charlie's blast from the past

I've written before about being very lucky in the circumstances around adopting Charlie. A couple weeks after his final race in 2016, his connections placed him at an organization dedicated to rehabbing and rehoming OTTBs.

His former owners and trainers had funneled a few horses through this organization previously (and since, I believe) so the woman who runs the program was pretty familiar with them. Plus, I knew a number of horses who had been rehomed by the organization too (hai, Bali!! and others!!), and the organization administrator and I have some close mutual acquaintances.

All this added up to a situation in which, while none of us really knew each other personally or well, we all knew enough about all the other parties to feel pretty good about things. 

So I was able to get in touch directly with Charlie's former owners and trainers, all of whom were really friendly and candid in telling me all about their time with the horse. They each provided their own versions of his full history, their favorite stories, and little details about what made Charlie so special and lovable. Bc yea, it was pretty clear from the start that they all each cared deeply about the horse.

Charlie's portrait by Alyssa Kelley, Jan 2017

Since adopting Charlie, I've tried to keep them up to date on his progress. Obviously I don't want to spam them, or try to act like I'm anything other than a regular old adult ammy playing ponies and jumping small sticks with their former classy race horse.... And naturally I have spared them the roller coaster ride of thrown shoes, random dings, and splints gone bad.....

But, generally speaking, I send the group an email or two a year - usually with some picture of Charlie looking fabulous or with a fun recent cross country video or something (or like that time Charlie made the front page of US Eventing lol...).

One owner, in particular, always replies that he'd love to set up a time to come visit. At first I was really excited at the prospect, but months went by with nothing materializing. So I kinda figured that it might not actually ever happen.

one of charlie's former owners gave me my own framed win pic!!!! much exciting!!! higher res version, and charlie's other (slightly more flattering, but who's counting lol) win pictures can be found at this link

But lo! Last week he emailed me again saying he'd be in the state for his daughter's lacrosse tournament, and was I around for a visit??

Why Yes, sir! I am!! Everything worked out and he found the farm without issue. Charlie for his part was kind enough to be reasonably clean, currently uninjured, and in a particularly hammy mood lol.

So we got to hang out for a little while - with both of us cramming the spoiled rotten pony full of carrots, brushing him off, taking lots of pictures, and generally recounting all of his favorite Charlie stories and histories.

Plus he brought me my own framed picture of one of Charlie's bigger wins!! Which obviously I am totally over the moon about haha. I had found all these pictures not long after bringing Charlie home and had hemmed and hawed about ordering my own framed prints too... but just hadn't pulled the trigger. But now I have one!! Makes me feel like a super legit OTTB owner haha ;)

yep, dat's my classy race horse ;)

I guess this particular owner had first claimed Charlie as a 3yo, and over time used various trainers and partnered with different owners. I had understood some of Charlie's history (esp some of the more unfortunate health- and wellness-related aspects) from his last trainer, and was able to learn more from this owner who actually owned the horse during that time. Very insightful!

Plus it was kinda cool to hear him go on about his enthusiasm for horses (he's currently got a couple other race horses right now too - down in Kentucky and also back up in Delaware) as someone who isn't really as involved in the day to day handling and care of horses.

All in all, it was really great meeting him. He was very kind and seemed genuinely happy to see Charlie looking healthy and happy in his new life (like when one of the very small pony riders at my barn came skipping up alongside Charlie and he immediately lowered his nose to her to say hi <3).

And for my part it was really cool to meet this complete stranger who loves this horse just as much as I do. And who jokingly said that his daughters refer to Charlie as "their little brother" lol.

So often we hear stories of ambivalence or neglect from owners and trainers at the track. Like the impression that these horses are somehow considered disposable and discarded the moment they're no longer profitable.

Maybe that's true somewhere, or sometimes, or in some cases... But I tend to believe it's less common than we might think. And it definitely was not true in Charlie's case haha. And I feel super lucky to have gotten to speak with and now meet some of the people who were so influential in Charlie's life from age 3 to 7. Feels like I have a real piece of Charlie's past now.

Have you ever gotten to meet your horse's previous owners? Or get any glimpses into their histories? Or is your horse's background more of a mystery?