Some stories need to be told, no matter how painful the telling. And some promises must be kept, no matter the obstacles in the path of the keeping. The reason for both is usually love.
I recently finished a moving and thought-provoking book called "Justice For Speedy," which is the true story of the author's journey from dreaming of breeding her mare, raising the resulting foal with care, the charismatic colt "Speedy" growing up to show enormous potential, watching Speedy perform at his first show and winning a Championship class, and then discovering the horse was being abused by the trusted trainer, unbeknownst to the owner. Judy Berkley describes in detail how she found out, after much investigation, that her trainer had gone directly against her very explicit expectations that her horse not be over-fed, not be abused, and not be given any steroids. Sadly, Speedy endured all three, which caused a cascade of health problems resulting in him foundering and later, colicking, and being put down. On top of the tragedy of Speedy's death, Berkley had the added insult of an industry in which the drugging of show horses is common and almost systematic, and where many of those with pull and influence are happy to cover up the ugliness of it. Berkley had promised her horse that she would tell his story, and that she wouldn't let him be forgotten, so despite many hardships, personal, financial and emotional, she continues to bring to light some of the abuses that are deemed 'common practice' within the show and performance horse industry.
The story is about a Half Arabian gelding that was shown in halter and western pleasure, but please believe me, this story could be set in the reining world, the Quarter Horse or Paint pleasure circuits, the hunter/jumper world.....it is about how some are willing to do just about anything to their horses to move up the ladder of earnings, points, buckles, trophies and garlands, and how higher-ups within the industry try to quash the controversies with lawyers and lawsuits, confidentiality contracts, and the Good Ol' Boy Club. We have all seen it - the corruption often goes all the way to the top. Equally appalling is how the general membership (of any association) participates in this dysfunctional and enabling 'trainer worship' that allows many to get away with callous acts in the name of winning and money. You will certainly recognize the characters in the story because they are universal.
Berkley is angry about what happened to her horse, it shows in her writing. And as well she should be - we all should be. The horse industry has been plagued with similar incidents for a long time, and a change within our culture - for the better - is overdue. Don't our horses deserve better than to be used and abused, and then discarded?
I believe so - but it is going to take three levels of change:
1) Those who are actually using abusive methods need to see their actions for what they are, and resolve to change or get out.
2) Those who don't abuse their horses or drug them, but turn a blind eye/justify it, need to be willing to speak out, publicly or privately, against practices that they know hurts horses and that they know is bad for our industry. They need to find it within themselves to do the right thing, because ignoring the problems won't make them go away.
3) Those who are in a position of influence need to take a proactive, public stance against those practices that damage the integrity of our breeds, our sport, and our competitions.
I am not of the belief that everyone who shows or competes on horses is abusive, or drugs them, or is to self-absorbed to care. I know that there are many, many people who feel like I do - that it is an incredible gift to ride a great horse, and to work in partnership with that horse to achieve something, whatever that is. That horses have the ability to teach us, empower us, lift us up, heal our souls and bring purpose to our lives. Those of us (and there are thousands of you who will read this, according to my view counter) who love horses must work together to actively try and change the culture. Not only will we be protecting the horses themselves, we will be protecting our lifestyle and viable future.
The first step - getting educated.....You can check out Judy Berkley's book and website here, at http://justiceforspeedy.com/home.html I would also encourage you to take a look at her store, which has a collection of t-shirts, mugs, hats and bumper stickers that can help you declare your horse drug free. I especially love the mug that says, "Bring back the 1979 Arabian horse" and the bumper sticker that says, "Unattractive, Unnatural, Just Plain Dumb - Peanut Rolling." Also, if you read through the blog portion of her site, you will uncover the name of the trainer who abused her horse.
I would like to thank Judy for sharing Speedy's story, and commend her for having the guts to keep her promise to her horse. I hope it inspires more people to speak up and name names.
Showing posts with label Half-Arabians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Half-Arabians. Show all posts
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
Paying Tribute to Greatness
To be lucky enough to ride and own a truly great horse is a blessing that may only come to a person once in a lifetime. And if you are even luckier still, you might be able to have that horse its whole life, seeing their kind soul through every stage, from rambunctious youngster to eager partner to seasoned pro to kind and benevolent golden years. I was that lucky and that blessed. I owned and rode a beautiful black Half-Arabian/National Show Horse gelding named Jazz Festival +/ from the age of 2 until he died last August, 2012, at the age of 29. I'd like to pay tribute to his amazing life and share a bit of him with you.
