Fugue
From AlexBrownRacing
a.k.a. "Dot", shown under Manhattan Fugue.
New York bred, retired at 5 to his forever home where he was trained and competed in H/J and dressage.
Dot crossed the Rainbow Bridge on August 29, 2009, at the age of 26. He will always be in my heart.
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Dot's story
Dot was raced under the name Fugue (Moving Target x Old Music), and I showed him under the more formal name "Manhattan Fugue". He was bred by Jodhem Stables, foaled on March 30, 1983, and trained by John Progno. His barn name is Dot, which was given to him by a little boy because he was a dapple-grey and had 'dots' on him. I have never had the heart to change his name - so "Dot" he has been for all of his 20 years with me!
Dot is the first horse I actually owned. My parents didn't have much money, and so I 'catch-rode' for other people until I could afford my own horse. Dot was my first purchase once I left university. Riding everyone else's problem horses made me a very good rider, and the problem horses went well for me, but by the time I was 20 I was tired of getting attached to a horse only to have it taken away because I fixed it and it could now be sold or used by the original owner. I bought Dot in the summer of 1988, from a small Hunter/Jumper barn in Southern Ontario. I liked him because of his attitude and temperament. He had been bought by the barn owner as a lesson horse - right off the track - given the very basics, and then put into the lesson program. He had not been given much time to develop any kind of personality, but was quiet and forgiving. I felt very comfortable with him, and felt really drawn to his calm, kind attitude and gentle eye. In my search for a horse to call my own, I tried at least a dozen horses, some with better breeding, some with better conformation, some with bigger pricetags, but kept returning to Dot. During the pre-purchase exam, the vet confirmed what I already knew - that Dot had the best attitude he had seen in a long time and that, while he might not make the Olympics, he would make a great all-around athlete. He also felt that Dot may have had an injury of some kind to one of his hips, likely in a starting gate, but did not think that this would affect him. In fact, it is only now, at 25 years of age, that Dot is starting to have some issues with a little arthritis in his back and hind legs.
Dot did not race much, and only had a couple of wins in his short career of 3 seasons and 36 starts, but I will always treasure his winning finish-line photograph from Finger Lakes, which Tom Cooley, the track photographer at Finger Lakes, found for me a few months ago. It shows a horse rippling with muscle, winning by a small but respectable margin, and giving it his all, which is all I can ever ask. When the woman from whom I bought Dot asked me what I intended to do with him, I told her that I wanted to take him Hunter/Jumper, maybe a little dressage. She just laughed at that, saying that he'll never do dressage, his shoulder is too upright. I was a little offended, on Dot's behalf, because I've always believed that any horse should be able to do basic dressage well, and that it's actually good for them.
We initially started showing Dot in hunters and jumpers, but did not stay with the H/J circuit for long. Dot really had not had a good introduction to jumping, prior to my buying him and did not like it very much - and it showed. Although he was able to take 4'6" cleanly, he must have had a bad scare at some point in his brief career as a lesson horse. Even though he jumped well, and with good form, he also had a very 'dirty' refusal. After a couple of bad falls, I decided that he would do better in dressage - in spite of the seller's original opinion. Under the tutelage of the great Elaine Ward, Dot and I went to the Provincial Dressage Championships in 1995 in Medium I and Medium II, placing in the ribbons in both divisions. Now, I felt that my point had been proven - my little thoroughbred with the upright shoulder and the great attitude could truly do just about anything, and look pretty darned good doing it! Dot has excelled in dressage, and was the South-Western Ontario champion in Medium 2 (3rd level). Although I returned to school and couldn't compete much in the late 90's, I continued to train Dot, bringing him to the Grand Prix level of movements.
Dot came to Arizona with me when I moved here 5 years ago, and it was only here, in his early 20s, that Dot finally needed to have his hind feet shod. The hard, abrasive ground wore away at the bare hooves, and slowly but drastically changed their angles - badly affecting his hocks, stifles and hips. With the help and hard work of our wonderful farrier, Laszlo Vandrasczek, who consistently and patiently corrected the angles, Dot has been doing much better - even re-gaining his big, floaty extended trot!
Dot has taught me a great deal in the 20 years that he has been with me. Patience, forgiveness, self control, bravery, self-confidence... Those were all things that a 20 year old girl did not have. He was shy and quiet, and didn't even know what a carrot was - and was terrified of plastic bags. Now, he confidently investigates plastic bags, looking for treats, and will happily mug any passer-by for anything from a ham sandwich to granola bars - and even beer! As far as he's concerned, if you appear to be enjoying it, it's fair game for him. His biggest trick is 'shaking hands', and he'll offer first one foot, then the other, when mooching for treats - until he finally gets something! He is a wonderful babysitter, and has settled in many a nervous horse. However, he's also full of life and spirit, and will kick up his heels in the pasture when he thinks that one of his pasture buddies might be up for a game of tag.
