The challenging terrain out on the trails proved to be an excellent therapy source for rehabilitating both Tim's mind and body. Tim had become somewhat arena sour from his previous discomfort so I chose to keep him out of there as much as possible. Eventually, once he learned that he would not hurt anymore after his workouts, he no longer objected to working in the arena. But he still loved working out on the trail the best. He was fast becoming an awesome trail horse and it only took about 6 months to rebalance and condition his body. Pushing his own weight up the hills turned out to be the most productive exercise of all. Tim was now ready to start playing dressage horse for me. He had regained all of his smoothness with his therapy and was turning out to be quite a nice mover. Though he was not really built to be a serious dressage mount, he did manage to develop an unbelievably smooth 46 inch extended trot. Not bad for a horse that only stood 14.3 hands tall! He would continue to do well through 2nd level maneuvers, but his real destiny was just around the corner.
Tim was now almost 12 years old and doing very well under saddle. He had become very calm and uncomplicated and had remained sound throughout his rehab and thereafter. We were now ready to take our first big trip to the mountains. He had already conquered the small mountain at home, about 3 times a week! He climbed the big mountain like a champ and would become the most sure footed and dependable horse I have ever rode in tough and dangerous terrain to date! That trip would also be another turning point in his life. The ride was a fundraiser for a local Therapeutic Riding Group for the handicapped. We were there to just participate in the ride-a-thon, or so I thought, but Tim had other ideas. He was a very friendly horse who liked children especially. At first I thought he might be afraid of the wheelchairs and activities, but it was just the opposite. He let the children in the wheelchairs come right up to him and pet him while he checked out all of their stuff. That ended up being a photo opportunity with the children, one by one, getting their pictures taken with him that afternoon. Tim had a special compassion for the people with special needs that day and six months later he would become a very special riding mount for them also.
Tim had finally found his nitch. With his cheerful friendly nature and smooth gaits, he was perfect for the job. His dressage training made him very responsive to their needs and his constant focus on me made it easy for me to override any incorrect cues and confusion that would occur. Because of this he excelled as a solo mount. He would work on Tuesdays as a Therapy Horse and play Trail/Dressage Horse for me on his days off. Tim loved his work as a therapy horse and his riders ranged in age from 4 years old to 90. He never once spooked or misbehaved, and was always a perfect gentleman. Throughout his "career" I kept him in tune with everything using the same natural training methods he had responded to so well. It kept him very sensitive to his riders needs and helped us to fulfill one final goal. Tim had become a bridleless mount for me. He could be ridden using only special body cues and voice commands, no bridal, no saddle. We had finally come full circle. He had overcome all of his problems to become what I always wanted, my partner. No longer an out of control nut, his fear had been replaced with trust. He was also trusted by all who rode him and would continue to give special rides to special people until his death at 21.
Tim had proven to me that even a horse could have a destiny, and he had fulfilled his. He had taken all that he had gained in his own therapy and recovery and paid it forward to those who rode him, including me. He was living proof that a little understanding could go a long way, and it's not how you start but how you finish that matters. Sadly, if Tim had not had a second chance, all of this would not have happened. And even though it was a lot of work to get him to his potential, the results made it well worth the effort. If he could leave a legacy to all of his misunderstood equine counterparts out there, it would be that they too would be given the benefit of the doubt and that the cause for their misbehavior would be determined and recovery would follow. Tim was loved by many, but none more than me, and I will always be grateful for what we shared and what I learned because of him.
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| TIM 1986 - 2007 |
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