PolarSkye
Well-Known Member
My trainer just told me that my old school horse (who I rode twice a week for 4 years) passed away this morning from a heart attack. He was 23. Vet said it looked like he went quickly and hadn't suffered. He dropped in the field at about half seven with his two best horsey friends.
Rocky was a much-loved RS horse . . . quirky and sharp and full of character. He taught me (and many others) to canter, loved his jumping and cross country and went round with his tongue hanging out the left side of his mouth. His conformation was all wrong, he was so ugly he was beautiful (black with a big white blaze) - his neck was on upside down, he was slab-sided, had a really odd choppy movement behind (you were really achieving something if you got Pooks to track up) and he would only go second on a hack (not first, and not anywhere else - only second). He was a bugger in his box . . . would mercilessly take the mick out new stable hands by cornering them and threatening to double barrel them and often lunged at unwary people over his door . . . but once he knew you weren't frightened of him he was a complete pussy cat and loved fuss and cuddles. He taught me leg yield, shoulder in and flying changes . . . he also tanked off with me more than once and always spooked at a particular corner of the outdoor school.
I can't tell you how sad I am that this special boy has gone. I happened to pass his field yesterday - he was grazing with his buddies and something told me to park the car and get out and say hello properly - I didn't and I wish I had. But I'm very glad that that's my last memory of him - eating in the sunshine.
I've been crying for two hours . . . ridiculous really when he isn't even my horse . . . God knows what I'll be like when Kal goes . . . and I know that I'm not alone . . . an awful lot of people will be mourning that cantankerous, wonderful horse. When I found out, I went into Kali's box and sobbed onto his lovely fluffy neck - I think he was quite confused . . . he certainly gave me an odd look, bless him.
RIP lovely boy.
P
P.S. Edited to say - if it hadn't been for Rocky, I would never have bought Kali . . . Rocky taught me to love quirky, "speshul" horses . . . here's the lovely man himself . . . (Rocky not Kali)
Rocky was a much-loved RS horse . . . quirky and sharp and full of character. He taught me (and many others) to canter, loved his jumping and cross country and went round with his tongue hanging out the left side of his mouth. His conformation was all wrong, he was so ugly he was beautiful (black with a big white blaze) - his neck was on upside down, he was slab-sided, had a really odd choppy movement behind (you were really achieving something if you got Pooks to track up) and he would only go second on a hack (not first, and not anywhere else - only second). He was a bugger in his box . . . would mercilessly take the mick out new stable hands by cornering them and threatening to double barrel them and often lunged at unwary people over his door . . . but once he knew you weren't frightened of him he was a complete pussy cat and loved fuss and cuddles. He taught me leg yield, shoulder in and flying changes . . . he also tanked off with me more than once and always spooked at a particular corner of the outdoor school.
I can't tell you how sad I am that this special boy has gone. I happened to pass his field yesterday - he was grazing with his buddies and something told me to park the car and get out and say hello properly - I didn't and I wish I had. But I'm very glad that that's my last memory of him - eating in the sunshine.
I've been crying for two hours . . . ridiculous really when he isn't even my horse . . . God knows what I'll be like when Kal goes . . . and I know that I'm not alone . . . an awful lot of people will be mourning that cantankerous, wonderful horse. When I found out, I went into Kali's box and sobbed onto his lovely fluffy neck - I think he was quite confused . . . he certainly gave me an odd look, bless him.
RIP lovely boy.
P
P.S. Edited to say - if it hadn't been for Rocky, I would never have bought Kali . . . Rocky taught me to love quirky, "speshul" horses . . . here's the lovely man himself . . . (Rocky not Kali)
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