Kendra
Well-Known Member
NFC Illusions Image is my heart horse. 6 years ago I retired him from the show ring when we could no longer haul him to a show without him coming up lame. It had been a couple years since he was sound enough to drive at home.
Last fall, when Grandad was turning out the geldings on grass every day, they'd all go ripping through the gate and put the heads down to eat - except for Image. He would take off and buck and run in a circle, come running up to Grandad and stop, then leap into the air and take off again. Grandad told me, "He sure doesn't look very lame to me, I think you better drive him."
So I did. And he was himself. He pawed while I harnessed him, bit me when I was hitching him, refused to walk and gave happy bucks at every corner. He was SOUND. I said at the time, that drive was such a gift, even if I never got to drive him again.
But I did get to drive him again - we went to some friends for Thanksgiving, and had a lovely Miniature Horse driving weekend. It was a 3 hour trailer ride, and Image was still sound when we got there - it had been 10 years since he'd been able to haul that far.
I was without a driving horse to show this year, with Hawk still on the IR, and the recent sale of Jamie, the mare I drove last year. So, I tentatively planned to drive Image, being careful not to get my hopes up too much.
But he stayed sound. He made it to the first show, and was so excited to be there that he was a wild man in the hitching ring, when he could hear the announcements going on in the ring. Everyone kept talking about my smile. I told them, "If you're surprised by my smile, you've obviously never driven my horse."
We went to the Centennial Calgary Stampede, and drove one last time in the Big Top, where Image won so many of his championships. The Big Top is being dismantled this year to make way for the new agriculture facility. We drove in the big outdoor ring at Red Deer, which was always a favorite of Image's. And at our last show of the year, we managed to treat his eye aggressively and get it comfortable enough to drive the second day and complete the show season.
Now we're battling a stromal abcess in his eye, and he's being a saint about 3 times daily treatments for coming up on 3 weeks. Hopefully we can get it cleared up, as the alternative is to remove the eye. He doesn't see well in that eye anyway, so even if it does come to that, I'm sure he will be able to adapt, and drive. I just want him to be comfortable.
This whole show season has been a gift, and I am grateful for every second I got to drive the greatest horse I know in the show ring doing what he loves.
And my 22 year old driving horse finished the show season with a Grand and 6 Reserves.
Last fall, when Grandad was turning out the geldings on grass every day, they'd all go ripping through the gate and put the heads down to eat - except for Image. He would take off and buck and run in a circle, come running up to Grandad and stop, then leap into the air and take off again. Grandad told me, "He sure doesn't look very lame to me, I think you better drive him."
So I did. And he was himself. He pawed while I harnessed him, bit me when I was hitching him, refused to walk and gave happy bucks at every corner. He was SOUND. I said at the time, that drive was such a gift, even if I never got to drive him again.
But I did get to drive him again - we went to some friends for Thanksgiving, and had a lovely Miniature Horse driving weekend. It was a 3 hour trailer ride, and Image was still sound when we got there - it had been 10 years since he'd been able to haul that far.
I was without a driving horse to show this year, with Hawk still on the IR, and the recent sale of Jamie, the mare I drove last year. So, I tentatively planned to drive Image, being careful not to get my hopes up too much.
But he stayed sound. He made it to the first show, and was so excited to be there that he was a wild man in the hitching ring, when he could hear the announcements going on in the ring. Everyone kept talking about my smile. I told them, "If you're surprised by my smile, you've obviously never driven my horse."
We went to the Centennial Calgary Stampede, and drove one last time in the Big Top, where Image won so many of his championships. The Big Top is being dismantled this year to make way for the new agriculture facility. We drove in the big outdoor ring at Red Deer, which was always a favorite of Image's. And at our last show of the year, we managed to treat his eye aggressively and get it comfortable enough to drive the second day and complete the show season.
Now we're battling a stromal abcess in his eye, and he's being a saint about 3 times daily treatments for coming up on 3 weeks. Hopefully we can get it cleared up, as the alternative is to remove the eye. He doesn't see well in that eye anyway, so even if it does come to that, I'm sure he will be able to adapt, and drive. I just want him to be comfortable.
This whole show season has been a gift, and I am grateful for every second I got to drive the greatest horse I know in the show ring doing what he loves.
And my 22 year old driving horse finished the show season with a Grand and 6 Reserves.
