Remembering Jack, part I

Jack

1976 - 2011

On the 19th day of October, 2011 in Edmond, WV
was laid to rest the greatest horse I've ever known...

my beloved and most noble friend.

It is difficult to know where to begin in eulogizing my friend, Jack, or, Jackson, as I called him in especially proud moments.  The memories are plentiful and go back a long way.  How can I possibly encompass in writing his benevolent nature toward people and animals, his gentle disposition and the peace and joy he brought to my life?

I have to try because he deserves all the acclaim and honor I can bestow upon him;  he gave far more than he ever received from me.  This is the first part of three posts to honor the memory of a wonderful friend.

The Early Years

Little did I know in 1983, when Dad traded lumber for this lanky, unwanted, grade gelding, that he would become something far more than my hobby and after school activity.  When I look back, considering my ignorance about proper riding and care and how he must have suffered for it, I cringe with guilt that such a good-hearted animal would be willing, still, to meet me at the gate the very next day.

A very rough looking Jack when we first came to know him in 1983

I learned along the way and, thankfully, those days of ignorance were few.  We learned together in fact, as he first became a trail horse and we explored so many paths together!  Not just ambling our way through unchartered territory, but leaping over fallen logs, galloping through the woods, climbing steep muddy banks and traversing deep culverts on old strip mine jobs.   We went swimming too, although I'm sure he was only willing because I asked it of him.  He loved to run and I loved it, too.  To feel that power in him with the sun on my face and wind in my hair;  there's nothing quite like it in the world.   Jack had 4 gaits:  trot, canter, gallop and 5th gear. He hated to walk and always preferred to be first on our trail rides with others.  

I often said that he ran like a freight train... that 5th gear was something else!   You know that feeling you get when you’re passing someone who’s going the speed limit on a two-lane highway and you have to floor it because you’re runnin’  out of room in the face of oncoming traffic?  Yeah.  It was kinda like that.  I think Jack would've made a great addition to the Pony Express in an earlier era.

Trails, Rails and a Great Trust

During one occasion on the trail, I came to know the heart of this horse in a poignant way.  It was a summer day when our group of 15 or so set out for a day-long ride, leaving from my uncle's farm.  We had packed our lunches and planned to ride up to an abandoned strip mine site where fields now boasted lush grass and provided ample space for picnicking.  It was a wonderful time!  I can remember laughing and joking all the way up the mountain that morning.  After a good rest and lunch, we packed up to head back to the farm, returning by the same route.

Jack wearing my favorite Buena Vista saddle for trail rides.  Mid to late 80s

On the way into the fields, we had to span a rocky man-made ditch that took a little effort and caution.   Good trail horses know how to use their feet and cross places such as this with care.  Jack had done a good job going over.  On the return trip, however, he decided it would be far easier to skip all this slow sure-footed approach and simply leap the culvert in one bound.  I wasn't on his wavelength.   So, totally unprepared for this monstrous leap, I fell off.  I didn't just fall...I did some kind of unique gymnastic maneuver that left me flat on my back, looking up at my horse's muzzle, with one ankle tangled in the rein!    I can still recall that scene, some 20 + years later.  

I can remember how he was breathing so hard and his head was pulled down slightly because of my ankle in the rein...and here is the remarkable thing:  when the daze of what happened had past, I realized that I was laying on rocks in the culvert and Jack was precariously anchored on them, too, above me.   Never did he make the slightest move to free himself or jump clear of the rocks onto the dirt road.  He stood firm until I could get enough wits about me to free my leg and stand up.   

                       **************************************** 

At the end of our trail rides, worn out from a full day of riding, we'd make it back to the barn and as soon as the bridle came off, I would turn my back to Jack.  This part he loved, for he would rub the sides of his face up and down my back to scratch those hard to reach places beneath the bridle.  It felt good on my back, too.    In winter, when my hands and toes would be numb from the frigid air, it seemed like bliss to slip my frozen fingers beneath the saddle blanket, next to his back and let the warmth seep in.  

Jack & I, mid-80s at my Uncle's farm

As my husband has said, you don't just have memories, you have eras of memories.  I've always enjoyed the trails, but there were other eras in Jack's life that included the show ring.  We tried our hand at barrels, but that was really just for fun.  Where Jack really shone was in the jumper arena.  This era lasted from 1985 - 1988.  I had a trainer who told me Jack would never do well in equitation, his gait was too rough and choppy.  Even so, we still entered the hunter classes occasionally and I was proud of Jack's effort.  He did everything I asked of him, with the exception of walking at a slow enough pace.  Jack came to life in the jumper ring, even if I usually held my breath all around the course! 