Dot today
These days, Dot is teaching me about what it's like to age gracefully. We don't follow a regular competitive training schedule any more, and have long abandoned canter pirouettes, piaffe and passage. We focus more on strength and flexibility, to keep his joints in good shape and fight the arthritis that is creeping in. A little lateral work combined with some nice extended trot is about as fancy as we get. There are days when he wants to play, and do flying changes - and so we do a few, just for a little fun. He's always very proud of himself, and obviously enjoys his work. He spends a little less time playing, and a little more time napping, but makes it clear that he expects to have a job - he doesn't like to stand around! He is no longer dapple grey - his mane and tail are almost completely white, and his coat is the most flea-bitten gray possible - and he's still very handsome! In the past, he took grave exception to me riding a client's or student's horse, and would either give me bad looks or just sulk if he felt left out. These days, he's quite happy not to be the first one ridden on some days - and I've learned to let him tell me what he wants to do on any particular day. Some days, we'll school in the arena. Other days, we'll just go on a hack. We're learning to take our fun as we find it, and I think that we're both enjoying it very much. Best of all, because we're both older, we take things a little more slowly - so we spend more time just keeping each other company. I don't know what kind of memories Dot has of the past 20 years, although I hope they are pleasant - but the memories I have, that have him in them, are some of my happiest.
Latest updates
With age, come those little creaks and aches that we never want to think about. It's hard watching your always-mighty horse feel a bit stiff when he moves. However, with horses, it's often a case of the body slowing down, but the spirit still being very willing. So it has been with Dot. He still wants a job, even if it might not be the one he has had his whole life. So... we have taken up a new discipline - DRIVING! To keep him working, and to add variety to under-saddle work, as well as a bit of relief from it, I have started to ground-drive him. We have now progressed to dragging tires and buckets, all without so much as a blink from him. He really puts his shoulders into it, and seems to enjoy it very much. He can now start and turn, both at walk and trot, as well as stop and back - correctly and quietly, both to voice and rein aid, in a simple home-made harness (we're generous with our baling twine). Our next step is trying out the arena drag, to work up the arena. Might as well do something useful, while we're having all that fun - who says you can't teach an older horse new tricks!
Dot's latest adventure will be a trip to Ohio. We are finally leaving Arizona, and very much looking forward to having unlimited pasture with lush, deep grass for Dot. Although, in the last few months, he has really slowed down, we take every opportunity to take time and enjoy each other. Nowadays, we just walk, with occasional trotting. We walk in hand, under saddle, bareback... And we just spend time together. Because we never know how much time we have.
June 11, 2009
Dot has now been in Ohio for 6 months - and what an eventful time it has been! We had to leave Arizona before Dot, so that he could go with the shipper. Spending almost three weeks alone in Arizona and being very sad at being left behind, even though a friend gave him a lot of daily attention, Dot did not eat very well. During shipping, in spite of the huge, luxurious box stall (thanks to Carisbrooke Transport), he did not want to eat at all. When he finally arrived in Ohio, he was about 100 lbs thinner than I had left him in Arizona. We immediately started on a weight-gain program, but the going was slow. As it turned out, in addition to feeling sad and abandoned, he was dealing with a broken tooth - and when the vet took out the jammed fragment, he perked up right away and started to eat much better. Now, Dot is back to his old self - shiny, glossy and carrying good condition. He has been enjoying lush grass and was delighted to find that all of his old favourites - dandelions and red clover - grow in Ohio as well as they did in Ontario. We haven't been doing much work but, instead, have been enjoying riding through chest-high grass, watching the deer jumping the fences and breathing in the clover, honeysuckle and wild roses that fill the back field. I talk, he listens - and often, he answers in his own way. He is 26 years old, now. After 22 years, this is time to just enjoy our togetherness. I cherish it - and Dot seems to, too.
Two months ago, we lost Dot's older sister, Do Play On. They never got to meet. I know that there are several other siblings - if anyone knows of, or is lucky enough to have, any offspring of a mare called Old Music, please get in touch! She was bred several times to Dr. Do Much.
The Last Goodbye
Today is March 30, 2010. It is 27 years since Dot was born. It is also the first March 30 in 22 years that I will be spending without him. This year, I can't kiss his velvet nose and wish him a Happy Birthday. I can't watch him enjoy his birthday treats. But it is only now that I feel able to share this.
It is with an empty, broken heart that I must announce that on Saturday, August 29, 2009, at 4:30 p.m., we laid Dot to rest, at the age of 26 and a half years. Dot fractured the lower end of the right tibia, the bone just above his hock. We do not know how it happened, since I turned him out to pasture with his two buddies about an hour previously and kept an eye on him while cleaning out his stall. He was quietly grazing, but then I noticed him standing and jerkily moving his head. He then nickered, a low, sad nicker. I called to him and he looked at me but did not move. When I ran to check on him, he was not putting any weight on his right hind. There was no visible swelling or apparent fresh injuries. Touching the leg above the hock, I felt the bone creak. Kathy, our wonderful barn owner, came to the pasture and helped look after Dot with love and kindness, the way she always did. Kathy's husband, Ken, had seen Dot holding up a leg at the same time that I saw him, and called Kathy to come quick. We gave Dot some Banamine and called our vet. Dot was very brave, as if he knew what was going on and was accepting it, even grazing on some of the lush clover in the pasture when the vet drove up. The vet guessed that I was right, but was not certain. A second vet, ten minutes later, confirmed our worst fears. The bone was broken. By that time, the hock was swelling rapidly. There was nothing the vet could do, since this type of fracture does not heal well.
