Don't Think Twice
From AlexBrownRacing
Contents |
Just Nigel
Nigel is my 16.2 hand off-the-track thoroughbred. This wonderful gelding came into my life around 2000, quite a few years after his exodus from the track, but it is important to me that he has long, happy life.
I first met Nigel when I was teaching beginner lessons at wonderful stable in northern Massachusetts, Liberty Hill. He was a gawky, high strung thoroughbred. About nine years old, His owner had bought him from her trainer in Middleburg, Virginia before moving to the Northeast. Nigel was a little too much horse for her, but he carried her around faithfully, walk-trot-canter. Watching him jump under another rider, Nigel showed his true calling. He easily trotted and cantered jumps up to 3'9". He may have not been a Grand Prix prospect, but his honesty and tail-flipping enthusiasm attracted me.
When I finally got a chance to ride him he showed me not only his ability to jump, but also the skills to shorten and lengthen stride, change leads, and essentially jump from any take-off spot he was asked. He had his faults. He was a very sensitive horse, difficult to ride on the flat in relaxed way that would allow him to use his back and hind end muscles most efficiently to gain strength and flexibility that would improve performance and avoid injury.
Eventually my family moved, but I told his owner if she ever needed to lease or sell him, to please call me. I didn't know I'd get a call a couple of years later.
We moved to southeast Georgia - not exactly a mecca for horse sports, but I found a barn where I could exercise some horses. Finally I received a call from Nigel's owner who was getting married and looking to sell Nigel. I didn't have the money, but offered to take him on a free lease, train him, and bring him to shows where he could get exposed to possible buyers. His owner gave him the show name 'A Cappella.' She also gave me what background she knew about him.
Nigel, looking much like a pumpkin, just after arriving in Georgia and a body clip.
He Czar Dream
Nigel is an Indiana bred by Sun Czar and out of Blue Wing. Robert Reas Jr., and Kathleen M. Reas bred him. His Jockey Club name is He Czar Dream. With no starts as a two year old, he started nine races as a three year old. He only won a six-furlong race at Beulah, Ohio in 1:12.73. His lifetime winnings total $1,825. Unfortunately there is nothing spectacular in his immediate pedigree. However, I enjoy ruminating about the slight, yet possible, influence his ancestors could've have upon him.
Tom Fool is his maternal great grandfather. And of course Menow is his sire. La Troienne is a reine de course and appears five generations back. He has a few chefs de race five generations back: Hyperion, Fair Trial, Black Toney, Equipoise, Bulldog, and Pilate twice (5D x 5D).
Rumor has it that he was sold off the track to someone in Texas as an event prospect, then he was sold again as an event prospect to someone in Middleburg, Virginia. I don't know if he ever actually went to an event. His former owner said he was turned out in a field with cows and went through a barbed wire fence. He still has the scars on his right hind legs to prove that. It took awhile to rehab him. Afterwards, he hunted in Middleburg. He was used as a horse for guests of the hunt. Unfortunately I don't know which hunt or which field he was allowed in. He was also used for lessons, which is where his former owner "met" him. Eventually she bought him, but I don't believe she ever showed or evented him much.
A Capella
When Nigel came to St. Simons Island, Georgia, he came with a new name his owner had registered with USEF (United States Equestrian Federation) so he could show at rated shows. His owner named him A Capella.
I was excited to start working with him and getting him to a horse show, but we had work to do. Although still a brave, honest jumper, he was stiffer and less adjustable than I remembered. Lots of dressage work (or flatwork) was in order to get him listening to the rider's seat, leg, and hand. He also proved to be quite the character. His ground manners left much to be desired. He didn't crosstie well and occassionally would pull back and break the ties. It took time, work, and development of trust between us. Loading onto a two-horse trailer was an issue as well. As soon as his head went under the roof of the trailer, he'd go flying back. In general, most of his "quirks" or "issues" seem to have to do with head claustrophobia. One of eyes is slightly sunken in and vets have conjectured that the eye orbit was fractured at some point. A pasture accident? A trailer loading accident? A bad experience with a starting gate? Who knows. I would be nice to know as it may help him get over things.
You can see in this picture his eyes are set farther around on his head and the right is a little odder than the left.
