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We Are Flying Solo

September 9, 2011

A Stork Came To My Barn This Morning

He was delivering red thoroughbreds.  SURPRISE!!!

Yes, the best picture I have so far is a crappy one I took with the farmhouse growing out of his back.  He minored in architecture...

Ok, jokes aside, THIS IS MY NEW PONY!!!

What?? How??? Ehhhh??? You ask -- rightfully so.  My amazing, wonderful mum stepped forward during my abysmal grief over Solo's lingering injury & offered to help find a Solo-understudy.  Yes, I do know how awesome she is.

I started poking around, rifled through my backfiles of all the fantasy shopping I had done over at CANTER's website & snuck down to Southern Pines last weekend to meet this guy.

Crucial Stats:
6 year old Thoroughbred gelding by an AP Indy stallion named Crowd Pleaser, out of an Allen's Prospect mare.   He's about 16.1ish feeling to me right now, might gain another inch with groceries & fitness.

At present he is barefoot & very athletic, despite his pinfire scars from the track.  He ran about 26 races, breaking his maiden at Pimlico as a 3 year old & finished his career at Delaware Park, retiring sound after winning his owners about $80,000. 

His Jockey Club name is Joyous Jester, however, that just doesn't do anything for me, so he is now wearing his new moniker:  Away Again.  In the barn, we'll call him Encore, a tip of the hat to his sire (who has a race at Delaware Park named after him!), as well as to his role in following in the giant hoofprints of the one & only Solo.

Crucial-To-Me Stats:
He is quiet, impeccably mannered, kind, honest, & brave.  Hacks out on a loose rein with a lovely, marching walk & hops over Novice sized logs without batting an eye.  He has jumped all of 3 times so far & is very green but has a heart of gold.  AND HE HAS A FORELOCK.  Don't tell Solo, he might get jealous.

He was picked up from Delaware Park in December of 2010 by Jessica Morthole up at CANTER's Delaware Branch.  He was tired & ready to be done with the racing game & his trainers were kind enough to donate him into a retraining pipeline before he was run into the ground.  He quickly found his way down to NC, where Allie Conrad & Suzanne Konefal did a FANTASTIC job turning his mind & body towards a new career.  He is gaining weight after a hard post-track crash & he is muscling up in all the right places. 

I have to sign off for the moment -- I am now going to run laps of my living room yelling "PONYPONYPONYPONYPONYPONYPONYPONY!!!!!!!"

46 comments:

  1. Aw, look at how happy he looks! CANTER is on a roll finding awesome homes for our horses. You are going to have so much fun with him.

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  2. Oh my goodness!!!! Congrats! But how is Solo taking the news?

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  3. Flying Duo?

    Will he and Solo be friends?

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  4. Congrats! And what a wonderful Mom you have. How does Solo feel about his understudy? :)

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  5. Jessica -- CANTER is doing a fabulous job, keep up the good work!

    Aries and Jennifer, shhhh, Solo doesn't realize yet.

    Val, I almost made his barn name "Fly" then it would be "Fly n' Solo" LOL, but Encore came to me and it fit too well.

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  6. Oh my goodness! PONY PONY PONY!!! HOW EXCITING!!! Congratulations!

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  7. You beat me to him ;) I was heading over to check him out the second I had a spare moment and you snapped him up. I'm so happy that I'll still get to follow him on your blog! He's a super athletic guy that is going to be a VERY nice event horse. Good luck with him!

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  8. Awww, congratulations on your new ponyponyponypony ;-)!!!!!! He looks like a total doll.

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  9. Yay!!!!!!!! He's lovely! I can't wait to hear about your journey! When I first read "Encore" I assumed it was because the Solo was so good, the world demanded an Encore!

    Best of luck and love for your new friend!

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  10. Thank you!!!

    Hey Jealousy, I had a feeling he would be much sought after so I put my dibs down in a big damn hurry! I'm sorry I stole him from you -- wait, no, I take that back, I'm not sorry at all, but I know Allie and co. will have fresh and totally great prospects coming in on his tail!

    SP, LOVE that quote, I may have to steal that one!

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  11. Very cute, and oh, so exciting! Congratulations!

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  12. *teenage girl squeel* Omg!!!!!! :-D CONGRATS!!!

    Have you braided his mane with ribbons, put glittery polish on his hooves, and covered his velvety muzzle with 1,000 smooches yet?!?!?!

