Swedishkat
From AlexBrownRacing
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Bio
I was born and lived my first 28 years in Sweden and came here (to Texas) in 1995. I worked as a vet tech for 4 years before becoming a "professional" horse trainer and was then the assistant trainer for a 100 stall equestrian center where the main focus was to import, train, show and sell German warmbloods. I also retrained “problem” horses and started young horses under saddle. Then onto another Equestrian Center where I was the head trainer (boarders, lessons, shows, training client's horses & OTTBs) before I went "solo" and had my own little barn. My passion, except for training horses, has always been to study top European bloodlines (warmbloods) and how to breed a good jumper vs. dressagehorse. Lately, I have been trying to catch up on the TB bloodlines as well and I enjoy that equally much! I can be reached at katbuesking@yahoo.com
Horse experience
I started riding in Sweden when I was 7 [1] and trained in dressage, jumping and eventing. I started showing pony jumpers at age 11 and then moved on to showing warmbloods in both jumping and dressage. Me & my husband have currently 3 horses: 9 yo Swedish Warmblood, 18 yo OTTB (if you can call him that - he only raced ONCE), 20 yo OTTB (ex-racer) - all jumpers. Then we also have a 13 yo German Shepherd and of course, "Stinky", the cat (although, sadly missing...still). The most recent family additions are Buster & Fila (rescued puppies) and Feather (rescued kitty, who has since passed away).
A NEW ADDITION TO THE FAMILY, as of Oct. 5, 2008 - Doctor Decherd Click on his name to read about him in his wiki... :)
Mango's very first Grand Prix (2000) On youTube
Mango's second Grand Prix On YouTube
What brought me to Horse Racing
BARBARO!! I have always been fascinated by racehorses, the books I read as a child were all about racehorses, Man O'War was my "idol", I thought I wanted to be a jockey growing up... But there has also been many things that has made me NOT like the racing industry; horses starting training AND racing at such a young age, doping, over breeding and the fact that I sometimes wonder what some people do to these horses at the race track, as I have dealt with many horses coming off the track, with various "mental issues" and/or broken spirits. But then there was Barbaro - his trainer was Michael Matz, a professional HORSEMAN who used to be one of the best jumper rider/trainers in the US. I remember when I first heard of Matz retiring from jumping, when "his" warmblood Judgement [2] had a new rider in Beezie Madden and it was announced that Matz was now going to train thoroughbred racehorses. I remember thinking: "What in the world is he thinking? Why?", and at the same time I was smiling, thinking "Yeah, I'll bet he will have fun doing that". Then came the spring of 2006, I didn't even watch the Kentucky Derby, but I went online to find out who had won it - a horse named Barbaro (I couldn't even pronounce his name) and he was trained by Michael Matz!!! The following weeks up to the Preakness, I read up on everything I could find about Barbaro and Matz and I absolutely LOVED the fact that everybody made such a fuss about Matz's training methods - that he let his horse REST in between races and how that seemed to brake all the "traditions", and how Matz "listened to the horse" and didn't just follow the normal racing routines. Come Preakness Day and I was sitting in front of the TV, waiting to catch a glimpse of BARBARO and watching Matz walk "the walk" with his son, and I was praying; "God, keep all the horses and jockeys SAFE and let the best horse win", but in my heart I couldn't see any horse but Barbaro win...
I couldn't understand why what happened, happened - the first time I had EVER gotten so involved in a racehorse, why did I even get that involved?... I know now the reasons, as I think most of us do. Barbaro's accomplishments are not only known and recorded within the raceworld, people from all disciplines of the equestrian world know about Barbaro, people who have never seen a horserace know about Barbaro, people who know nothing about horses or has never even touched a horse knows about Barbaro. And I, for one, am HOOKED!
FOB Activities
Like to help the The Exceller Fund, when I can, "Take A Chance" is dear to my heart. I also wrote an article about Exceller, for a Swedish horse magazine, with a follow up on the whole Exceller tragedy and what has followed in its footprints; Exceller Fund [3], Old Friends Equine [4] etc. Also mentioned TWR/ABR and the "Barbaro-effect" and the anti-slaughter work we are doing "over here". In the future, I hope to be able to assist the Exceller Fund (and other rescues) with evaluating and retraining the horses they save, to be able to adopt them out and giving them a second chance. Also doing what I can for fighting horse slaughter; calling, e-mailing, getting the word out...A big and important project on the ABR wiki is the OTTB resource and also the laminitis research wiki. I am a moderator for ABR and can also help with wiki questions and help post pictures etc. Just shoot me an e-mail...
3 articles Swedish magazine; Exceller,HS ABR 11/16/07
My first visit to a horse auction - was able to save two!
Trying to help two neglected/starved horses in my area...
FOB Network
The list of FOB-friends is long!
