Many who know me are well aware of my passion for speed and games on horseback. I have loved to compete in everything from barrels and poles to monkey on a barrel. While it may be true that the majority of horses I have owned were for the fast and furious, there have been some that were born and bred for a more refined showing experience.
Josh was such a horse. Born in 1984 as a registered Quarter Horse he stood about 15.1 hands and was the prettiest bay color. Josh was owned by a family who used him for halter and showmanship events. When it came to riding, they were more interested in POA’s; therefore, Josh was not well trained for mounted classes.
Unfortunately, one evening Josh rolled in his stall and knocked the gate off the front. The hardware was pointing downward so when he rolled back he caught his rump on the protruding bolts. This resulted in a very deep gash going from one side to the other over his hips. After a long recovery period, it was plain that while his health and movement was not affected, his ability to show at halter was no longer possible.
It was at this time, in 1991 that I was over visiting his owners and found out that he was for sale. This opportunity provided me the perfect chance to train and show a horse for English and Western events. Of course, because at he was 7 years old and never ridden there were a few rodeo moments, but not many. Soon enough, Josh was beginning to show signs of becoming a respectable show horse.
I remember his first show on May 3, 1992. It was held at the fairgrounds in Baraboo and he was a brat. He bucked in his bareback class and continued to rush everything until he began to
get tired. It was at this point that he started to show some promise. Of course, what I haven’t told you yet is that I was 5 months pregnant. I also look at the videos and can see where I had much to learn. My feet pointed out and I leaned forward way too much (a habit I still have to this day).
Overall, my time with Josh was always interesting. I loved him dearly. Besides for pleasure events, I enjoyed trail riding and parades with him and after that first few months, could always trust him with any rider.
Sadly, just as we were beginning to progress and learn together, our time together was cut short. In late fall 1995 Josh came down with Colic. The vet came out and we did what every horse owner does to bring them out of it. He responded well and showed signs of full recovery; however, overnight he took a turn and we lost him. There have been other great horses since Josh as there always will be, but the good ones are neither forgotten
nor replaced. What is most sad is that he left us so soon and was never able to reach his full potential.
You must log in to post a comment.