6 months.....

Oh Baby Maxwell.

This past weekend marked 6 months of partnership between you and I. 6 fast months. It feels like I just got you. But when I look at where we were, and where we are, I have to say, wow....we've come quite a long way in such a short amount of time.

I remember my first month of rides on you. You poked your nose out, bracing with your neck, and kind of just skated along. I kept basically NO contact on your mouth, and kind of just let you figure out what this new career was all about. I ignored your small and silly mistakes, and praised your biggest triumphs. I worried night and day about whether I was doing everything I could for you. I worried if people thought I was a bad owner because your ribs would show one week, then you'd look great the next, and look worse the week after that. I knew in the back of my mind that this was all apart of the beautiful metamorphosis that you're in, but I still could hardly keep myself sane. We still have a ways to go, but now I light up when people call you fat. Don't take offense to it. We'll get those gleaming muscles back. I'm just happy to see a belly on you.

 

Top: 7 months ago, when Maxwell first arrived at Summer's, in gorgeous race-fit condition.
Bottom: 2 months into ownership (so about 3 months off the track) going through the racehorse crash.

Nutrition became a huge part of my studying. While many OTTB owners are busy googling how to calm down their hot headed new mount (which nutrition often takes care of, as well), I was concerned with giving you all the tools you needed to transition to a happy retired racehorse. I became obsessed with nutrition. I still am. I still crave education and seek it often.

Riding you has always been a pleasure. While most OTTB's are easy, they have their issues, too, as ANY horse that's being asked to perform a new job would. I feel like I truly did win the lottery with you, because you gave me your heart and I gave you my trust, and together we make big things happen. We continue to make big things happen, and I think we always will. You're a gem.

                                      

Quite a sexy sporthorse, if I do say so myself.

Maxwell will continue to go through peaks and valleys, ups and downs, fat and muscle. In June & July Max had a gorgeous body; firm muscles, a lean physique. But ultimately he was still a bit underweight for the type of work we have been doing. I put Max on a supplement called Succeed, as I indicated in my earlier blog posts. Two months later, my horse is a bit of a fatty. This is also due in part to the fact that he was in a lot less work from August to September. We had lots of rain, which made riding spotty. This is the big gal lute this past weekend, on our 6 month anniversary:

Anyhow, we still have a long ways to go, but I am so proud of the horse that you've become in such a short amount of time. I can't wait to see what we have accomplished in another 6 months.