Let's Meet The Boys

Toby and PJ grazing in the pasture.
Fly sheets are the order of the day as
summertime hits New Jersey.



PJ's Folly is a bright bay gelding, born in 1980. He raced few times with on third place finish. From the Midwest, he was bred out of Your Host's line and looks a lot like his famous granddad. With large bone, he doesn't look like the typical racing Thoroughbred but rather like a good solid warmblood. I guess his bowed tendon ended his racing career, but I will never know the full story.

PJ refuses to talk about that. As far as he's concerned, his real life began with me. A replacement for a horse I lost to colic surgery, PJ became mine when he was five years old. We've been together ever since. Now retired, PJ competed through FEI Intermediare I with moderate success.

To Be Or Not To Be was registered with the Jockey Club as Art's Ruler. He is the son of Pappa Riccio a noted New Jersey stallion. A bright chestnut, he resembles his father but is a bit smaller at 16.1 h. I purchased him as a two year old when his owners decided to get out of the racing business, so he never set foot on a race track.

The boss of the herd, Toby is very opinionated but also very kind. My vet calls him "the prince" because he is always so gentle and easy to handle. He is very athletic under saddle but also spooky about strange noises. Riding him is always a bit of an adventure. Toby also competed through Intermediare I, but some of the upper level collection was difficult for him. He's still sound but semi-retired to trail rides and lower level work. He has proven a super teacher for riders who want to hone their dressage skills.

Doitright Tobe began life as a racing prospect but he was born with a severe club foot. His mother's owner took him to Purdue University Vet School to have his check ligament cut to correct the defect. The surgery was an amazing success. Today, it's almost impossible to see any sign of clubbing in his left front. Of course, I have a wonderful farrier to shoe him.

Nicknamed Tucker, this boy is a dark mahogany bay standing now at 16.3 h. He came to me out of pure luck. I was browsing the Internet, found the Cross Sabers horse adoption site and saw Tucker's picture. At that time he was just a yearling. Something about him intrigued me and when the agency had an adoption special his fee was lowered, I applied to adopt him. The first time I ever saw him in person was when he was unloaded from the trailer after a long haul to New Jersey from West Virginia.

Still silly at times, Tucker is a very intelligent, sensitive and eager learner. We've had a few problems learning to settle in the warmup ring at shows, but in the competition arena, he is proving a more than able fellow. I am hoping he'll have a bright future and eventually compete at the upper levels. Currently he's still working at First Level , but I think by the year's end he will move up to second.

Tucker posing for a picture before a ride. Not the safest approach to tying a horse, but rescue was right nearby in case of trouble.

The saddle is an Ansur Carlton, a treeless dressage saddle. Now if we could only wake Tucker up.......