A Look Back -- Sweet William

Since I haven't had the weather cooperation lately (rain, rain, rain or HOT, HOT, HOT) to visit my own horse, I figured I'd get around to finishing a post I started a while back. I did visit with her on Sunday (in the rain, lol) and spent some time brushing her. Woohoo to no more winter hair at all! She is sleek, shiny and dappled. Her newly pulled mane (last weekend) looks great with her summer coat. :) Hopefully the rain will step aside for the holiday weekend and I can get back on her. Anyway...

I talked about William in the post "Me, Me, Me, Me, Me."

I said: "This quarter horse was just about the best horse I ever had the opportunity to ride, and he is probably one of three that taught me everything I know. He was wonderful for beginners, yet so advanced that he challenged me and other advanced riders. He belonged to the trainer who sold me Promise, and it was quite an honor to be able to ride him, and she typically only allowed the beginners on him in lessons. It was on William that I truly learned to feel a horse's legs underneath me and control them. I also learned how to feels when a horse is traveling correctly under you. Believe it or not, my fondest memory of William is riding up a 90 degree hill with no reins, no stirrups (and no MANE holding allowed) and in half seat at a full gallop."

The power that horse used up that hill is something I will never forget and even beats the amazing "I feel like I'm flying" jumps I experienced with Dizzy and Keough (also mentioned in that post, if I remember correctly).

This is William, my trainer and I at a horse show in Marlboro, MA in October of 1997. This was a pep talk after our warm up, and before our first class. I don't remember exactly what she told me, but I imagine it was along the lines of "You guys are going to do great, just keep focused and let him do his thing."

We cleaned up at that show. As you can see (below), three 1sts, one 2nd, three 3rds and two reserve champions. We placed in every class - what a confidence boost that was! William did everything I asked and then some - auto changes, perfect distances, correct lead every time, perfect sitting trot (I do believe with no stirrups...) and gave that "horse you want to ride home after a long day hunting" feeling to the judges in the flat classes.

And here we are proudly displaying our 2nd reserve champion, after our final class of the day.