Horses and Hope: The Story of Slim Chance

Horses and Hope 2014 calendar preview: MAY! 

 

Chance is a seven-year-old gelding who ended up at the auction. His breed is unknown, but by the way he flies around the pasture, it’s thought that he’s a Thoroughbred. Melissa Butensky saw his picture online and decided he was the one for her.  After a rocky start, Melissa made a plan: she took Chance back to the beginning of his training, and taught him all the things his previous handlers left out. He’s now a confident and fun mount for Melissa, and the two of them fly together.

 

"Slim Chance. That’s what I thought the odds were that I’d ever have my own horse. As a girl, I tried to convince my parents to keep a horse in our one-car garage and harvest hay from the lawn. That didn’t work, so I rode whenever I could and enjoyed even challenging horses. 

 One morning in May, I was sipping coffee and looking at the Camelot horses on Facebook, hoping to offer a comment or anything that might help. Then I saw him - hip #348, a thin, nameless gray who had trust issues and didn’t like the bit. 

Chance at auction (mis-numbered 344- he was actually Hip 348)

With well-trained horses running through every week, what were his chances of getting out of there safely? Slim at best.

It was at that moment that I lost my mind. No magic fairy was ever going to show up with a gift horse, and looking at pictures was not going to save a life. Life is too short; I just had to make it work. With the support of my wonderful husband and enthusiastic boys, #348 became mine.

 

Ours was not an easy journey. Chance wouldn’t stand still for anything. He would seem quiet when he was actually nervous, and would act nervous when he was just being bossy.

After a year of struggling, I was afraid I’d never be able to ride him, but the sale loomed large and I could not give up on him.

 Expert trainer Jeane DeVries taught me to recognize the difference between scared and obstinate, and gave me the tools and skills I needed to work with him. 

 Today, Chance is a different horse – curious, willing, energetic, funny, & a bit of a nosey rascal. Every milestone we reach together is a thrill to me." - owner Melissa Butensky

Whether Chance races around the pasture at liberty of floats across the arena under saddle with Melissa, it is clear that he is relaxed, settled, and comfortable. With hours of patient work, Melissa unlocked his potential and has helped him to become a lovely riding horse. She had no timeline, no deadline, and no expectations, and Chance rewarded her patience. It is a joy to see the two of them out on the trails or just spending time together at the barn. Every horse should be so lucky to have a human who not only takes a "chance" but also works hard to understand him. - Sarah Andrew

     

 Horses and Hope 2014 Calendar

Chance is one of the many horses featured in my 2014 Horses and Hope calendar. With the help of Gina Keesling of HoofPrints, the 2012 and 2013 Horses and Hope calendars featured stories and photos of hundreds of horses. Thanks to the support of horse lovers everywhere, it raised thousands of dollars for One Horse At A Time, helping hundreds of horses in need directly, and untold others indirectly through increased public awareness. Now that we have two calendars' worth of experience to draw upon, the 2014 version promises to be even more exciting, even more creative, and as always, inspirational and positive.  

Please click here to reserve your copy now for November delivery 

Horses and Hope: Mimi's Story

Part 2 in Sarah Andrew's Horses and Hope series, an uplifting look at how the equine community helps local horses in need.

Since January 2010, I've photographed well over 3,000 horses in need at rescues, private farms, and the auction. All the horses, donkeys, and mules are unique, but some of them have that extra-special "something", like Mimi.

Camelot Auction, October 12, 2010. The little sorrel mare did not have any other buyers on auction night, and she sold to the feedlot. The description from the Camelot Horse Weekly auction night volunteers on listed her as follows:

"Hip #66: Sorrel Mare 14.3h. 4 yrs, rode thru calm, one blue eye the one she kept closing, when I blocked the light, she opened it, she is very sweet and thin. $260.00"

The following day, I photographed all of the available horses at the auction, including Hip #66. Her eye was still runny, crusty, and irritated. While I was working on photos, Bill Fox and Bev Goff of Handy Acres in Jackson, NJ arrived at the auction to look at some horses. Bev told me she was looking at the little mare with the bad eye. I pointed out her companion, Hip #69, a dapper-looking black gelding who with very similar markings, but Bev was drawn to the mare.

Bill and Bev named the mare Mimi and brought her home, where she spent the winter at Handy Acres dining on an all-you-can-eat hay buffet, under a cozy stable rug. Within a day or two, her eye cleared up. Her vision was perfect.

Although Mimi had very minimal training and was barely broke to saddle, she was one of those horses who took everything in stride, from Santa hats to the busy wintertime indoor arena.  

Mimi matured and blossomed in Bev's care, and in the spring, her winter coat shed out, revealing a deep chestnut color. As she was schooled under saddle, she showed versatility and trainability. She boldly led nervous horses on trail rides. She carefully carried young riders, happily going both English and western. She stood like a statue one cold night when Bev was injured by another horse's kick and waited for an ambulance.

This summer, Bev and Mimi started a new chapter in their journey together, and began training for western pleasure classes. On Sunday, they did their first-ever show together. It was Mimi's second time off the farm property, but she handled the new surroundings with style.