Questions from other FOBs
Feel free to ask me anything:
1. From Lenny, glad Carol sent you the pics of Cleo our Bobcat, yes she is a goofball. :-)
2. I love the photos!! Can you tell us who the horses are that you're riding? - wendyinmi
Sure: pic# 1&2 is me on SWB Pelargon (the name is Swedish for the flower Geranium, so I call him my "flower child"), bought him in Sweden as a yearling, #3 is me on Secret Poise (we call him Bosse), 16 y.o. TB, #4 is my husband Richard on Bosse (this pic was from Richard's 2nd year of riding!), his horse is the ultimate "Schoolmaster"!, # 5&6 is me on Allege Proof (we call him Mango), he is my "Damascus grandson" (by Alleged) and my ultimate "rehab-case", he was considered DANGEROUS and crazy, when he came to me and has come a LONG way - he is now as sweet as a horse could possibly be, now 18 y.o., the first pic of him (#5) was taken about a month ago - thanks! that's awesome. I sure could use some pointers in jumping right now...:) WendyinMI
3 From Gannonrose - Hi, thanks for the encouraging words and yes, my Gannon was a big guy who could really jump !!!! I worked on the Seabiscuit page and I think it is a good start for now.
4 From Regalmrj (Roseann) - Hi there, and thanks for your comments about Robin my OTTB. WOW, I love your pictures. Your Swedish "flower child" truly loves to jump doesn't he. I love his expression in these pictures. I don't have a favorite though....wish I looked today as good as your husband does in just his 2nd year of riding! I'm assuming you are actively showing Pelargon? What about the TB's? Just got done reading your article. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't have the right words to tell you how much and the pictures are just fabulous. You are a very lucky, talented, and gifted horsewoman. I'm sure hearing his native tongue was the perfect beginning for his bonding with you. Great wiki page and looking forward to pictures of when your "baby" comes to the states! Roseann
Thank you, Roseann, for your kind words about my horses, wiki and pictures. Sometimes it is hard (scary) to share TOO much over the net, and also not to OVERdo it...About showing the boys - lately I haven't, I WISH, long story but has to do with finances and trying to get settled with our OWN place etc. Pelle can't WAIT to go back to showing though, and do some serious SHOWING OFF!! LOL Mango has shown Grand Prixs, but I think he might be done showing (he's 18), not sure though, he hasn't given me his final answer on that...He always wanted to do EVENTING too, he would be the OLDEST "newbie" in the event world, if we started TODAY! Bosse is the "all purpose" horse. He's done 4'3 jumpers, 3-4th level dressage, and some eventing. He has also taught MANY of my former students to ride better and some of them have even shown him at jumpershows. Now, he's my husband's school master and MAYBE, one day, they will go to their first horse show together...I'll work on putting more pictures up as well, there are some of Mango if you click on his name in my answer to Wendy... Thanks again!
5 I looked at Mango's pictures and again WOW. I do have favorites this time...love him galloping (pic 6) at Pecan Park, the schooling picture (pic 10) where he is just flying and looks like he could jump the moon, and (pic 11) where he looks like he was counter-cantering that turn so balanced? Was that a jump-off? Answer: It sure was! He gets really into it and you have to be careful not to look at the next jump TOO SOON - or he'll turn as soon as we land!!...and sometimes you just need a little more room to make a "jumpable" approach...When Mango has a "good" day jumping - he's hard to catch in the jump-off! :D
Response: LOL, I LOVE IT!! It's wonderful being on a very athletic jumper....it can also be NERVE WRACKING during those moments of "hang on mom, we can do 5' with 1/2 stride approach!!" I have a picture of my former trainer on his TB Mare really twisting her body mid-air during a jump-off . My understanding was she, too, was really tough to beat in a jump-off. She had a sad ending, was bred to Frank Chapot's Stallion, Good Twist and had a stunning foal. A stable hand left a front gate unlatched and she and the baby wandered out onto a truck traveled two-lane and they were hit. The foal was killed outright and the mare so severely injured had to be put down. Everyone's worst nightmare.
(I didn't realize how big this picture was, so feel free to delete it after taking a look)!! OK, I did (eventually) :)
6. Hey Kat! I met the owner of the Jaguar Hope today. He'll be mine (barring any racing accidents) in August! I'm so very happy! He also wanted a more than fair price for a grandson of Alydar! I was so excited I went out and bought him a nice leather halter with name plate. :) WendyinMI
My favorite webpages
The national Stud of Sweden It has an "English page" (Tips: When you look at warmblood pedigrees, "xx" after the name means thoroughbred...)
Championsgallery I'm a HUGE Damascus-fan. One of his awesome races...
Swedish Warmblood Association (in English)
The International League for the Protection of Horses NEW NAME - World Horse Welfare
Fund Food for Animals Click daily to feed animals - FREE
Tb heritage Older TB stallions - influences in warmblood jumper bloodlines
My favorite WIKI entries
OTTB resource, Big Brown, Damascus, FUSAICHI PEGASUS, Man O' War, Exceller, War Admiral, Alleged, Curlin, Teuflesberg, Dylan Thomas, Thoroughbred Friends, Laminitis research
My NEW website
Comments
Thank you for the comment on Cheersto Glory's page! Reading your bio regarding OTTB's was wonderful. We know we made the right decision to adopt Cheers. We only hope others will continue to give OTTB's a new career. cheersto glory
