I found Corelli on Craigslist (I wasn't even looking for a horse, I was looking for Dressage Tack and came across his ad). I absolutely do not trust anything on Craigslist, but I had a hunch, and emailed his owner, Lois, and began talking to her about him.
Later, we find out, that Richard had been training Lois and Corelli for quite a while. Richard told me he liked Corelli, and had before thought that he would be a good horse for me.... funny how things work out sometimes!! Needless to say, I bought him.
A little about my boy:
Corelli was formerly known as Bubbie, and registered with the Jockey Club as Gee Dubya Bee. Yes, he is an Off-The-Track Thoroughbred. Click on his Registered name to check out his pedigree. He made a whopping $22,780 on the track off of his one win. Goodness only knows why he had 40 starts. My guess is claiming races.
From what I know, he somehow went from the breeder in TX to the track, 40 starts later, somehow ended up at an auction in the North-East USA. There, a woman named Jessie bought him, and considered training him up as a jumping prospect. She didn't have time for him and sold him to a woman named Lois, who started him in some basic dressage and jumping, and then I bought him in September of 2010.
My boy is a sweetheart, a great work ethic and an attitude aiming to please. Hes the calmest TB I've ever met, and I absolutely adore him even though many would say he ain't the prettiest.
He's a 16.3h, 11 year old, chestnut gelding. He was pretty thin and dull when I bought him, but a good farrier, TC Senior feed, grass pasture and Biotin&Lysine supplements have greatly improved his hooves, coat, and weight. And attitude.
We began our training with Richard, but as I got further into ownership, I found that I needed a job to help support this living, breathing, practically helpless beast I had acquired. I also found it necessary to move to a facility that was closer to my home, and where board was less expensive. Unfortunately, in this process, I lost Richard as my trainer. But on the brighter side, I knew the perfect person to help me get our feet (hooves) back into the eventing waters. (literally and figuratively) (:
Enter, Candee Niss.
After many fantastic and successful experiences with Candee at Willow South, I felt she was the best fit for me and my boy. Boy, am I glad I did. Although we've had to kinda reverse our training and completely re-establish basics, she has helped us establish that proper foundation, and she has begun to fix some of my horrible habits that I had developed.
In doing all of this, I found that training to compete isn't my #1 priority anymore.
I want to ride my horse to keep him healthy and happy and because it's what I love. I hope we can compete soon, but in the meantime, I'm going to have fun. I'm finding the smallest victories should be, and are, my favorite ones. (:
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