Jack & I competing in the jumper arena, 1987

Jack would rather knock a rail than to refuse a jump.  He had heart and courage for a fairly small guy, at 15.3 h   I clearly remember the day in Kingwood, WV  when Jack dethroned the well bred Thoroughbreds we often competed against.  He took top prize for going clear in the jump off and with record time!  In a class where form didn't matter as much as effort and speed, Jack did very well.   Dad was just as proud of him as I was.  

Jack & Dad at the end of the show day

Buck

From the 2011 Sundance Film Festival

A horse story...a human story.

Seeing the grace between man and horse-

and how that relationship transforms a soul.

I am looking so forward to seeing this.

Secretariat (2010): A Movie Review

As you long time readers will know, I’ve shared my life with horses since I was 6 years old and consider the horse God’s most noble creature. I’ve written about Secretariat before and have just watched the new Disney production of his amazing life.

Having watched some interviews with Penny Chenery beforehand, I learned that she was consulted during production and gladly endorsed this film. That meant something to me as I have a concern for biographical films to remain as true as possible to actual events.

Diane Lane, as Secretariat’s feisty owner, Penny Chenery, delivers an outstanding performance along with John Malkovich’s portrayal of unconventional trainer, Lucien Loren. There was much of the story surrounding this incredible horse that I was unaware of such as the sacrifices made and circumstances surrounding his birth. Big Red, as he was most often called by those who loved and cared for him, lived a beautiful life and inspired millions with his athletic ability. No less inspirational is the warm tale Mike Rich created to share the story of the Chenery family.

The prologue and initial scenes brought me right into the film; horse lovers everywhere are probably familiar with the passage spoken of in the book of Job (chapter 39) from the Old Testament:

"Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? . . . the glory of his nostrils is terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword . . . He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage".

Is there anything more thrilling than hearing and seeing a horse at full speed, thunder over the ground?

I liked this film, but was very disappointed in the soundtrack as well as a lag in the middle of the film. Instead of fleshing out Secretariat’s training and Lucien Loren’s relationship with him and the jockey, Ronnie Turcotte played by Otto Thorwarth, there is a lull of scenes with Diane Lane that didn’t add very much to the story. I guess for those who are just being introduced to the greatest racehorse that ever lived, it’s not a bad start. I wanted more depth. I kept comparing this film to Seabiscuit (2003) directed by Gary Ross whose racing scenes were superb and story intricate. Mr. Ross directed in such a way as to bring Seabiscuit up-close and personal; at the end of Secretariat, I felt I was still at a distance admiring him.

The soundtrack accompanying Secretariat is the worst match I’ve ever seen. Most of the time, the music isn’t that memorable on the first go-round because it blends so well with the subject matter. In this case, during a few significant scenes, the music was so out of sync, so incompatible with the setting, that it brought my free flowing high emotion to a screeching halt.

I hoped for an engaging epic, but got a warm & fuzzy lightweight Disney to cherish Big Red’s enduring memory.

3/5 Stars

Please, someone make an epic so we can savor a moment in racing history we’ll never witness again.... please...Mr. Ross?

Secretariat: Triple Crown Legend

If I was raised and lived far removed from churches, Holy Scripture, or anyone proclaiming Christ, ...I would know God, my Creator, through horses.

I’ve had a love of horses for as long as I can remember and have shared my life with them since age 6. Reading about horses, watching them on t.v., drawing them, spending hours at the barn riding, grooming and listening to them munch hay is a tightly woven part of my life’s tapestry.

I can recall a little motorized toy that my parents bought for me on Christmas one year that allowed me to place each differently colored horse on a little track, press ‘go’ and watch them race over and over again with varying outcomes, much to my delight.

I spent days outside in the summer reveling in Walter Farley’s Black Stallion series
and actually fell over backward in my lawn chair after throwing my hands in the air, celebratory style, as I read about the conclusion of a long and arduous desert horse race.

It isn’t the sport of racing that appeals to me as much as the opportunity to witness perfection in God’s most noble creature. In fact, there’s much to lament about the sport ...the misuse of drugs, some calloused owners and insurance policies, the questionable breeding and other ethical matters.

What I wish to share with you is the essence of the animal, a heart and spirit that kindles praise to my Creator.

