Reconnecting with an old friend.

There was some cosmic juju floating around my head today that made me think of a two year old I worked with at Saratoga back in 2006. I've thought about him and most of the horses I've worked with on the track over the years, but this big dude really held a special place in my heart.

Gold and Blue Box is a dark bay gelding by Outofthebox out of a hello Hello Gorgeous mare. As a 2yo, he was easily 17hh--and I know everyone says their horse is 17hh, but he really barely fit in his stall and it took a herculean effort to get on him. However, he was a complete sweetheart. A little bit of a worrier on the ground, but a total gentleman to gallop. Apart from his enormous size, I also remember him very well because he had awful warts on his nose all summer long. The assistant trainer was a believer that if you picked the scabs off and spread the blood over the other warts, it would make them go away. Well, I picked at this poor dude's nose all summer long per boss's orders and they were there to stay.

warty nose at aqueduct before a race.

Anyway, I decided to see if I could find any current information on him and where he ended up. On pedigree query, I found a name that wasn't who owned him when he was racing, so I stuck it into facebook to see if anyone came up.

Well, I got seriously lucky and was in contact with the woman who got him off the track within an hour!

what a handsome boy, right?

She said he now lives with someone else in her area as a pleasure horse/pasture puff as that's all he's really sound for. He has bone chips in his ankles and is now starting to have either back or stifle problems. Not hard to imagine in such a big boy.

Regardless of soundness issues, it sounds like Blue landed in a soft spot and now has a great home with a caring family, thanks to a woman who took a chance on him.

One more horse to cross off my list as safe and happy!