The worried look that comes from the scar tissue built up around the right eye:
We didn't get to show until August. Our premier was at an 'A' show in Jacksonville, FL, and we got ribbons in the Low Children's Adult Jumpers. Despite my mistakes, Nigel covered for me and showed he was in his element despite his lack of show ring experience. He brought it up to another level in the show ring. He seemed to just know his job. He looked for the jumps, the turns, the distances. He was careful and didn't pull a single rail, despite any distance I rode him to. He also proved himself versatile and tolerant as we asked him to fill the medal classes (the USEF Medal, the Maclay, the Washington Medal, and even the 3'9" USET Talent Search) with a rider green to those classes. He packed her around doing an admirable job - even doing a triple combinatioin for the first time (that we knew of). I was so proud of him. We did more shows that fall with similar success. We even earned our first tri-color (a reserve champion) in the Low Adult Jumpers.
Riding in an equitation class in Jacksonville.
My first jump in the Low Adult Jumpers. Notice Nigel's enthusiastic tail fling.
I love the "Do Not Enter" sign:
A mudder, too:
In late fall, we had a set back. Nigel came up lame after coming in second in the Gambler's Choice Classic at a fall charity show. I think he won $500 - nearly a third of what he won on the track. It was a slight tendon injury. Most tendon injuries are generally classified as "bowed tendons." In a true bowed tendon, the actual sheath around the tendon would be ruptured caused edema and swelling. Usually there is some kind of lesion or tear in the tendon tissue itself. Nigel had heat and a little swelling as well as being "off" or lame. He soon had no symptoms, but he was given about six weeks off, then gradual reintroduction to work.
Don't Think Twice
(It's Alright) I bought Nigel from his owner while he was rehabilitating from his tendon injury. I changed his show name to "Don't Think Twice," an allusion to Bob Dylan's song. I thought it was appropriate because he takes care of me so I don't have to think twice about the jump. I haven't shown much because of family obligations. We had a new baby in 2005 who was premature and required much time and attention. Nigel spent two years on a lease just outside of New York City and then came home to me last year. Afer two stressful years of our son, Malcolm, dealing with serious health problems, having Nigel home was of great relief to me. He was like a special friend who could make the rest of the world melt away. Heaven was on the back of a horse.
My 8-year-old, Seamus, "warming up" Nigel for me.
Nigel supervising Malcolm's Water Playtime
Nigel turned 18 on January 1st, although his birthday is in April. We don't jump as much as we used to so he can stay sounder longer. We limit his jumping to three feet and under and are very careful about the footing to keep him from being sore. With proper management, including joint maintenance called Adequan, he is kept in work three to five days a week. I jump him perhaps once a week over small jumps more for my practice than his. I showed him this spring, and he showed all his wonderful enthusiasm for doing the low jumpers. As long as Nigel stays sound and loves his job, I will continue to show him in the Hopeful (2'6") and Low Adult (3'0") Jumpers. I hope to try a beginner novice event before we both get too old!
At the farm:
Nigel and his Seamus:
You can see how this right eye is depressed into the eye socket. You can also see little white spots on him called "Birdcatcher" spots. The older he gets, the more spots appear. They are named after a racehorse named Birdcatcher (duh).
http://www.pedigreequery.com/birdcatcher
Comments
Very nice wiki page! And you have done a great job with your horse!! I fixed your photos for you, you don't need brackets and "image" when you add photos in the wiki :) Hope you didn't mind... swedishkat
I swear our horses are twins! I'm not talking about looks but everything else. I felt like you were writing all about Toby. Toby has his left eye sunken in and a bit lower than his right, he'll get in a trailer then have a panic attack about 30 seconds into it and back out like a wild man knocking himself on the top of his head on his way out. I'm guessing he had a gate accident in his short racing career. Toby earned a little more money than Don't Think Twice ($5,586) and he won twice. Our horses are the same age too! Toby is a good jumper but now he's retired and mostly entertains me on trail rides across the northern Michigan sand dunes. He's a special guy and real lover. He's just not for the faint of heart... Thanks for telling us about Don't Think Twice. I enjoyed reading his story. WendyinMI
