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friesian photoİ Dusty Peron, riding photosİReflections of Killington
Galaxy
6.10.09-7.23.09
Galaxy and Angie
Videos of Angie & Galaxy at their first show together
A little bit about Galaxy....
Galaxy was purchased by me (Angie) in 2005. Although I did not have him for a long time he taught me more than any horse has (up until this point in my horse life!). Galaxy was a very fancy horse that I probably would not have been able to afford. However he failed the vet check miserably, and was also coming off a layup for seasmoiditis. So because of that he was in my price range... Lucky me!
Little did I know there was another 'catch' with this horse... well more than one catch. He was WILD-- unexpectedly! Yes... WILD. I should have known.... When I went to try him they said they had to Ace him to ride him! So yes, I tried him on Ace. He would go from perfectly focused to bolting and bucking out of the blue! I couldnt ride in the indoor, I couldnt ride in the wind, I couldnt ride if a horse was in the ring, and then left. (Well I did ride, or should I say hold on... but it was just an exciting ride) It was crazy, the list goes on and on and on. He was such a quirky horse!
I learned of his reputation at our first show together.... and this reputation was confirmed at every other show. On more than one occasion people would walk up to me and say something along the lines of 'Is that Galaxy? He looks so calm, I hardly recognized him!', or if he was acting up ' I see Galaxy hasnt changed'! I thought it was funny. Though Ill be honest and say at times he downright scared me. But I kept riding him, knowing how much he had to teach, he was a really fun ride! He made me smile when I sat in the saddle.
I realized he started to like me as much as I liked him when a year later the comments started to turn into 'Galaxy must like you, Ive never seen him so calm with anyone'.
The other 'catch' with him was his barn manners. He could not be in the barn alone. He had to be the first one outside, and the last one to come in. If not, he would weave and piaffe in his stall or paddock until he was in white lather. The barn always revolved around what made Galaxy happy! He wouldn't have had it any other way! Did I tell you his favorite treat was bananas? Weird....
He also had cushings like you have never seen. A full body shave every month year round(& Pergolide), barely kept it in check. When there was a show, Id have to shave him even if he had been shaved 2 wks before. Thats how much hair he had! He also had to be TQ'ed everytime he had to have his feet done (which was every 3 wks thanks to soundness issues)... my farrier wouldnt work on him any other way!
Despite the fact that this horse came to me with all these quirks (Which I was made aware of when I bought him...), I loved the horse. I loved riding him. He had wonderful training that taught me so much. He was forgiving of mistakes, sensitive to the aids, and loved to work. We attended many clinics and he always made me look like a star. He knew his job and he carried my thru many of my own learning mistakes.
Though keeping him sound enough to ride was more than a challenge, when he was sound the rides were great. I missed many horse shows because he would turn up lame shortly before. But it wasnt about the shows... it was about the education. And luckily I was able to compete in enough shows to earn my USDF Silver Medal... every score needed was earned on Galaxy. We were also 6th place at 4th Level Region Championships.
After being here a couple years he ended up really settling and relaxing. I could never leave him in the barn alone, but he actually stood still on the cross ties to be brushed. He let a couple of my more experienced students ride him.... even in the indoor, and even allowed some smaller kids brush him in the barn.
Galaxy has a very long USDF score check. He spent so many years of his life in the show ring and in intense training living the show horse life. He never hacked out (too spooky!)... he spent all his time in the ring. He worked like a soldier... teaching, showing, etc.. for as many years as he had known. He loved to work... so I dont think he minded much.He didnt know any other life until his last year which involved retirement and turnout in a large pasture with 2 other horses. He was so happy. It was relaxation he had never known up until that point. He was allowed to be a horse. I was so happy to see him running in a herd, something he had never known until that point. He deserved it.
Though I always joked about what a pain in the butt he was (because my barn of 25 horses had to revolve around what made Galaxy happy!), I never would have let go of him. I knew he would stay here until his time was done.
There is so much more I could write about this horse. Nothing was simple with him, but it didnt matter, what he gave back was priceless. He was meant to be my partner... there arent many people that would have bought a horse with all those quirks and on Ace! But none of that mattered to me.... I wanted him......
4 days before he died, he came up with an eye issue overnight. I had the vet out immediately. There was a tumor behind his eye, we couldnt 'fix' him. He had cancer. I opted not to treat him in hopes of giving him more time. After all the work he had done for people thru his years he deserved a peaceful exit to horsey heaven. He did not owe anyone anything. It would have been unfair for me to ask him to go thru steroid treatment just so I didnt have to say Good Bye. Cancer is not kind and knows no boundaries. I felt like he would be in pain going thru treatment. Treatment wasnt even guaranteed to shrink the tumor... it was just a possibility for a few more weeks or months. I was with him when we euthanised him and he is buried on my property. Ive lost 3 now... it doesnt get easier, but I have learned how to look at everything I had, instead of everything Ive lost. Not only did these 3 horses teach me alot about riding, but a lot about life.
