Whozoominwho
From AlexBrownRacing
Contents |
"Zoom"
Buying a racing thoroughbred was not something I had any intention of doing before I met Whozoominwho, a 10 year old gelding standing 17 hands in a stall at Shane Spiess' barn on the backside at Great Lakes Downs in Muskegon, Michigan.
Standing in the shedrow, watching the other CANTER volunteer and Shane's assistant chatting several stalls away, I became aware of an enormous bay head, with a blaze and a snip, stretching out from the stall where I stood. Zoom sniffed at my pen, then began to gently mouth my clipboard. Absentmindedly, I began to skritch his forehead under his forelock. The head became motionless. As an owner of cats, I wondered if he might like me to scratch his very, very long chin. I put the clipboard down on the ground and began to stroke his ears and head. Slowly ... he rested his head on one of my arms while I continued the "face massage" with the other. When I eventually stopped, he lifted his head slightly, then rested it on my shoulder. We were eye to eye.
"He's for sale," Shane's assistant said, walking up the shedrow to where I was. "His name is Whozoominwho - Zoom; he's a dream to work with." It was early October of 2007. Great Lakes Downs would be closing for good in a month.
No way, I said to myself - there is no way you can buy a horse. Zoom continued to ponder me from his resting place on my shoulder. Yes, you are taking riding lessons at a great barn with an experienced instructor/trainer who owns her own racing thoroughbreds. But you are 57 years old! You have lost your mind to even be thinking about buying this horse! Zoom did not move.
She asked if I would like to see him outside of his stall. I must've said yes because a few minutes later, Zoom was standing in the autumn sun, quietly watching the goings-on around the barns. Shane's assistant, all of 4'10" tall, proceeded to walk under him to show me his "been there, done that" attitude, then tapped each leg to show how easy it was to get him to lift his feet. The other CANTER volunteer, an experienced horsewoman, walked him up the alleyway, stopped and turned, again, then once more, then back to me. "This is a good horse," she said. And within a half hour of meeting Zoom, we had telephoned Shane, settled on a price, and I had made a down payment.
There were a few bumps in the road between that day and October 29, 2007, the night I brought Zoom home. For example, there was my panic attack ("You just bought a racehorse! Are you nuts??"), patiently soothed away with the help of my CANTER friends. Then there was the announcement to my riding instructor/trainer (Bernadette), who, although concerned for me at first, now calls Zoom "the sweetest horse!" Then Shane wanted to race Zoom one more time. Luckily, he discovered he had earned too much money during the meet to qualify for an entry in that race. And lastly, Zoom was not happy about walking into Bernadette's "straight in" trailer instead of the more familiar slant.
All has turned out wonderfully, though. I had thought it likely I would not be able to ride Zoom until this Fall. But he has been exceptionally easy to train, and is kind to his riders, and I have been taking all of my lessons on Zoom since the beginning of April!
This horse is my heart. I stop by the barn where I board him every evening after work. He gets grooming and hugs and treats, fresh water in the buckets, and a muck out of his stall. I get to watch my mind stop swirling, turn quiet and grow peaceful. I get to live a dream I honestly thought was no longer in reach. I hand walk him for exercise (his and mine).
We are learning together. He is learning to relax under saddle and stay straight through his turns. I am learning balance and the nuances of body, leg and hand movements. Whenever Bernadette starts a sentence with "Your horse ... " when telling me about his latest training breakthrough, the next farrier visit, or Zoom's most recent game with the other geldings in the pasture, I can't help the huge grin that fills my face. I can't believe how lucky I am to have this boy in my life!
Photographs
Zoom's Photo Show!Video
Watch Zoom, #6, accelerate mightily in the backstretch, fly around the final turn, and come from last place to win!Comments
LOVELY pictures of Zoom!! I "centered" your pictures, hope you didn't mind (you can just take it out, if you don't like it :) swedishkat Thanks, Kat!!
