General Knowledge

My Rescue was one that I didnt even know I had done until I got the boy.

General was a TB that I brought sight unseen out of the paper as I lived in the Northwest I was unable to go and see him, but I was attracted to his ad in the paper, all it said was TB gelding 16 approx unsure of age, chestnut. $500 ono.

I rang the number on the ad and spoke to the people I found it was a Riding Stables, the told me that they had received General off the track and throught he would be a good riding horse, but he wasnt as he was very scattery and it seemed he had a bad back etc.. etc.. I dont know what made me say I wanted him but I was determined to take this horse on, growing up in the TB industry I had a great deal of knowledge and experience with scattery TB's so I decided that the worst that could come of taking this horse on was that I would have to place him on a friends station as a companion horse.

I rang friends of mine as asked if I could stable him on their property until the trucks where ready to head north and also booked him on the truck, when he arrived at my friends property they rang me and asked if I knew what I was getting myself in for, I was a bit confused and asked why, they said that he was a big bag of bones with a thick heavy winter coat (it was the middle of summer). He was also very nervous and didnt like quick motions near him and would spook and try and run away.

I had another horse on their property at the time that I had save from the dogger's and she was due to come on the same truck, so they placed the two together in a paddock, well it was instant love between the two of them and they became inseperable, they were there for about 3 weeks on the property, they rang me everyday with and update and told me that General had not put any condition on but the mare slinky had and she was looking fantastic, but they were worried general would not make the 14 hour trip, I rang the trucking coumpany and spoke with them in great depth about him etc.. I also called my vet and asked them to do an assessment on him.

when I got the assessment back the vet said he would be fine to travel as long as there was numerous break along the way. I rang the trucking company (lucky I had been using the same trucking company for years and even worked during the racing season for his dad) so we spoke and he said that he would make numerous stops along the way to help general and me out. and he was going to do it at no extra cost.

Any way the day finally came that general and slinky arrived in town, it was a Wednesday morning about 3am. I got the phone call that they were about 1/2 hr away. I got mum and dad up and we headed to the stables.

I turned all the lights on and got the two stables ready (my other two horses were not happy they had been worken up). But I gave them some hay and the were happy. I then took General off hte float he had a rug on for the night travel as it had gotten cool and they didnt want anything happening to him, so I walking him in to the stable and went to take the rug off and he ran to the back corner with me hanging on to the lead, I finally got the rug off him with a lot of help from my mum and dad, but could not see the condition that he was in. We took slink off the truck and put her in the stable next door so he had someone who knew. He seemed to settle down was she was next to him.

about 7 that morning we headed back out to assess the situation with the new horses and as I walked around the corner I broke down crying general was not only a bad of bones but he also had skin missing from all of his body (not horse bites either).

well it was a long time before I could ride him as we had to put condition on him, once he started getting two feeds a day plus mum was going out at lunch times and giving him hay (as we only had stables and the paddock that was there was a sharred paddock and I was a bit afraid he might go through the fence) I took him and slinky for walks together everyday he was still very spooky with sudden movements but in time he came to trust me.

When he was in well enough condition and his back had been checked I thought it was time we tried to ride, well that first ride on him I knew that I had done the right thing by him.

during his recovery I did some digging in to his background and found that while he was a race horse he had been mis treated and beaten very badly and they had also used electric whips and batteries on him this is why he was the way he was.

But he was my best friend and i loved him more and more everyday. I even found out that he was more knowledgeable than he liked people to know. He was just very untrusting but we came to trust each other in a way I have never been able to find with another horse. So I chose the show name General Knowledge.

Sadly in Feb 2006 General had to be put to sleep. It was the most heart breaking day of my life to make the decision. General and I had been together for 10 years and we were both 22 due to turn 23 together. I had, had him since I was 12 and all because I took a chance on an unknown unseen TB gelding who turned out to be the most whole hearted giving horse.

So may he rest in Peace and I know that he will be where ever his is living in spirit and looking over me and when the right one comes along again I know he will give his blessing in everyway possible..

I know it was bit long winded sorry for that, but he was my heart and soul and I miss him everyday and in memory of him I got a horse with Butterfly wings tattooed on to my hip so that I know that where every his is he is always with me in spirit.

I have photos of him at home from our last day together at the vets i will post as soon as I get home.

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It is the difficult horses that have the most to give you.
- Lendon Gray

he was 16 hh approx and unsure of age. sorry just re-read that part.

_________________
It is the difficult horses that have the most to give you.
- Lendon Gray

that post made me cry, i could tell just by reading the post that you really love him...at least you had a long ten years together, you where the one who was ment to get him. you really did save him life and im sure he wouldn't have known how much you loved him, may he rest in peace.

I was working away the day I got the phone call about him. And i ran in to my bosses office in tears and said I had to go home ASAP, the put me on the following morning's flight.

It made me cry to write it but he had a wonderful life after I got him and that is why I support SCHR so much cause I know what a little TLC can do...

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It is the difficult horses that have the most to give you.
- Lendon Gray