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  13. How wondeful!! I LOVE big red OTTB's - my last horse was one and they are just too super sweet. Although mine didn't have a forelock, lucky you!! :)

    He is very cute!! Can't wait to read more about him!

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  14. Oh, and once again -- does your mom want to adopt me?! Pretty please? We're the same age, so we can pretend we're long-lost twins.

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  15. OMG OH EM GEEEEEE YOU GOT A NEW PONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

    I am beyond excited for you. Can't wait for more info!

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  16. I can not stop smiling for you!!!! Congratulations! And hip hip hooray!

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  17. PONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! This post made.my.day. Congrats to you! He's striking!

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  18. I never comment, but read every post! Congrats on the new pony!!!! Very exciting! Can't wait to see him under saddle.

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  19. Congratulations! That is so cool and a CANTER horse too!!
    Can't wait to read all about his progress. Have a blast with him.

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  20. aw he looks GORGEOUS. i'm jealous.

    lol, "flying duo." Val just made my day.

    good luck with him, he looks like a keeper!

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  21. Thank you thank you thank you all for sharing in my pony squeals!

    Frizz, no glitter or braiding (uh, have you SEEN my mane management?) but I have stuffed about 47 treats in his mouth while cooing "Do you love me yet??"

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  22. Hi!

    I volunteer with CANTER at DE and remember meeting him on the track!

    To see him here is soooo thrilling!

    Thanks for posting!

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  23. Hey Lauren G, that is so neat! I hope that he will be having many adventures soon to share with all the folks who know him!

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  24. OH WOW! CONGRADS!!! That's SOOO exciting! I can't want to hear more!

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  25. Congrats! I can't wait to see how he shapes up. :)


    I like the term "understudy" much better than "stunt double," which is what my second horse ended up being dubbed last year, LOL.

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  26. How exciting!! I am now out of the country for the next (almost) two years so more than ever I'll be living vicariously through blogs like yours. Can't wait to see how he shapes up!!

    Congrats!

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  27. Totally wonderful news! So very happy for you and can't wait to read and see more about your new boy :)

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  28. AHAHAHA, I kinda like "stunt double"!

    Amanda, I will do my best to entertain!

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  29. YAGAH!! So very excited for you! He is absolutely gorgeous and looks like a sweetheart. The big question: will he be sporting a mohawk as well??

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  30. Also, might you direct the stork toward Minnesota if he so happens to have a 15.1-15.2ish sound cuddly gelding in his beak?

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  31. I have a big red TB, and I love him. Encore looks very handsome and athletic! Lucky girl! Have you ever worked with a green horse before?

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  32. Jen, I will pass on your request!

    Heidi, yes, I have, in bits and pieces. I'm really excited to apply it all to the new guy!

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  33. Love your blog! I'm so glad Jester.. I mean ENCORE is happy and settling right in! Can't wait to see you two out and about at a horse trials near me!

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  34. OMG with the back to school frenzy I just saw this now. CONGRATS!!!!!! I love him already!

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  35. OMG CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!
    Encore is beautiful and I can't wait to follow your journey with him!
    Solo will be able to teach him a lot I'm sure!
    HAVE FUN!!!!!!

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  36. Wooohooo how freaking exciting!!!! I mostest happy that you are on the ottb band wagon! You know I will be following every step of your journy like a creepy stalker.

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  37. He is just STUNNING!!! Congratulations:) :)

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  38. Thank you! Lol, stalking is welcome!

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  39. Congrats on the new red pony! I have a soft spot for red tb's! Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures together!

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  40. Thank you! And yes, Solo has made always a sucker for an orange horse.

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  41. I can't stand it... I get busy over the weekend and don't check in with you, and JUST LOOK what I miss!!! GEEZ! I am so excited and pleased for you! And an
    OTTB... just what I'm getting some day, so your whole progression will be so fun to watch.

    You'll laugh over how I just got here, too. It went like this:
    - don't look at any blogs over the weekend (you know I'm a regular visitor here, but I actually was watching a horse show so I at least have a good excuse)
    - get new issue of Practical, stay up too late reading from cover-to-cover as I always do
    - be thrilled with yet another positive article about OTTB adoption on back page
    - head over to Jessica's blog to check it out
    - resume reading some of her blog posts this AM
    - start reading the one called "Jester finds a home"...
    - go, "WHAT!?!?!?!" the second I see "Eventer79" and race over here

    What a silly, roundabout way to get your news! :-)
    I'm astounded and thrilled for you!

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  42. AHAHAHA, RW, hey, I always devour my Practical Horseman's too!

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