GIVING BACK

I used to ride race horses. A thrilling, difficult, job in an industry that is not loved by a lot of people.

I love horses. I loved my job. I had a catastrophic head on Collison on the race track. Someone ran into my horse going the wrong way. I saved the horse's life by turning his head at the last second.

That second changed my life. Multiple breaks in my face. My hand (workers comp wouldn't xray it for 3 weeks), torn glenoid labrum, nerve damage back, hands, eye.

But I'm alive.

I didn't succumb to victim hood, didn't take pain pills. Refused them actually. That refusal gave worker's comp a good enough reason to not perform surgeries that their doctors said I needed.

Who cares, I taught myself to walk reasonably limp less. My face is smashed & ugly, but not deformed. My elbows & hands suck. My broken orbital socket injury is a big problem, along with my crushed sinus. Bad back. I survived.

During my lay up it came to my attention that a horse I used to exercise was running bottom level at one of the worst tracks in the country.

I loved this horse. He was a bad, bad, boy...but I loved him. He made @600k$. We went to PREAKNESS the year BARBARO broke down. We were in a stake race on the undercard.

One of the best experiences of my life. I was with the horse alone, rode in the trailer from the farm to the airport. Flew next to him on the plane. Rode him, groomed him walked him, bathed him, fed him, rubbed his legs, paddock schooled, gate broke , by myself. No crew.

Just me and him.

No way was I going to let anything happen to him now that he was at the end of his career. I made some calls hoping it wasn't too late. Finally he was sent to me.

He is my bad boy. Very jealous of other geldings. Loves mares. Plays with the geese. Bites me if I spend too much time grooming him instead of scratching his withers.

He hasn't had a halter on since he came here so many years ago. He has not been ridden either. He's retired. We meet at feed times, for farrier & vet visits. Free style currying where he turns his body just so - indicating where I'm allowed to brush. It's his world & I'm just along for the 'ride'.

He made allot of money, but I have taken care of him on my own. Just like the old days. Bad economy, crippled in my job....He gets everything I have.

We're an odd couple. Both crabby....run when we feel like it. He might be my soulmate.

Anyway, he's 14 now.....I'm 48. I hope he lives to 30 like 2 of my other horses did.

This is charity. I'm not paid. It's giving back. Even when you're broke & broken.