Turkey Time

I got an e-mail yesterday from the former owner of my former horse, Turkey.

This person owned him just before I did, and she found me after putting in Turkey's registered name (Turkey Hill's Esquire) into Google, which brought her here to my blog.

The e-mail was a very nice surprise. I've always wanted to know more about Turkey's past before he came to be with me. I got him when he was 15,16 or 17 (I cannot remember how old he was exactly), and I knew he had some kind of extensive past prior to me because he was very VERY well trained. He was a push button, pattern perfect do ANYTHING you ask of him kind of a horse by the time I came around.

Anyway, it turns out that before I owned him, Turkey was a Saddle Seat equitation horse. In fact, he carried his previous owner to a World Championship in Saddle seat Equitation in the mid nineties! I never had any idea about that. When he became mine, something I remember being beyond ecstatic about, I got him and just did my own thing - riding, and generally attempting to spoil his grumpy butt, I think he would rather have been left alone though. I rode him mostly hunt seat, but showed him saddle seat in a few open shows too....I really had no idea what I was doing in my borrowed saddle seat suit, but Turkey took it all in stride.

Anyway the second I got the e-mail, I responded.  Enthusiastically I went on and on, probably giving way too much information (as per usual)....ugh. I probably should have waited a few hours before responding, but I was excited...(I am) excited to learn more about Turkey's (apparently) illustrious past!

Sadly, I had to break the news to her that Turkey is no longer alive, that was not an easy thing to do.

Anyway, I am hoping that she will share some pictures of him with me. I no longer have any of the professional photos of Turkey and I as they were lent to another trainer (Jeff) when he had some clients interested in buying Turkey. Stupidly, it didn't occur to my mom and I that copies would have sufficed...blast it all anyway! I'd love to see Turkey in his glory days!

 To the left is Turkey at about 16 or 17. This is before I knew anything about showing...I painted his mostly light colored hooves black for goodness sakes! Nevertheless, I love this picture of him!