, and I read along kind of excited, She seemed great, but I was nervous about starting with someone new. I've only ever trained with one person, but I knew going back to her was not an option. I finally came across what sold me, she worked with standardbreds, not only did she work with them, but she has one of her own. Awesome, right? So I emailed Dom, told her my thoughts, concerns and goals and we proceeded to email back and fourth for a while. I then learned that standardbreds were her favorite breed, which made me feel even better. We scheduled our first lesson, which was rained out, and then rescheduled for the following week. Excited and a little nervous I went to the barn to get ready that day. She came in, and Shadow must have known I was a little excited because he was on the cross ties like a fire breathing dragon. I had never seen him like that before, and Dom was a little surprised. I proceeded to tack him up and get him to the ring for his evaluation. I was happy to see (well not happy) but felt better about myself when I saw Shadow giving Dom the same trouble he was giving me, the only difference being, she knows what she is doing! haha. I brought his hip up to her and she said she didn't feel anything and watching him walk didn't see any stifle issue, which made me feel okay about it. The next couple of lessons went great, we got a nice painfully slow trot out of him, he now knows how to frame, and the lurch is virtually gone, now our project is getting away from the painfully slow trot and getting a nice medium gate out of him.
Learning to use side reins for the first time
Which was kind of hard for him at first, lol
Shadow and Dom during our third lesson together
See, he really can frame nicely, my favorite picture.
Excuse my eq., we are not working me, but he looks wonderful, 3rd week in!
At about our 4th time working with Dom, he wasn't having a good day. I didnt even ride him, Dom took the whole hour and didnt offer for me to get on. I knew something wasn't right that day. The look on Dom's face was not her norm. She has said there was no point in me getting on and getting frustrated and she had mentioned she now felt something going on in that hip after cantering him for the first time. She mentioned him being a lot stronger to the right than the left, which was the total opposite of the usual for these guys. So again, my fear came back, but as I said, I promised him forever. No matter how bummed I was, whatever he was, he was mine. I had mentioned he was on a joint supplement and it still hadn't had time to start working yet, so I still had a little hope.
Lessons continued, each time a little better, bending, holding a frame, and trotting. Dom had brought up that there was a standardbred show coming up at the beginning of September, and I decided to go. I thought it would be a great way to see what I have gotten myself into, the potential the breed has and network with other stb owners. Well, I saw the potential and was very excited, as far as networking, there was none of that. I almost forgot for a second how political the show world is. Anyway, Shadow schooled like an all star, Dom even jumped him over a cross rail a few times (his first one) and he got very excited in the actual show ring. Pacing, cutting corners, throwing his head and eventually, the nicest canter I have ever felt in my life. This to me was rather funny, but I had to keep a straight face, being that I was in a walk trot class!! Needless to say, we did not place, which was okay. He still did better than I would have ever planned being with me for only a month. I was so proud of him.
Beautiful head shot by Dom
Schooling, he's so handsome.
First jump ever, he wiggled up to it and had no idea what he was doing, good effort.
Shadow and Dom
In the show ring, one of our brief nice moments
After the show, we continued working on the same. Leg yields, trotting, framing up, bending, and trying to hold his nice trot. Which is where we are leading up to this week. In between that time, Dom had set me up with a fellow stb owner who had also adopted from SRF, Jess. Jess and myself had been talking for awhile and we finally set a date to meet when she had returned from her honey moon. I went and sat in on one of her lessons with Danny Warrington and met Spyder, who I think is Shadow's cousin actually. It was good for me to see, it gave me hope, more than the show did. Spyder is further along than Shadow and it good to see someone on the same path as me, they are great pair and I love them already! Jess is hoping to get a trailer soon so we can do more together and include BOTH horses rather than one of the boys and both of us.
I had another lesson last night and Jess came to visit. Dom reassured me she no longer feels anything wrong in Shadow's hip, which made me feel great, thank you Smart Pak! Jess said she didnt expect Shadow to be this far along already and told me he looked great. He is doing really well, he frames himself very nicely and can really get beautiful trot, but he still cannot hold it for that long, a couple strides and we fall apart. I'm getting inpatient, but I see his potential and I have a ton of support, so I need to relax myself. He does great and he gives me his all time and time again. I know we will get there, especially with Dom in our corner.
Just a quick shot of him, I can't get enough.
09/25/13 photo taken by Jess. Working on holding our medium trot with Dom.
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