We've all encountered these - the horse who gives everything, then left somewhere in a paddock and forgotten. I've seen plenty of horses "retired" only to lose weight, fret, and eventually I'm sure they just die of boredom. Put yourself in their place - you've been out to competitions, your every need attended to by your human, you have an interesting, busy life, with a daily routine that you know well.
Then one day it all changes. Your human puts you in a paddock, you don't see them for a few days, then a few weeks, then a few months. You might get the odd cursory pat or perhaps a carrot, but that's it. No more routine, no more exciting things to see and do, no more rides with your best mate. No more caring.
One such horse is Smoke. An endurance horse for the most part, he was the type of horse you could pull out of a paddock and do a 40km ride with. He went right up to 120km rides. He was loaned to international riders. He proved his worth time and time again. Then life intervened, his owner moved on, and Smoke was left on the farm, alone - no horses or people to keep him company. He became anxious and flighty. Until a new person moved their horses in, and took him under their wing. Smoke was again part of a herd.
He proved difficult initially. He was hard to catch, he was extremely claustrophobic - to the point he wouldn't even go through a gate, he was anxious, he was usually lost his dinner to the other horses, and he wouldn't have a bar of a float! But once caught and reassured, he was lovely to ride, although had problems settling under saddle at first. It took some time, but he eventually became the horse he used to be. It was evident that Smoke was in fact a supremely well trained and quiet horse, he'd just fallen on hard times. His claustrophobia persisted, but those who handled him found ways to manage it, and it diminished slowly. There was evidence (in his behaviour) that Smoke may have been mistreated, but without an accurate history this remains unknown.
Smoke then went to a young rider, doing all sorts of things - even Interschools competitions. His only mistakes were not to load on the float, although he did eventually go in, and travelled well. He worked beautifully among groups of horses, he worked beautifully on his own. He was incredibly settled the whole time. He really showed people what this "throw-away" horse could do. Smoke and his rider developed a fantastic bond, and he really gave his best no matter what they did together. A few months down the track, and the flighty, anxious, lonely horse was all but gone. His transformation was truly an Equine Miracle.
So if you have one of these horses tucked away somewhere, forgotten for whatever reason, think of Smoke and remember that there's always a rider out there to care for them, give them the life they deserve. We all know sometimes life gets in the way and you can't do what you used to, what you truly desire. Life has a way of doing that to people, but remember, there
is someone out there for your horse. You don't have to sell them, but put out the call and any number of young riders will beat a path to your door, ready to love your horse, and do all manner of exciting things with them, just as you once did. Don't let them end up lonely and forgotten.
