A Name And A Puzzle

The junior members of our organisation came out yesterday to see the new boy and give him some TLC. As we run a monthly meeting for them where they can learn correct, safe and humane horse care and handling techniques, a part of their education throughout 2009 will be to rehab a rescue and we thought the new boy would be ideal.

First of all they brought him up to the wash bay and gave him a bath. It has been quite hot this summer and as soon as the cool jet of water hit him you could see the absolute pleasure on his face. The girls gave him a good scrub and then very carefully rinsed him off. So much dirt came away, and a lot of the old dead hair and skin off his back. He now has a slightly bald patch on either side of his spine but as he gets better that will grow back fine and glossy. There is still a hint of shine on his coat, so he will look magnificent again one day.

A funny thing, I noticed that his tail has grown out from what looks like a professional shave. It is banged at the bottom, at regulation length for hacking (well a little over now as it has grown) and his mane has very clearly grown out from a good pull job. So surely he must have been in a show home and I think perhaps only a year ago - possibly a little less. So how did a show horse wind up in this state? We have a mystery to solve. I will be sending his brands off to be researched with a contact of ours who works in the turf club and who has access to a very good Australian Thoroughbred Studbook search engine so that will be a start.

The girls gave him plenty of love and attention and then tucked him into his stable with a feed and then retired to the club rooms. A lot of decision making and plenty of noise and giggles later and he had a name. The girls decided on Topaz.

I will post a photo or two when I get them, I am waiting on one of the girls' mum to send some that she took.