Cool Voyager

I have been negotiating a deal on a new horse for the last two weeks. It started out as a joke with one of my horse friends through an e-mail. What started out as a joke, suddenly began to take shape and the next thing I knew, I was seeing the possibility of this crazy thing actually working out!  Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses (CANTER) provides retiring racehorses with opportunities for new careers after the finish line.  I have been on and off their web site for a while now just as a curiosity..........no intention of ever actually buying one of them, I just liked to look. I could never replace my "best friend" after all.  There was one that kept haunting me. Something about him that I couldn't put my finger on. My e-mail friend had a connection with the girl who runs CANTER New England, so he asked her a few questions about one or two that I had mentioned in passing that I liked. One thing led to another and before I knew what was happening I was making an appointment to go see the one in New York that had impressed me so much.  What could it hurt to just go look? After all, he couldn't possibly be as awesome as she said....she probably says that about all of them just to get them placed, right?  What I saw took my breath away!  Here was a horse with a kind of quiet nobility that said, "IF you earn my respect, I will be your best friend.......but it will have to be earned!" I was hooked.  

I had brought my saddle, chaps and helmet with the intention of riding.  After all, who buys a horse they can't ride, right?  Half way up there the reality hit me, of the stupidity of my getting on the back of a horse who had raced just two weeks ago and was at the track and the only place to ride was ON the track and race horses know one thing, right?  So I had every intention of just watching him be ridden and I would try to make a decision based on what I saw.  What I didn't count on was the horse himself.  After watching for about 20 minutes there was no way I wasn't going to get on him!  So the saddles were changed, chaps and helmet on and up I went!  And I mean UP!  This guy stands about 16.2 hands.  It was awesome!  He was awesome!  You could just feel the power, but he was very manageable.  So arrangements were made for the vet check-which he didn't pass with flying colors.  But the problem could be corrected with minor surgery and when the owner found out, he was willing to drop the purchase price to compensate for the surgery.  

So today there is a new horse living in my old friend's stall. I was worried about how I would feel, but my daughter put it all into perspective for me when she said, "Congrats on the new horse and we all know he is not a replacement for the other. He's just someone else that needs your love."  Ahhhhhh, you gotta love these kids!  :)  He has settled in quite well and all 3 boys learned that you can't play kissy face through the electric tape!  He even took his first zap in stride!  So Christmas came early here this year.  I think my SO is just as excited (OK maybe not quite) as I am.  I guess what I mean is that he is happy for me and has been sooooooooooooo very supportive....... helping to get both the fence and the stall ready -which wasn't easy in the freezing weather we have been having.  But he did it without complaining!  Bless him.

[BensBud adds: "Welcome home to Cool Voyager (The Coolman).  Take good care of your hew friend, we know she'll love you as she has loved others.]

148. Cool Voyager, Dk bay gelding w/blaze, 16+ hands, 7 years old.  This boy doesn't have much mileage on him as he runs exclusively on the turf. In the off-season he's actually been ridden at shows and started jumping with the owner's granddaughter. Owner has another horse for sale - may be willing to do a package deal if he can move both horses quickly. One is located near his home in Western MA, the other is at Suffolk Downs.