by Danielle
(Perth, WA, Australia)
I woke up on which to other people was just a normal day, but for me it was a VERY important day, a day that I would never forget.
It was a Saturday when I first laid eyes on him, he was a beautiful bay, 15.2 hands, perfect for me. As soon as I saw the thoroughbred standing tall, tied to the float, I bounded towards him knowing he wouldn't spook knowing he wouldn't back away, I flung my arms around his warm welcoming neck, for some reason I felt that I had been waiting for a horse like him, and in some way I felt that he had been waiting for me.
His name was pro short for proclaimed, he was an ex racehorse, but not a high-flung crazy one, a gentle gelding who was careful were he put his feet and welcomed you with a sweet nudge, and he had a big white splotch on his fore head. Ever since I was little I was horse crazy!!
I always wanted a bay horse with a white marking on his forehead, with a back mane and tail. And I always wanted his name to be Archie, and finally I had got my dream horse the horse I so longed to have.
I started horse riding when I was ten. I was taught serious English riding, how to sit a walk, rise a trot, move a canter and jump small jumps the instructor called me a natural, but it wasn't about fun it was serious, as if training for a big show, everything had to be PERFECT!!
After a whole year and a half of riding, my instructor Vicki said I was to 'good' for her school horses which I wasn't so she told my parents that if we buy a horse we could free lease it at her place letting all the other riders ride it, but it had to be a secret no one could no because Vicki said that if people there were to find out everyone would want to lease there horse there as well.
So the searching began for the right horse, days went past until my mum found Pro, We told Vicki and she said that she and her mother would come to give there opinion.When Saturday arrived we had to dive half an hour out to an equestrian center. Vicki and her mum beat us there, but we all walked around together.
Jessica the lady who owned Pro at the time, was getting ready for a training session in the jumping arena, she was tacking Pro up by the time we got around there. She had tied Pro up to the float he came in, and when I saw him I raced up and hugged him, my mum held her breath she was scared of horses, wouldn't even touch one. When I let go of Pro his big brown eyes met mine, he was saying hello. Then Jess said her hello's to everyone and we all introduced each other.
By the time Jess was finished tacking up it was time to start the training, Jess said I could walk next to Pro and learn things about him. Jess tried to tell me Pro could get a bit excitable but he was being just perfect, when we reached the arena Jess went and warmed Pro up jumping over medium jumps.
When they were warmed up enough they went and did the course, while doing so I went and sat down with Vicki and my parents watching Pro practically fly over very high jumps, I didn't know how high but I think it was a metre 20, Vicki and her mother were talking quietly and I was trying to hear what they said but I couldn't.
When Pro had finished, Jess brought him around to where we were sitting, she asked me if I would like to help wash him and I said yes,after we had washed him we put pro back to the float, then walked back to everyone. Jess was hungry so she went and got something to eat from the bar, while she was gone my mum said that they had all decided to get Pro but his name was to be changed, changed to Archie.
My heart skipped what felt like a million beats. I finally got what I dreamed of, I finally was one of those lucky girls who had a horse of my very own, I finally got My Archie!!
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by Danielle
(NSW, Australia)
Days after we had bought Archie he arrived at Vicki's place a little nervous. He stumbled off the float and was handed to me. I talked to him reminding him who I was and saying how much he would love it here.
Vicki and my parents went off and talked while I stood and held Archie admiring his deep bay color and his strong neck with powerful legs.
A little too soon they all came back and said it was time to take him to his new stable, I got to walk him but fear swam through my veins. I had been pushed so much by Vicki that I was losing my confidence and fast.
Archie pulled a little on the rope but I didn't mind, we reached his stable and I let him go. He took off trotting around the little sandy pen smelling each corner. I said goodnight and sweet dreams to him, and on the way home my heart leaped so many times, I was so shocked I had a horse of my own!
The next couple of days Archie settled in and I gave him an apple every lesson. once a week... I wasn't allowed to see him every day because it would be to 'suspicious' but I enjoyed it all the same.
Archie seemed to know it was me too, he always walked up to me and nuzzled me. Finally on what I think was a Saturday I got to ride him, but unfortunately Archie was misbehaving. He wouldn't slow down and I was told to get off and stand there with him while everyone else got to ride.
But he cuddled and nudged me and stood calmly. When the lesson finished, Vicki took me and Archie into a round ring where we got used to each other's movements and weaknesses. It took weeks in the ring but it all paid off as finally I got to ride in the arena again.
It had being a couple of months since we brought Archie and since then everything's been tipped upside down... Archie started playing up badly, it started when he got an abscess in his hoof.
