Half way through 2025
Half way through June… Half way through 2025. It doesn't seem possible.
A lot of things have been happening in my personal life, but not much Roadhorse related news except for one big one…. I FLEW JACK HOME FROM CANADA!
It is will always be one of the craziest things I have ever done, but every time I see his big pink nose in the paddock with my two Tassie boys, it just feels right.
Why would I spend vast sums of money to fly a horse half way around the world when our journey in Canada isn’t even over? So many factors went into this decision, and I’ll try and make it make sense. Firstly, Jack is a lot older than his alleged 17 years. He is also not completely sound, and although he has the personality and disposition for a roadhorse, physically he is not up for gruelling miles of rugged travel. He was doing fine on middling days on flat terrain, but over the months of our travels last year it became apparent to me that he would not be able to thrive in the difficult terrain of the Rockies out West. When I decided to pause our journey for 2025, I knew a whole year of doing little except eating and enjoying the sunshine would not put him in any better position for next year. So as I was contemplating how to solve this problem, I had the incredible good fortune to come into some money. The cost of transporting a horse around the world is not to be sneezed at, and I never would have been able to afford it had it not been for this good luck. So I sprung into action, discussed with Kristen who was looking after him and Wilson in Sault Ste Marie, and she was happy to continue tending to Wilson and sending Jack on his way. The legends at International Racehorse Transport (IRT) handled all the logistics required to transport Jack to Guelph then to Kentucky for his quarantine, then to Chicago for his flight to Melbourne, where he had another quarantine before finally arriving in Tasmania in the middle of April with Tassie Horse Transport. Everyone said he was a champion traveller and a pleasure to have around, and I often wondered what he looked like, this fat scruffy paint pony next to all these fancy multi-million dollar racehorses! He was definitely happy to settle down and have some friends again, as I imagine it is quite lonely for a horse in quaratine.
So far he has settled into his semi-retirement very well! We have been for a few rides, and I am lucky to have a friend and housemate who rides and can help me out, as three horses is a lot to manage at one time! As I guessed, he and Mr Richard get on amazingly well, as they are both gentle souls and similar older gentlemen. Micky is a bit indifferent and is not happy as he now has to pony more often than he would like on our rides!
For me, these months have been hard to keep up with, and the year is rolling over me. I guess it’s just a matter of going forward and trying to learn the shape of the world without someone you love in it anymore. It doesn’t make sense, but that doesn’t stop all the life around you from rushing onwards as though nothing has happened. I think a loss like this changes you forever, and I’ll probably spend the rest of my life learning all the ways it has.
Keep an eye on your inboxes in the coming weeks - I have an exciting announcement! Although not horse related, it is related to our continued journey across Canada….
Jack’s arrival at Westerway in April, freshly clipped in his beautiful blue IRT halter
Jacky and the boys! It still feels so surreal to see him here in Tassie every day, and share our routines with him
Unsurprisingly, Mr Richard and Jack are great friends (although somewhat surprisingly Mr Richard is the boss of him!)