A day in the life.

Several people have asked me, “How do you like being retired?

Retirement took some getting used to. Luckily for me it came in increments. After an injury ended my eventing career I became a dressage horse. It wasn’t as exciting, but it was okay. Sometimes I made it more exciting, if you get my drift (wink, wink). I still won lots of ribbons for my mom.

Then, I had another injury that left me unable to be a dressage horse either, and that was a bummer. After some stall rest, I was allowed to go on easy trail rides. Try telling an x-TB racehorse turned event horse to go on an easy trail ride. More than once I just ran off for the joy of it. Mom said I was terrorizing her.

Finally, age caught up with me and now I am only “pasture sound.” I have mellowed with age. I get to go out with Oreo in the morning and evening. Oreo and I go for some short gallops, but he is mostly interested in eating so he keeps me from going on running sprees, which in retrospect is a good thing.

My day goes something like this: Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. followed by some pasture time. I never stay out more than an hour, because the bugs come out. I head for the stall to eat my hay and soaked hay cubes (yes, I get both. I am very spoiled).

Soon it is nap time. I stand in the corner of the stall under the fan. It is cool and bug-free.

I watch Oreo go out to work, come back, and get his bath. It reminds me of the good old days.

The barn is really quiet in the afternoon so I eat and nap and eat some more. It is very peaceful.

After dinner at 5:30 p.m. I go out in the big pasture with Oreo. The Short

One comes out after the moon comes up, and we go in.

Oreo gets some grain so, trust me, he runs in. He and Mocha stay in their loafing pens at night, but I get to eat hay in the dry lot till the sun comes up with the love of my life, Ginger.

My mom comes all the time and grooms me. I love that. And I get treats and carrots too.

All and all, not a bad deal for an old guy like me.