Many years ago I worked at a Thoroughbred breeding farm, where I fell in love with a certain 3 year old racehorse by the name of "Booger" (registered as Snake Oil's Star). He was a little horse with a big personality and a recent race track flunky. He ran in a total of three races and embarrassed his owners by running last or close to it in all of them . . .
How Dear aka "Nana"
One of my very first rides on Bailey . . . 
He loved to jump, once he got over the initial spook at new fences . . . and he was a beautiful mover. I was lucky to have a few dressage lessons on him as well and Bailey turned out to be a very willing partner. We did a few local shows and even trail rode on occasion (which was exciting!). But in 2000, I had to leave the East Coast to go to veterinary school and considered selling Bailey. He was an amazing little horse, but was very sensitive and I worried about finding just the right home for him . . . so decided to lease him to my best friend instead.
Ali & Bailey were an amazing pair! Ali really brought out the best in Bailey and he would always do his best for her. Ali took dressage lessons with him and showed him at training level.
After graduating vet school in 2004, Bailey came "home" to stay with me in Vermont. But in 2005 with life getting in the way, again it was time to find Bailey a new home . . . so he was given to a dressage trainer to continue his training and have a good home. As horses often do he changed hands again and spent a few years eventing and living the good life with a family that adores him in Florida.
And now Bailey is being shipped up from Florida tomorrow to come home - again. We can't wait to see him, it is so hard to imagine that he is 16 now! Our dapple grey boy is now all white! In photos he looks a little like his mother, but I have not seen him in 5 years. Although we already have plenty of horses to fill our barn, we had to make room for this sweet horse. He will always have a place in my heart and in our barn as well!
3 comments:
hmmmm. I hate them getting old..
I actually *love* old horses, they are my favorites. Such knowing souls. But I know what you mean about time passing by, coats turning white and joints getting creaky!
Oh my goodness. I was amazed to find this post on your blog after randomly searching for the TB stallion Snake Oil Stevie. I worked at the same TB farm you worked at on Station Rd. in Massachusetts for a few years prior to you working there. I remember "Booger" quite well as a youngster who had just been brought in from the "back 40" at around a year old or so having been relatively untouched at that time and left in a semi-feral herd. I recall asking after the nickname he was given and told it was because of a pink growth on his nose that he was born with and that was subsequently removed. I always wondered what became of some of the horses that were foaled there and I remember "Nana" as being such a sweet mare. I wasn't aware that your Bailey was among the ones who were to be "shipped" after a dismal career on the track. Unfortunately, most of Stevie's babies seemed destined to be mediocre at best, and an abortive attempt was made at breeding him for producing sport horses. I'm glad to find out that Bailey was one of the ones that actually "made it" and was not left to an uncertain fate at auction or worse.
I have some very old photos of Snake Oil Stevie that I would be happy to dig out and scan for you if you're interested. Your post from 2010 is some years old now and I'm wondering if dear Bailey is still with us. Thank you for taking a shine to him and giving him the second chance he deserved. I often reflect on those years spent working at that farm with some fond memories, and some not quite as fond.
Best wishes to you and yours.
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