Where We Go From Here

The Bombardier Polo event with Heart of a Horse event yesterday was magical!! Our day started early with a whitening bath, a comprehensive grooming session and a big kiss on his forehead, Indy was bright and polished like a shiny, new penny! He looked so handsome! About 9:15am, Haulin Hooves arrived and Indy was loaded up and off we went.
We were met at the gate by Katie and Mimi and a camera crew. Hopping into the back of the truck, they helped us to find Indy's stall. Once Indy was unloaded, there was filming, interviews and pictures. Indy found the boom microphone and the camera items of interest and once he had checked them out, we had to keep him from batting them out of the way with his nose. With so many things to see and all the activity, Indy did a remarkable job. Mimi and all the little girls from Fieldstone took turns keeping him company, taking him for walks and keeping his water bucket full. I did realize something, new mother's carry baby botttles and binkys in their purse, and I carry horse treats and peppermints....hmmmm.
The Heart of the Horse tent was wonderful! Full of people who paid a considerable amount of money for the cause, enjoyed an afternoon of Bombardier polo, wonderful food, ice cold drinks and conversation with April Horowitz, Robert Davi, Allan Thicke, and a long distance phone call from Robert Duval from Spain where he is currently filming his new movie. There was a silent auction with wonderful things to bid on, a children's zone for the kids with games and prizes. All of this for the love of horses in need!
Later in the afternoon, it was time for Indy to make his appearance! Shiny and wide eyed, Dr. Kevin Smith and I made our way up to the stables and gave Indy a little medication to keep him calm as he had made his way to meet all of the people there in the the tent and the hundreds of spectators in the stands. The polo competition had just finished it's first two rounds and, did you know that all of those polo ponies are MARES? Well, Indy was calm while he was waiting, but once we had to walk past all of those newly bathed ponies, lined up along the field with their hind quarters pointed in Indy's direction, Indy responded as a healthy, Thoroughbred should and he became a bit of a handful! With Dr. Smith doing the honors of walking him in, Indy reared high into the air, came down and bucked, crow hopped in circles, and put on quite a show. Oooohs and ahhhs came from the tent as they watched a brand new Indy give each of them an idea of who he is now. Healthy, happy and full of life!
There was a beautiful storyboard made by Michelle Pacyna, Indy's trainer, that was viewed by the people in the tent, and there was a flood of emotion as they watched Indy carry on. The sad, skinny horse that they had seen in the pictures was not the horse they saw in front of them on this beautiful, summer day! Take a look...


May 4, 2011
We had really no idea how close to death Indy actually was.
Looking at this now, it is really kinda hard to believe.
This was one of the pictures shared at the Bombardier event.



This photo was taken 10 days ago, and when I get some of the pictures from the event yesterday, I will post those straight away.



August 18, 2011.
Indy loves to be the center of attention!
"Silly Boy!"







August 20, 2011.
He loves the cotton candy smell of his hoof polish.
Indy and Mimi are the best of friends!

So, now we are up to the next phase and a new start for the both of us. Tomorrow I am moving Indy and his best friend Dixie up to another ranch. They have nice big stalls next to one another. There, Indy will have the winter off to gain the rest of his weight and just be the happy, healthy horse he has become. Now, he knows that he will be fed regularly, he will see me, as always, everyday and he is loved and protected.
"Finding Indy". I think we have him back. It took an entire community of people to make this happen. Indy's trainer, Michelle Pacyna, said it best:

Rescue:      We brought Indy in and loved him, fed him and gave him a home.
Re purpose: Evaluated him once he was feeling better and had put some weight on and he was given a job
React:         His hocks were a source of concern and pain for Indy, and his physical condition was
reevaluated and he was treated accordingly.
Reward:      Indy was not only rescued, he is now successful! He is a working horse that has a happy,  useful life ahead of him.

Indy has gone from near death to being pain free, jumping, trail riding and learning that life, maybe, can be a little better than he thought. Thank you to all of you for all of your encouragement, love and prayers. It has been an interesting journey to this point and this is just the beginning! Please continue to follow Indy and...     Happy Trails!