Spirit is a mare who will have a special place in my heart forever. I really appreciate the opportunity I had in riding her, and even though she wasn't the right eventing partner for me, I enjoyed her personality and have nothing but fondness for her and her owners.
Green on green, but both game!
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Her famous sideways ears <3
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Spirit went to another trainer's barn to be tried out for their lesson program. After a few months, she came up lame and the trainer said it was navicular. Her owner was very concerned, and asked me to check on her and also ordered a full work-up from the most respected lameness vet in our area. Visiting her was emotional for me, but overall a positive experience. She was indeed ever so slightly off, but had a good attitude.
Though it did not look to me like she was getting the same level of care that she got when having her own personal human (moi), she still had bright eyes and was all snuggles. The vet work came back negative, and the conclusion was that her paddock was too hard and she was just a little stiff. Her owners moved her to a backyard boarding situation closer to their home.
Myself on Spirit, next to Spirit's owner K.M. on Spirit's dam Lucy. Greater LA Paint Club's St. Jude's Trail Ride |
In April this year Spirit went to a local gymkhana and schooling show and did very well. You can see that in the year since I'd been her person, her coat lightened up considerably!
The rider in these photos is a family friend of the owners who has her own horses and therefore doesn't ride Spirit regularly. I believe her owners would like Spirit to have her own person again, but I don't know how actively they are looking. Its a shame, because she's an eye-catcher of a horse who likes to have fun at these types of little shows and could make some girl or woman happy. It's the kind of opportunity every young horse-crazy girl would want, but at this point in my life I don't know of any!
She's so pretty! I'm glad she doesn't have navicular changes. That must have been scary. I hope she finds her own human again.
ReplyDeleteShe is pretty! Love a grey pinto. Glad she's doing well, even if she doesn't have her own person.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update on her! I have wondered how she was doing!
ReplyDeleteHeres to her getting her own person again! :)