Many of you know me from my efforts in breeding Quarter Horse reining horses, but I grew up showing Arabians and Half-Arabians, in western, English, sidesaddle, costume, driving and in hand. At the time that I first met Jazz at Clinton Arabians where he had been bred, he was a gangly, long-legged two yr old, and I was an equally gangly and awkward 14 yr old. Jazz was sired by the great NSH sire Islamorada, a Bask*son, and out of a lovely Saddlebred mare named Festival Music. He really wasn't much to look at, at that stage, all legs, a long skinny neck and a very narrow body. But as soon as I rode him, I KNEW. By that time, I had ridden my share of English horses, and loved the really forward ones, and was mesmerized by flat-saddle type horses that could really move. Sitting on him the first time, I was in awe of how his neck came straight up out of his shoulder, how he could sit waaaay back on his haunches and collect up. And even without shoes on, he had a natural lift that hinted at what he was capable of. He was so much fun! And wild too! He was like riding a rubber 2 x 4! Better have a velcro seat to stick with him!
My family and I had been looking for a horse to 'move up' on. My previous English horse was solid as a rock, but more of a babysitter, and we were ready for more shows and competition. After riding several prospects at different trainer's barns, I knew Jazz was the one. We just clicked, and we looked right together. It wasn't an easy sell on my parents though; first of all, we had never purchased a 'Big' horse before, and second, they weren't at all sure that this string bean of a gelding was everything he was purported to be. After some convincing, my parents relented, and I can confidently say, there were never any regrets.
Jazz Festival and I made our debut at the spring shows in 1986, one of which being the prestigious Buckeye Show in Ohio, where we won our first Championship. For the next four years I showed him all over the US and Canada, earning countless show championships, regional championships, two National Championships and a Reserve National Championship, in English Pleasure, both in Open with my trainer Vicki Humphrey and in Junior with me, and Pleasure Driving. In the show ring, he was stunning to look at, gloriously black and shiny, long tail streaming behind, ears up, happy in his element. This was a horse that LOVED his job, loved to go to shows, loved to be fussed over, loved to hear applause. He loved applause so much that sometimes we would try to recreate the effect at home, assembling a crowd to cheer him on. He would positively puff up when he heard whoops and hollers! He stood about 15.3 or 16 hands, but cheer for him and he became a 17 hand giant!
After I went to college, Jazz started a new career as a Five Gaited horse,which he took to very easily and naturally. Again, he was dazzling to watch - his rack was brilliant. He ended up earning another National Championship and another Reserve National Championship with Vicki and with my sister Ashley. At the end of his show career, Jazz had five National titles, a Legion of Supreme Honor (which is denoted by the +/ after his name), was a top all-time money earner, and was inducted into the National Show Horse Hall of Fame.
When I finished college, I missed my sweet horse and brought him to Arizona, where I lived. While he was retired from the show ring, you can't just stop riding a horse that loves to be ridden that much. So he became a lesson horse of the highest order, helping me to teach kids and adults to ride. He was absolutely the favorite in the barn among the students; he was steady, he was patient, he wasn't scared of anything, and he was so affectionate, like a silly puppy. He would do things like pull your hat off your head or even try to untie your shoes! And if you really needed a horsey hug, he would let you wrap your arms fully around his head and hold him as long as you needed to. Every person who walked into the barn got a nicker from Jazz.
Over the 27 years that I shared with Jazz, we weathered so many changes, so many victories and disappointments, and so many miles! One of the biggest changes to our family happened in 2005 and 2007, when my two sons were born. Jazz loved the boys; he would nuzzle them and gently accept treats from their tiny hands, and became their riding horse when they were big enough to sit up on him. His gentleness and steadiness made the best kind of impression on them - it helped light the fire of horse-love that I hope will burn in their hearts their whole lives, like it has in mine. His happy expression when he saw them let me know that he was as happy as they were with the arrangement.
Sadly, horses don't live as long as we do. Or, they don't live as long as we wish they could. Last August, Jazz colicked, most likely from a fatty tumor strangulating his intestine, and despite our vet's best efforts, there was nothing that could be done. We chose to end his suffering at home, where he was happy and calm and near his best friends. It was one of the worst moments of my life. I could never describe adequately how sad I was, and still am, at his sudden absence, after spending so many years with him. But as my wise niece reminds me, "Don't be sad it's over, be grateful it happened." And I am so grateful. That beautiful horse taught me so much, and elevated my mind as to what was possible for me. He taught me to never give up, to believe in myself and face life with your ears up and a twinkle in your eye. He was a once-in-a-lifetime horse, and will never be forgotten.