As they waited for their classes at the show, Mimi looked like a seasoned show horse, and her calm demeanor settled her rider's nerves.

The judge rewarded Mimi's consistency and responsiveness to Bev's cues. They placed 2nd and 3rd in their classes, and tied for Reserve Champion. Bev saw Mimi's inner sparkle two years ago in the pen at the auction, and now we can all see her beauty. Once a $260 horse with a runny eye, Mimi is now a priceless barn favorite, loved by all.

 I asked Bev for a few words about Mimi, and this is what she had to say:

"It's hard to know where to start with the story of It's All About Me, aka Mimi. It was said that she was blind in one eye, and we were looking for a lesson horse, so she wasn't what we were looking for. But when I looked at Mimi, something in my heart said that she is the one. For $260.00, we brought her home, and our journey began. 

A day after she came home from the auction, her eye cleared up and her vision was perfect. She is one of the smartest mares I have ever had the chance to work with; she has gone from packing 8-year-olds around to saving me from a serious injury. She has gone from English to the western pleasure ring. There is nothing this mare cannot do, and she does it all with ease and beauty. Mimi is my world, and I am so grateful every day that she is a part of my life. Mimi and I wouldn't be together if it wasn't for Bill Fox (of Handy Acres). I love them both." -Bev Goff

 Mimi is one of the many horses featured in my 2013 Horses and Hope calendar. With the help of Gina Keesling of HoofPrints, my 2012 debut calendar contained over 100 photos of auction horses. Thanks to the support of horse lovers all over, it raised nearly $40,000 for One Horse At A Time, helping hundreds of horses in need directly, and untold others indirectly through increased public awareness. Now that we have one calendar's worth of experience to draw upon, the 2013 version promises to be even more exciting, even more creative, and as always, inspirational and positive. 

 

Please click here to reserve your copy now for mid-October delivery

 

Guest Post: My Day at the Derby

By Kelsey Riley

During the last two years on the Darley Flying Start program, I have been very fortunate to attend most of the world’s best races. I have seen the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes, the Melbourne Cup, the Hong Kong International race meeting, and the Dubai World Cup. But as I stood amongst a crowd of 130,000 at Epsom Downs on Saturday while Coolmore’s Camelot charged to victory in the Epsom Derby, I felt like I was witnessing something truly spectacular.

With his resounding victory Camelot became just the third horse in 23 years to take the English classic double of the 2000 Guineas and the Derby. His five-length winning margin erased any doubts of stamina or class dominance, and he is now poised, if his connections please, to pursue the rare distinction of England’s Triple Crown in the St. Leger Stakes on September 15.

Epsom Downs: Home of the Derby

The English Triple Crown has not been claimed since the great Nijinsky in 1970, and has largely gone out of fashion since, with few 2000 Guineas winners attempting the Derby or St. Leger. Only two horses since 1989 have completed the Guineas/Derby double, and most of the top three-year-olds these days bypass the St. Leger in favour of more glamorous contests like the Arc. If there is to be any horse to buck the trends and go for Triple Crown glory, you would think it would have to be Camelot. Having achieved nearly every major milestone in European racing, Coolmore have little to lose by trying.

Camelot's trainer Aidan O'Brien 

While world heavyweight Frankel remains the darling of European racing, I think Camelot would be in a position to nab that title should he win the St. Leger. Even by simply starting in the race, he would undoubtedly draw massive mainstream attention to racing, something we all want. As with all major stars of the turf, there is already big talk happening in the days following the Derby, and some are speculating a matchup with Frankel at the end of the year. Or, maybe he could come to America and hook up with I’ll Have Another in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Longshot, yes, but isn’t this a sport of dreams?  

Coolmore's Astrology being saddled
for the Derby. He finished third.

My day at the Derby ranked right up there with the best race meetings I have attended. The atmosphere was electric from start to finish, no doubt helped by The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, which kicked off at Epsom before the first race. With the monarch herself in attendance, a large crowd turned out for the festivities, which included an elaborate infield carnival. Before the main attraction, patrons were treated to a showing of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner St. Nicholas Abbey in the G1 Coronation Cup. The son of Montjeu (like Camelot) turned the race into a procession under Joseph O’Brien, providing a sneak preview of what was to come in the Derby. Speaking of young Joseph, I can’t express how much I admire the 19-year-old. He has shown to have a cool head and confident yet capable style in some of the most pressure packed situations in the sport. This was accentuated by his flawless ride on Camelot around what is regarded as one of the world’s most challenging racecourses. While he is no doubt helped by his family tree (father Aidan is Coolmore’s trainer), he would never have reached the level he has without loads of hard work and ability.

Camelot walking the parade ring
before the Derby

Credit must also be given to second and third-place finishers, Main Sequence and Astrology, who both ran huge races to hit the board. Astrology, another Coolmore charge, made all the running for his stablemate Camelot. For a few strides it looked as if the son of Galileo may have stolen the race from his stablemate, but in the end Camelot was too strong for him, and he was just nipped by Main Sequence, a son of American sprint champion Aldebaran, for second. Bonfire, the second choice, looked spectacular in the paddock but got worked up in the warm up and failed to factor. 