Vicki didn't treat it properly and it never healed fully. Archie hadn't been ridden for weeks and I was the first one to ride him and on that day we did jumping. I never was good at jumping and Archie was used to big jumps. I warmed him up and trotted him up to some tires, he leaped with all his heart and cantered off towards the gate.
He increased his speed, I was trying as hard as I could to pull him up. At last he stopped both of us sweating and both of us were scared out of our skins. I started to cry.
Then the next couple of lessons were bad. My confidence had sunk low and Archie scared me as much as I loved him. Vicki gave us a call one weekend and invited me on a trail ride with a group of people. I was to ride Archie.
I did so he chucked his head the whole way then, we didn't know he had wolf teeth growing they were cutting into his tongue and they bit in his mouth didn't help matters.
We went for a long ride my heart pounding against my chest the whole time. On the way back we went through a little river on the other side was a steep hill, Archie went up it then without waning. He bucked, I fell forward leaning over his neck. He spooked and trotted forwards, losing my balance I toppled of.
Crying I sat up and looked around. Someone had caught Archie for me, and Vicki rather than saying "are you okay" told me to get up and get my horse. I did.
After that my confidence was so low even thinking of riding was scary. Vicki told us that the abscess in Archie's foot had exploded and was painful for him. It was sad to see him laying in the middle of his tiny pen.
I sat on the ground and reached out and patted him comforting him. Other girls who I didn't know where there to and they were making their way over. I walked off not wanting to talk. They stood at Archie's fence and tried to call him over but he wouldn't budge. So they left him.
I walked back and stood at the fence guiltily looking at him. Seeing me, Archie struggled on his feet and limped over resting his head on me. I felt good but so sorry for him.
Not long after that, Vicki told us that Archie was a danger and either we sell him to her or get him off her property. We kept him and looked for an adjustment center for him and we found one... Taking Archie away was hard he didn't want to go but he had to.
At the new center, Archie was treated bad... the paddock he was in was so muddy that it went past his knees and his coat was no longer shiny he was unrecognisable, he had lost so much weight. My parents had had enough, so they took him out of it straight away and moved him to another place.
It was very good there the grass was extremely green and the people were friendly. We met some great friends there. Months and months we had spent there and Archie's condition worsened.
He was getting rough, he bit, bucked, reared and was going crazy. I got a new horse. An Arab called Lady Dee. She was a pure white and I loved her sooo much. I rode her all the time, she helped my confidence fly.
Archie no longer got ridden because of what he did but it wasn't his fault. My parents took him to the vets and they told us he had bone spurs in both hocks, in his back legs and they were extremely painful, that's why he played up.
Unfortunately my mum told me in the car he had to be put to sleep... my whole world came to what felt like an end. My first ever horse that I loved so much, there are no words for it was going. I cried.
I loved Archie so much and told him how he was going to be pain-free soon and told him he would be free to gallop as long as he wanted to.
My friend let us borrow her float for the day, my dad loaded him up and we drove off. Archie screamed out the whole way letting everyone know. I still hadn't quite got it yet, it hadn't sunk in but when we arrived at the vet's it started to.
Archie was put into a round ring where he and I played we ran around it together laughing and being happy. My dad wanted to leave but I couldn't leave Archie all by himself. Finally what seemed to soon, a vet came out and haltered Archie.
She took him to a sand patch and waited there with him for the other vet who would give Archie the stuff... we stood on the outside of the sand, I stood back furthest holding in the tears.
The vet gave Archie a sedative first so he would lay down and sleep. I turned my back as Archie stumbled down then raced forwards to help take off his halter. Then I sat beside him stroking his neck. Then the vet gave him the stuff to put Archie to sleep.
I didn't cry because I new Archie didn't want me to be sad. My mum came and sat beside me and told me to tell him how much we loved him but he knew. My heart never hurt so much before. I wish i screamed stop, jumped on Archie's back and galloped away before anyone could catch up but I didn't.
We left Archie there and drove away. My mum tried to hug me but I pulled away. I wanted to be left alone. We drove back to the center and I made my way up to Dee my other horse and cried into her neck. My friend came up to me and hugged me, she was teary to.
My friend rode with me taking my mind off Archie, but at the end of the day when we packed up and left, it felt oddly empty as we drove away when we would usually feed Archie, when he would usually come nickering up to the fence...
But he didn't...
It has been a while since Archie passed away but I still get teary. My other horse Dee is much closer to me and we have Archie's ashes planted under an apple tree.
You never know how much you really love your horse or someone until something happens. So if you have a horse go and give them a carrot and a hug and tell them how much you really love them. And don't worry, they understand. I know my Archie did.