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After not owning or riding a horse for about 11 years in November 2004 I decided it was time to start riding again & began looking for a horse to buy. Someone had told me about New Stride & how they took ex – race horses from the track & adopted them out to give them a second chance. I phoned up New Stride & asked if they had any horses available & the lady asked me what I would be doing with the horse. I told her that I wanted a horse just to pleasure ride/trail ride, one that could just be a pet & that I could really bond with. She said “you have to meet Aly” He loves people & really needs something to do. So I went out to see him & it was love at first sight. She told me that he had not been ridden since the track; I asked if I could get on him & when I did I felt so comfortable. Next thing you knew, I was writing her a cheque & moved him to a new home.
There was only ever one time that I thought to myself “what am I getting myself into – I just bought myself a 5yr old Thoroughbred off the track for trail-riding…but that thought only lasted for a few moments. Before I knew it I was walking Aly down the road, riding him bareback & riding him through the trails.
Aly has been an amazing horse, we have a better relationship than I could have ever imagined. In March 2005 I began doing Parelli natural horseman-ship with him & the improvements have been amazing, now we are riding through Campbell Valley Park bareback in a rope halter & reins NO BIT, he ground ties, he accepts being sprayed with fly spray (he use to be terrified of spray bottles) he follows me around at liberty anywhere I go & he always nickers when he sees me which tells me he feels the same way I do about him.
I feel very blessed to have Aly as my horse & I wouldn’t trade him for any horse in the world. I feel as though he is mine for a reason & I will always make sure that he has the best life possible.
Thanks to New Stride for what they are doing in giving racehorses a second chance at a better life.
Michelle Rushinko
Langley, British Columbia |
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