Just horsin' around...

My husband told me a couple years ago that he had a dream...to own thoroughbred horses and race them.  Interesting.  I have known him nearly all of my life, I did not know this about him.  You have to know him though...I have dubbed him, among other things, the Hobby Hopper.  He gets something in his head and goes at it 110% and then decides to switch to something else full throttle.  I always tease him that I cannot believe he has stuck with me for this long.  Maybe I should be thankful that he changes his mind on that kind of stuff and not me:)  Although I often make fun of him, I support his hobbies because he could be doing worse things, lots worse...

So about 18 months ago, we bought our first thoroughbred, Divinity Doll.  I was hesitant, but Jay and I talked it over.  I voiced my opinions and he listened, or pretended to, and he bought her anyway...ha!  It hasn't been so bad.  We have bought a couple more and have gotten rid of a few.  I have learned I must not get too attached to any of them because as Jay says "Everything I've got is for sale" and when it comes to these horses, it is definitely true.  I have made him hold on to Doll the longest because she's such a sweetie, which apparently is the problem...I'm told thoroughbreds need to be nuts to run fast.

There have been a couple of perks along the way with this latest phase...First, Jay and I grew up with our trainer, (that sounds so official or something) I'll call "Chad" but we had drifted apart somewhat although we still lived in the same area.  It has been fun to see those two together and spend more time with him and his family.  They are almost like extended family these days, whether they like it or not!  And when they start telling stories of the past...it can get pretty funny.

The second thing that keeps my mouth shut is that this is something we can do as a family.  At times we will all go up and work at the barn.  Most of the time it's just Jay and one or both of the kids up there helping out, but sometimes I'll go along and work or just sit around and visit.  Every now and then the kids and I will be in charge of feeding for a night if the fellas are away at a race.  Lane, our little boy, works like a madman up there cleaning stalls.  His little face will get beet red and sweat will be pouring off his face, but he just keeps scooping the poo!  Occasionally, we get to go to the races, or at least one of us will get to tag along.  Often the drive to a race is several hours and isn't something I can manage with our schedules, but when we can go, it is such a good time, win or lose.   

It has been a very long process, but finally, in August, Doll won her first race for us.  And the really amazing thing was that we were all there and got a great WIN picture.  I think that is probably only the third race we've all been to and we actually won!  Funny thing, haha, is I basically missed it.  Here is how it went down:  I had my camera and was getting ready for the finish shot, Doll had been lagging behind (as she likes to do) and Jay was moaning and groaning about how worthless she was, when all of a sudden in the third turn, she burst forward with speed that can only be compared to me, I mean, Secretariat...and started passing horses left and right.  It was neck and neck to the wire.  We were all yelling and screaming.

I had my camera ready, waiting to click...when Jay stood up in front of me and I took a picture of his back...I missed it.  Everyone around me was semi-excited, yet sort of groaning.  It was a photo finish.  I thought, shoot, we lost, but we had to be second or third because we were so tight with that one horse.  So I quickly texted my family that I thought we had got second or maybe third.  Jay, Chad, the kids, they all go down to the track.  I stay up in the stands with my aunt and uncle, who lived close by, and chatted about the race.  I see Jay waving his hands at me like a madman.  "What?"  "Get down here, we won."  "WHAT?"  What a ding-dong.  I had totally missed it.  The moment I had been waiting for.  The one race I had begged Jay to let her run she wins and I missed it.  Ahhh.  I quickly got over it, grabbed my aunt and uncle and forced them down for the picture.  This doesn't happen very often, I tell them, they better take advantage of it while they can.

In the end, I got a great picture of Doll, breathing hard and sweaty, in the winner's circle.  It is just a headshot, but it's a good one.  No one was in front of me:)  I wished I had a peppermint to sneak her, she loves those things.  (See, that's one of the reasons I think she's part of our family...my grandpa loved peppermints and so does she.  It has to be fate.)  She hasn't done much since then.  That may have been her last best shot...but I don't care.  If we were in this for the money, we would've been out long ago.  It was such a fun day...might have been better if I had actually gotten that adrenaline rush from seeing her win, but it was still good.  We have our Win picture.  It's in a frame.  We have the memories of that weekend.  Not necessarily going to start picking out a hat anytime soon, but I betcha we keep horsin' around for a while...