There are times in our life when we can witness perfection or experience it ourselves as God’s grace is given. When we see an athlete such as Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope or Lyman Bostock who sought to return a salary he felt he didn’t earn, or Troy Polamalu who speaks openly about his love for God, we can gain a sense of something outside of themselves, something greater...something far greater and wonderful. In animals, perhaps even more so since they haven’t the propensity toward sin. Every perfect thing in us is from God above; how glorious when we gain glimpses of the eternal on earth!

I was only a toddler when Secretariat wowed the world with his stamina and heart. But through the recordings of his races and the words of those closest to him, I can share in his amazing life. In watching him run as God created him to do, it is not just thrilling to behold, but deeply humbling in the sense that here, before us, is a glimpse of perfection, of God’s handiwork.

In 1973, Secretariat won each leg comprising the Triple Crown: the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, setting new track records in each and a new world record in the Belmont. Since 1919, we’ve only seen 11 Triple Crown winners...and after the Belmont Stakes, the last and longest of the races at a mile and a half, Pat Lynch remarked:

“It was like the Lord was holding the reins, ..Secretariat was one of His creatures and maybe whispered to him a “Go” and that horse really went. It was really an almost supernatural experience...it really was.” 

--Pat Lynch NY Racing Association 1957-1981 on Secretariat’s performance in the Belmont Stakes

*To the best of my knowledge the above image is in public domain; for more information on Secretariat, please visit www.secretariat.com 

August 31st: Moving Day!
After nearly 10 years @ Gatewood, Jack has a new place to call home: Beauty Mountain Farm. This piece of paradise is located near the rim of the New River Gorge, owned and operated by Laura Davis and Gary Reynolds.

For those of you who may not know him so well, Jack is my horse, or, rather, I am his girl. I am blessed to share in his unique story. He has been with me since 1983 and we’ve grown up together in a sense. He was there to carry my friends and I on long trail rides during high school, he patiently endured my learning how to compete in hunter/jumper classes, he was there when I met my husband-to-be, he has been there to greet my two babies into the world. He is the most kind and gentle horse I have ever known.

As Jack is in his golden years, I’ve wanted to put him on a bit more pasture. I noticed a lady’s name & number on an ad bulletin one day and jotted it down for future reference. Months went by and then, out of the blue, I called the number to ask if they boarded horses. Well, we barely got past ‘hello’ and I knew. Laura and I ‘clicked’ as those with much in common are wont to do. I thank God for crossing our paths. It seems that my phone call was the catalyst for her to complete her barn projects and within a few months, she and Gary welcomed Jack & I aboard. I could not be happier; Jack has new pals and fields to roam and I have found a kindred spirit, a mentor, a friend.

Donkeys, Emus and Chickens, Oh my!

Isn't she adorable?

I was recently welcomed at Treworlas Farm in Beckwith, WV to capture some images of the adorable, the furry ...the exotic and exceedingly happy animals living there. What fun!!

I met many miniature donkeys along with their foals, countless varieties of chickens and their broods, emus, black swans, Percherons, goats and a few cows that I've not seen in any zoo, let alone in West Virginia. It was a wonderful opportunity and I wish I'd had more time to spend that morning.

As I wandered about, making my way through the fields to follow the little donkey herd, I heard a distinct bass-sounding noise: "rummm...rummm....rummm" something akin to Tolkien's Ents, I imagine. I couldn't figure it out, so chalked it up to some distant machinery laboring away. The strange thing was, however, that wherever I went, the noise was sure to follow, or stay just ahead of me. Weird.

The Percherons were the most enormous horses I've ever stood beside. At 18 h., it's a good thing they are truly gentle giants. In order to tend to their feet, Arthur, the farrier, has to put the horse in a stock to secure them. This contraption looks medieval, but is a God-send to those who must diligently trim and shoe these gigantic hooves.

A while later, as I was chatting with Arthur's assistant, he mentioned being intrigued with the attentive emu walking around in the pasture with the mini donkeys. He said, "I love the sound they make, ..it's really cool". I asked, "What do you mean? I haven't heard a peep from him. "Well, they kind of sound like a bass drum ...a very low vibration made in their throat I think." I got a good chuckle from that! So,...it was the emu following me around the whole time.

The chickens, well...chickens in general have never impressed me much, even less as a subject to photograph. But I've been missing out- I may even attempt a fine art print out of the images from Treworlas Farm! ha ....there is such a variety of poultry living there. This little fellow really caught my eye:

Treworlas Farm left a wonderful impression; a most serene and joyful place. I hope to go back again, especially in the spring when the babies will be born.