Rollin' Rodney's Retirement (Continued)

So, mid Nov. 2011 I find out that Eureka Downs is history, and now the nearest winter breezing track is 350 miles away. The possibility of continuing training at the farm till the February Tulsa meet was considered but considered unlikely due to a late Oct. Accuweather forecast (from which the vid at left was lifted) predicting one of the colder KC winters, i.e. we'd get the typical late Dec. through Jan. freeze spell that was going to prevent training and wipe out any early Dec. accomplishment when the bottled up cold air broke to us down through the Dakotas in Dec.

That likelihood--based on this forecast--of having all the galloping work wiped out by weather once again was close to the final straw on Rodney although I was still wavering on throwing in the towel. It would take a third event that would be the final straw which retired the horse.

What actually precipitated and made final the retirement decision involved the farm. I've rented this farm for 20 years. My landlord was in her sixties at the time and she's now in her 80s. Her kids have recently been snooping around, and I calculated from their sudden presence that something was up. Late Nov. I got the call. They were going "in another direction" re the farm and I'd have to find other accommodations.

At an earlier time this announcement would be shock and disappointment. I'd rented 90 acres of the most beautiful farmland around and close in to the city (12 miles from DT KCMO) for $800/mo. for 10 years and then at same price for another 10 years when the farm was reduced to 40 acres by an adjoining apartment development. I'd had as many as 11 horses at this farm, and through the late 1990s and early 2000s prior to my own serious horse injury prepared 7 young colts for the 2001 Woodlands meet solely at this farm. Trainable weather in those days. The farm had served as a place for my babies and retirees, almost of necessity when your stable has any size to it.

2006 through end of 2010 however the rain started and never left. We were battered by rain constantly and thought re this lovely piece of pasture land became--"if I'm unable to gallop over it, in terms of TB racing, what good is it?" This was a recurring thought.

By mid. Nov. 2011 this question was coalescing for me in very negative terms. I'd been seriously kicked and training interrupted in mid July and my enthusiasm has been much reduced since. The farm had become more burden than pleasure becoming a daily chore of which I was growing weary after 20 years as well as being additional unnecessary expense. The announcement then of our eviction came as almost a relief. Unknown to me whether the kids are taking things over from the old lady or whether she simply got tired of me squatting on her land after 20 years. They never talk, but it hardly matters. I think maybe 20 years in one place is enough, and frankly, I was fairly excited that something had forced a change for me, and the prospects ahead.

This above sealed Rodney's fate as a race horse for the decision was made to geld him so that he could be moved to a farm with mares. This gelding proved very revealing on what we might have expected had the horse been moved to the race track, and I'm happy to report that the retirement decision was the right decision. Explain this next post.