My brave boy stood quietly while I stroked his neck and kissed his nose, while the vet gently and kindly administered the final painkiller. Even in his last moments, he was just such a Good Boy. My sweet pony crossed the Rainbow Bridge at 4:30 p.m. and was laid to rest beside his buddy, Willie, who was stabled next to him until only a couple of months ago. Dot is now without pain. His leg is whole and his melanoma is gone. His joints are as limber as when he was young. I know that he was greeted by his older sister, Play, who passed away last year. Finally, they can meet. I know that he will be waiting for me when my turn to cross the bridge comes.
That morning, Dot and I went on a lovely hack. It was a beautiful, sunny day. We rode through fields of lush clover and even trotted a little bit. The grass was soft, our friends were with us and there was a soft breeze. When I turned him out to pasture, I gave him cookies and baby carrots, which he has always loved. No-one could have known that tragedy would strike that afternoon, but I will always be grateful that our last hours together were full of love and happiness. The last thing Dot felt were kind hands. The last thing he heard was "I love you, buddy. You be a good boy up there." The last thing he saw was a lovely green pasture, blue sky and sunshine. We had been together for 21 years. Dot was with me through thick and thin. He was a gentleman, a kind, sweet soul, a Good Boy through and through. He took me farther, faster and higher than I'm sure he would have ever wanted to go on his own. Dot was retired from a racing career at the age of 5, after which we successfully showed both in Hunters and in Dressage. It did not matter what was asked of him, he always tried his best. I owe him a great deal.
A kind eye, a brave heart, a gentle soul, a wise spirit. I'll miss you, sweet boy. You are always with me.
Dot (Raced as "Fugue", shown as "Manhattan Fugue") Grey Thoroughbred Gelding Moving Target x Old Music (v. Olden Times) March 30, 1983 - August 29, 2009.
With tears in my eyes...
Sarah
Videos and Photo-albums
Videos:
May 26, 2007 (second for that day)
Pictures:
Pictures
Dot at 6
Dot at 24
Photo courtesy Scott DeRuyter Photography (it helps being married to the photographer ;) ).
Dot's 25th Birthday Party, March 30, 2008
Photo courtesy Scott DeRuyter Photography.
May 24, 2008
Photo courtesy Scott DeRuyter Photography.
Pedigree
Comments
What a lovely story! Thank you for sharing WendyinMI
Great wiki presentation and I love Dot's story! Thank you for being a wonderful horse owner and appreciating an OTTB!! swedishkat
Oh, and I "cleaned up" your video & photo links for you, hope you didn't mind :) LOVELY photos BTW. swedishkat
Thank you very much! This is my first attempt at a wiki, so any help is much appreciated :)
Thank you for sharing Dot's story. Love the grays! MarginMaine
Thank you for telling this old champ's story, and about your life with him! I loved your photos! And what a beautiful sitting trot you have! MaryAinMI
What a great story, and nice to see another OTTB enjoying retirment in AZ! Dot looks awesome for his age. Azsally
Azsally made me come here! I'm Barb AZ. That IS a wonderful story. Our "Older gentleman" is in his mid thirties and still going strong. There is absolutely nothing better than an older horse and they age much more gracefully than us HU-MAUNS!
Shoot me an email! I'm in Glendale! barb_az53@yahoo.com Barb AZ
Thank you so much, everyone, for the very, very kind words and compliments - they mean a great deal! Thank you also for helping Dot win "OTTB of the Week" for Week 1 - we're very excited about this, and should we be fortunate enough to win the overall prize of $500, will ask for it to be donated to Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program. These are wonderful people who are taking a direct approach to helping horses from the Finger Lakes race track find new homes - right from the track!
~ Sarah (Dot's Mom) and Dot :)
Sarah, I think the explanation of the contest was a bit confusing - sorry about that - the $500 prize will be given to the wiki who wins the "overall" contest, ie. after the 8 weeks, ONE winner will be drawn... Which may very well be DOT!! Let's hope, for Fingerlakes' sake - that it is!! I will change the wording a bit in the contest section... swedishkat
Swedishkat, thanks for the clarification... I've corrected - and we'll keep our fingers crossed :)
I saw your comment on Carson City Kid's page - What a good sport you are, Fugue's mom!! Fugue fought a great "battle". Congratulations on the second place finish - unfortunately there could only be one winner...:) swedishkat
Glad to hear Dot is enjoying his green, lush grass and quality time with you! I know exactly what you are talking about, with enjoying EVERY day...I have an aging 13 year old German Shepherd and every day counts! Also, my Mango is now 20, doing GREAT STILL JUMPING, but the older they get...you just KNOW how to appreciate every day and know how blessed you are to have been part of their life... :) swedishkat
