#12 - The Gentle Giant - Ernie

Once my neck was healed and I hadn’t had any flare ups for quite a while, I started riding a couple of horses at our local barn. It wasn't long before that yearning for a horse of my own came on strong. I knew that I wanted a dressage partner, but this time I decided to search for one that I could ride right away, rather than buying another colt.

I found Eclipse, aka Ernie, in an online ad. He was within my price range for several reasons. He was older-16 years, had been in a jumping accident, and had been turned out to pasture and in need of conditioning because he was not fit. He actually ended up in a lady’s herd as payment of a debt and she had no use for him. She hired a trainer to sell him. When I spoke with the trainer, she told me everything she knew about Ernie, which wasn’t much. He had originally come out of a top barn in Canada that bred Hanoverians and as such had most likely been trained by a first-rate trainer. She suspected that he had been in a jumping accident that had led to his pasture retirement. She sent videos of her riding him and thought he would work out well for the light dressage riding that I had planned, once he had regained his fitness.

I decided to take a chance on the old guy and made arrangements to have Ernie imported from Canada. The night he arrived was cold and snowy. I went out to the barn where I would board him at about 10:00 pm to meet the transport truck. He stepped off the truck and I was struck by the big-ness of him. He was every bit of the 17.2 hands he had been advertised as, if not taller and his body was as long as a train. His head perched atop his giraffe-like neck as he took in his dark, windy surroundings. The barn owner, Sam, offered to lead him down the icy black driveway to his stall, but I declined and in that moment decided to be the person Ernie could trust and count on. I got him settled into his stall and left the blanket that he had arrived in on.

The next morning when the blanket came off, I realized that we had a long road ahead to rehabilitate him. Ernie was too thin, had no muscle tone, and his coat was dull and shaggy. He was a bit aloof, but had such a kind, if not sad eye. I knew right then that he was worth it. I spent as much time as I could with him, riding, hand-grazing, going for walks, and hanging out in his stall. I am so grateful for Sam who helped make arrangements for farrier, dental, and chiropractic care. She also dewormed and started him on a weight-gainer and nutritious supplements. When the equine dentist came, he not only found that Ernie was in dire need of having his teeth floated, but he also had a broken tooth which he pulled. The chiropractor came about because Ernie started balking about four weeks into our rides. He confirmed that a jumping accident had probably ended Ernie’s career. He encouraged me to push him through the balking once he had his back in alignment. Sure enough, once Ernie realized that the pain wasn’t staying, he got freer in his movement and would trot and canter with confidence. Whenever Ernie got near the jump standards in the corner of the arena, he would get anxious-another reason we were certain he’d had an accident. I promised Ernie that he would never be asked to jump again.

Six months after Ernie came into my life, we bought a house with a horse barn, so Ernie came to live at our home. It was so special to have him at home where I could see him multiple times a day. By then, he had transformed into a fit, athletic dressage horse doing all of the level 2-3 moves including half-passes and flying changes. A friend had kept her mare at our place and when she left, I got a couple of goats for companions. Ernie was an absolute gentleman and was so fun to ride.

My life was in an amazing place. I finally had my dressage partner and we were building an indoor arena. Then two events happened simultaneously that drastically altered our path. First, my husband, Mike, got a huge promotion to be a regional manager on the west coast, which meant we would move to the Seattle area. Second, I had another flare-up with my neck that was worse than what I’d had previously. Here I was again, barely able to care for my horse while Mike had already moved to Washington. I had planned to take Ernie with us and board him with a hefty monthly bill, but given my current condition and the doctor telling me once again to stop riding, I chose to re-home my gentle giant. I felt that it wouldn’t be fair to move him to a new home and then not be there daily to help him adjust and take him for rides.

Gratefully, I found the perfect new partner for him, Jackie. Although I knew Ernie would be loved and cared for, I was absolutely heartbroken as I watched her trailer pull out of our driveway. I tried to visit him a few times before I moved to Seattle, and every time I dissolved into a puddle of tears and uncontrolled sobbing. Gosh, I loved that horse.

Jackie and Ernie enjoyed many years together and when she was finished riding, Ernie spent the last years of his life with a family, teaching the kids all about dressage. He became a true schoolmaster. He passed away last year on New Year’s Eve and absolutely broke their hearts, much like my heart was broken when he left me.

Looking back on my experience with Ernie, here are the lessons that I learned:

Rehabilitating an older horse is worth it. Ernie had so much to give in his later years. He had been very well-trained and therefore helped me, Jackie, and his last family learn more about riding dressage. Ernie was gentle and safe, which was perfect for where I was on my equine journey.
Doing what is best for the horse can break your heart. I know without a doubt that re-homing Ernie with Jackie was best for him. I cannot imagine the confusion and abandonment he would have felt if I had moved him to a new stable in Seattle and let him stand in his stall for months while my neck healed up.
It is possible to choose a good next home for your horse. I did not advertise Ernie for sale. Rather, I made a few inquiries with local horse people who I knew and trusted. Using that network, Ernie and Jackie found each other. Because of these connections, I was able to keep in touch and follow Ernie to his next home and celebrate his accomplishments with them. I was also able to mourn with them when he passed.
Seek different opinions when your quality of life is affected by a medical diagnosis. Once I moved to Seattle, I went to a surgeon there who prescribed physical therapy for my neck. My physical therapist was confident that I would ride again, but only after I went through some major rehabilitation.