Needless to say, my day at the Derby was one to savour and remember. I hope these photos capture a bit of the excitement and atmosphere. I would certainly recommend any racing fan make the trip to England for the Epsom Derby.

Aidan O'Brien brushes Camelot before he heads to the track

Derby second place finisher Main Sequence

Derby second choice Bonfire

A packed Epsom Downs grandstand

Camelot and Joseph O'Brien return victorious

-- Kelsey Riley is a second year trainee on the Darley Flying Start program. She will join the TDN staff in July.

Guest Post: Is 2012 the Year of the Triple Crown?

By Kelsey Riley

The countdown is on for I’ll Have Another and his loyal legion of fans. On June 9, the plucky chestnut will attempt to become American racing’s 12^th Triple Crown winner, and the first since Affirmed in 1978. The press is awash with opinions on whether the son of Flower Alley will complete the elusive hat trick, and while I am not here to throw my speculations into the fire, I would like to point out that the Triple Crown has been trending in racing around the world in 2012.

America isn’t the only nation with Triple Crown fever. England caught a raging case of it when Coolmore’s undefeated colt Camelot ran away with the English 2000 Guineas on May 5. The son of the late great Montjeu has subsequently been installed an overwhelming odds-on choice for this Saturday’s Epsom Derby. He will take on eight other colts over Epsom’s uniquely challenging course while jumping up to a mile-and-a-half for the first time. While this seems a daunting task, a great many European racing pundits have unwavering faith in the star colt. Shortly after Camelot won the Guineas, gossip grew that the Aidan O’Brien charge may make an attempt at the Triple Crown. Believe it or not, England has experienced a longer Triple Crown drought than America. The English Triple Crown (the 2000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby, and the St. Leger) has not been won since Nijinsky swept the series in 1970. In fact, the English Triple Crown has gone rather out of fashion. It is a rare occurrence for a horse to attempt it, and many Guineas winners will bypass the Derby itself in favour of shorter contests. Only two horses have doubled up in the Guineas and Derby since 1970: Nashwan in 1988 and Sea the Stars in 2009. In turn, the St. Leger has lost its lustre, and has not been a significant target for top three-year-olds in a number of years. Although Sea the Stars won the first two legs of the Triple Crown in 2009, his connections opted for a schedule that included the Juddmonte International, the Irish Champion Stakes, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Coolmore has yet to indicate their plans for Camelot, and while there is doubt over whether he will even get his chance at the Triple Crown, we can dream.

The dream has already come true for Australian racing fans this year, as Pierro became the first horse in eight years (sixth in history) to sweep Australia’s two-year-old Triple Crown of the Golden Slipper, Sires’ Produce, and Champagne Stakes. The undefeated son of Lonhro has serious star quality, and while we’re dreaming, who’s to say he won’t go on next year to win that country’s three-year-old Triple Crown, which consists of the Randwick Guineas, Rosehill Guineas, and AJC Australian Derby? That trio has been won by just four horses, but the most recent winner was Pierro’s paternal grandsire, Octagonal. Pierro has the pedigree to go a route of ground and to improve with age, so it's exciting to think of how good he could be.

Pierro winning the Champagne Stakes

Another nation that has tasted the excitement of the Triple Crown this year is Singapore. Super Easy completed the sweep on May 18 when he won the Singapore Guineas, remaining undefeated in 10 starts including the Three-Year-Old Sprint and the Three-Year-Old Classic. If his courageous win in the Guineas wasn’t enough, the New Zealand-bred’s form was justified when Ato, a horse he has beaten twice, got up to win the Krisflyer International Sprint (G1), the fourth race in the Global Sprint Challenge, last weekend.

Across the map in Japan, three-year-old filly Gentildonna continued her dominance of the female sophomore division when she took the May 20 Japanese Oaks by an easy five lengths. The Sunday Racing colour-bearer was following up on her win in the Japanese 1000 Guineas on April 8, and she looked to be the real deal while stepping from 1600 metres to 2400 metres. The Japanese fillies Triple Crown consists of the Oka Sho (1000 Guineas), Yushun Himba (Oaks), and the Shuka Sho in October. The series was won in 2010 by Apapane. If any horse has the genetics to complete the sweep it is Gentildonna. Her sire Deep Impact took the colts’ version in 2005.

Gentildonna winning the Japanese Oaks.
Courtesy Japan Racing Association

Whether or not it influences anyone’s opinion on I’ll Have Another’s Triple Crown chances, the topic is clearly trending in racing around the world this year. It is interesting to observe how the various Triple Crowns are perceived in different countries, and it is important to note that some of these series have been altered over the years, or have otherwise become insignificant. Regardless, it is exciting to see so many equine stars around the world. If anyone knows of any current Triple Crown stories that I haven’t listed, please share them.       

-- Kelsey Riley is a second year trainee on the Darley Flying Start program. She will join the TDN staff in July.