Many of you know me from my efforts in breeding Quarter Horse reining horses, but I grew up showing Arabians and Half-Arabians, in western, English, sidesaddle, costume, driving and in hand. At the time that I first met Jazz at Clinton Arabians where he had been bred, he was a gangly, long-legged two yr old, and I was an equally gangly and awkward 14 yr old. Jazz was sired by the great NSH sire Islamorada, a Bask*son, and out of a lovely Saddlebred mare named Festival Music. He really wasn't much to look at, at that stage, all legs, a long skinny neck and a very narrow body. But as soon as I rode him, I KNEW. By that time, I had ridden my share of English horses, and loved the really forward ones, and was mesmerized by flat-saddle type horses that could really move. Sitting on him the first time, I was in awe of how his neck came straight up out of his shoulder, how he could sit waaaay back on his haunches and collect up. And even without shoes on, he had a natural lift that hinted at what he was capable of. He was so much fun! And wild too! He was like riding a rubber 2 x 4! Better have a velcro seat to stick with him!
Jazz as a foal, with his dam, Festival Music.
My family and I had been looking for a horse to 'move up' on. My previous English horse was solid as a rock, but more of a babysitter, and we were ready for more shows and competition. After riding several prospects at different trainer's barns, I knew Jazz was the one. We just clicked, and we looked right together. It wasn't an easy sell on my parents though; first of all, we had never purchased a 'Big' horse before, and second, they weren't at all sure that this string bean of a gelding was everything he was purported to be. After some convincing, my parents relented, and I can confidently say, there were never any regrets.
Showing Jazz in a Pro/Am class with Vicki Humphrey.
Jazz Festival and I made our debut at the spring shows in 1986, one of which being the prestigious Buckeye Show in Ohio, where we won our first Championship. For the next four years I showed him all over the US and Canada, earning countless show championships, regional championships, two National Championships and a Reserve National Championship, in English Pleasure, both in Open with my trainer Vicki Humphrey and in Junior with me, and Pleasure Driving. In the show ring, he was stunning to look at, gloriously black and shiny, long tail streaming behind, ears up, happy in his element. This was a horse that LOVED his job, loved to go to shows, loved to be fussed over, loved to hear applause. He loved applause so much that sometimes we would try to recreate the effect at home, assembling a crowd to cheer him on. He would positively puff up when he heard whoops and hollers! He stood about 15.3 or 16 hands, but cheer for him and he became a 17 hand giant!
After I went to college, Jazz started a new career as a Five Gaited horse,which he took to very easily and naturally. Again, he was dazzling to watch - his rack was brilliant. He ended up earning another National Championship and another Reserve National Championship with Vicki and with my sister Ashley. At the end of his show career, Jazz had five National titles, a Legion of Supreme Honor (which is denoted by the +/ after his name), was a top all-time money earner, and was inducted into the National Show Horse Hall of Fame.
I got to show him Five Gaited a couple of times too. FUN!
When I finished college, I missed my sweet horse and brought him to Arizona, where I lived. While he was retired from the show ring, you can't just stop riding a horse that loves to be ridden that much. So he became a lesson horse of the highest order, helping me to teach kids and adults to ride. He was absolutely the favorite in the barn among the students; he was steady, he was patient, he wasn't scared of anything, and he was so affectionate, like a silly puppy. He would do things like pull your hat off your head or even try to untie your shoes! And if you really needed a horsey hug, he would let you wrap your arms fully around his head and hold him as long as you needed to. Every person who walked into the barn got a nicker from Jazz.
With one of his beloved students. Photo by M. Burge.
Over the 27 years that I shared with Jazz, we weathered so many changes, so many victories and disappointments, and so many miles! One of the biggest changes to our family happened in 2005 and 2007, when my two sons were born. Jazz loved the boys; he would nuzzle them and gently accept treats from their tiny hands, and became their riding horse when they were big enough to sit up on him. His gentleness and steadiness made the best kind of impression on them - it helped light the fire of horse-love that I hope will burn in their hearts their whole lives, like it has in mine. His happy expression when he saw them let me know that he was as happy as they were with the arrangement.
Sadly, horses don't live as long as we do. Or, they don't live as long as we wish they could. Last August, Jazz colicked, most likely from a fatty tumor strangulating his intestine, and despite our vet's best efforts, there was nothing that could be done. We chose to end his suffering at home, where he was happy and calm and near his best friends. It was one of the worst moments of my life. I could never describe adequately how sad I was, and still am, at his sudden absence, after spending so many years with him. But as my wise niece reminds me, "Don't be sad it's over, be grateful it happened." And I am so grateful. That beautiful horse taught me so much, and elevated my mind as to what was possible for me. He taught me to never give up, to believe in myself and face life with your ears up and a twinkle in your eye. He was a once-in-a-lifetime horse, and will never be forgotten.
The last photo of our sweet Jazz, taken just 2 days before he passed. That is one happy boy up there on his back!
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