First Anniversary with My Ex-Racehorse

Knight and I celebrated our first anniversary recently. As I climbed the mounting block in preparation for my lesson, I announced, “It’s my anniversary!”

My trainer and a couple of moms hanging out by the arena rail all said, “Congratulations!”

A girl and her horse. Susan Friedland-Smith and her OTTB Tiz a Knight. Photo credit: Carolyn Rikje Photography

I realized they thought it was my wedding anniversary and I said, “Not that one. We’ve been married five years (horse husband and I), but today is exactly one year since I bought Knight.”

He’s finally putting on weight (and muscle)! One year anniversary photo.

My trainer said, “Has it really been that long already? You know what he did on your anniversary?”

“Get cast?”

“No, I rode him earlier and he gave me FOUR flying changes in a row. He’s getting it.”

I told him he was a good boy and gave him a pat. We had a nice lesson despite the heat at 6 p.m. It’s still very hot here in SoCal. High 80s, low 90s. It’s taken almost a year to figure out how to adequately put weight on this fellow, but I think we’ve finally figured him out–just in the last 2-3 months.

This is how Knight looked when he stepped off the trailer and walked into my life.

We’ve been to three horse shows together in the last year and each one keeps getting better. We’ve been on several trail rides in the adjacent desert and mountain trails and he is a champ: surefooted and no spook (not even when mountain bikers creep up on us fairly quietly).

The most dramatic scenario we have encountered together in our first year was a helicopter that swooped over us while we schooled in the arena. I thought we were goners, but my chivalrous Knight didn’t even care. See the video here of the second swoop while I was untacking and grooming him.

The first photo of Knight and me. This was three days after my birthday in 2014 (a wonderful gift to myself).

I’ve never had a horse so willing and easy-going. He doesn’t have a naughty bone in his body and while not perfect (none of us is), he is perfect for me.

I could go on and on with dozens of reasons I am over the moon, but I don’t want to bore you.

Suffice it to say, I love this horse so much! Buying an ex-racehorse has been one of the best life decisions I’ve made, and I’m so grateful to have found him. (Thank you, Lord!)

Comments: Don’t be shy. Do you celebrate your anniversaries with your horse and/or other pets? 

Do you Tweet and Instagram? You can follow us there and, of course, on our Facebook page too! I will be at the Longines LA Masters (grand prix jumping) all weekend (October 1-4). Stay turned for more info on this one-of-a-kind horse show and keep an eye out for live Tweets and Instagram capturing the happenings. The celebrity show jumping competition is on Saturday night. Last year was hilarious (think Pessoa as Katy Perry), and my guess is this year will be equally remarkable.

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