Thursday, January 8, 2015

The Beginning.

I remember the first day I fell in love with horse racing.  I don't remember the first time I fell in love with horses, that goes back too far.  All I know is that I was eight years old and watched Thunder Gulch win the Kentucky Derby and decided then and there that I was going to be a jockey.  At eighteen I pretty much ran away to Kentucky, got lucky, and landed a job with a major international racing stable with no experience.

For whatever reason, it worked.  I did become a jockey.  I rode my first race at Churchill Downs, I traveled the world.  I got hurt (MANY times), I became sick from the weight restrictions, I made the most perfect friends and the worst enemies.  Then three years in, I fell in love with this ridiculous grey beastie and came to peace with the reality that... I. Could Not. Do This.  Any. More.

Grey horse came from a trainer I rode regularly for, and went to farm which belonged to an owner I rode race for as well.  I was warned off from him initially by the jockey who rode him in races but the moment I sat on him for the first time I knew he was mine.

His registered name was Delux Deelite, he was an almost white five-year-old gelding when I met him, he won his last race ever and I was the first to sit on him since his official retirement.  He squealed, bucked, and bounced around the shed row of his barn at the track, dragging me but maintaining a lovely frame and throwing his legs out like a fancy dressage horse.

I named him Lux immediately.

This is our diary of our new adventure together.  I'm not sure where we are going but I see a few events this spring...

Always,
S2

13 comments:

  1. You have such a great story, people are going to love your blog! Anyone that has been a jockey gets my respect.

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  2. Welcome!!! Sounds super interesting so far...looking forward to reading more!

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  3. Welcome to the blogging world, can't wait to read more of your story with Lux. :)

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  4. Welcome!! I can't wait to hear more!

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  5. Welcome to the blogosphere! What a cool story you have to tell...!

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  6. Welcome! Loving this story already! Can't wait to read about your future endeavors.

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  7. What a great premise for a blog. Looking forward to learning more about your jockey days and current riding.

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  8. welcome - i'm excited to read more !!

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  9. S2, welcome to blog land! What a cool background! Can't wait to hear about your experiences! I am a huge racing fan and have some minor connections to the world of horse racing myself :)

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  10. Just found your blog through HayNet and I'm excited to follow along!

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  11. Belatedly catching up on Jodi's blog and found your blog link there. I cannot wait to get caught up on your strychnine yo date and tag along for your upcoming adventures.

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