So, yes, we haven’t posted anything new in awhile here but that’s because summer means getting enough light and sun to really get horses out and ready to go to their new homes.
Dixie (Ur My Dixie Girl) completed her rehab and had a final set of x-rays done. “I can’t even see where the fracture was,” said the vet, “and the joint looks great!”
With that, Dixie was off to her new life with a long-time horse family with experiences from cow horse to hunter jumpers to training horses for the track. They were impressed with her from start, seeing in her the same things we all did–intelligence, huge heart, willingness to try new things, confidence, and an absolute surety about where each and every part of her body–ears to toes–is at all times. Not to mention her beautiful self and princess attitude.
Her new owner watched every one of Dixie’s races. Every one. “She broke from the gate first in every race!” She thanks us every time we talk for this amazing horse and smiles and laughs while she rides, constantly offering Dixie a pat and a “Good girl!”
Dixie is blossoming with the regular work and all the new things she’s learning. “She’s already bending and moving off my leg,” Erin said in week one. Today, at a local gymkhana event they attended, she told us Dixie is already getting her turns and Erin’s mom told us that she’s learning to use her back end as well. “She’s so smart,” was said more than once with absolute pride and the joy that comes with working with a horse like this.
They just walked and trotted today. And tied an ex-racehorse to the trailer. And let her see horses running fast. Worked her in a strange arena with dozens of strange horses. Dixie acted like the professional she is with only the slight impatience of youth and an athlete who knows she’s got a job to do.
In other words, she was incredible.
Our Sonoma team had a hard time letting go of Dixie, but seeing how much she’s loved–and loved for who she is–plus seeing her handle a new environment with confidence and enthusiasm? Well, we might have puffed up a little with satisfaction at doing right by this horse.
Neigh Savers isn’t about rushing a horse–not through rehabilitation, not into work, not into the first home that comes along. It’s all about finding the right place for each horse that passes through our program. Dixie says we did a great job and that pink rhinestones are definitely her color.
Thank you, Erin, for giving an ex-racehorse a chance and for loving Dixie as much as we do. You two are a perfect match and there are many fine adventures coming your way, we can tell.
With lots and lots of bling, says Dixie-the-princess.