Tour through The Geriatrics- Dancer

 


January is typically a downtime for us. It's the quiet before the breeding and foaling storm. By now, the foaling barn has been cleaned and prepared and supplies have been stocked. The daily mare checks have started, which include checking for bagging and dropped bellies. They are not sure-fire signs, so we do bring the mares into stalls early this time of year. It's not worth the risk of the mares foaling outside in the cold and snow. Because we are in our lull, it is a good time to introduce the horses in our care. Because they have been loosely introduced, we'll start with The Geriatrics.

Acclaim A Dancer, “Dancer”, has to be first, because he was the first Thoroughbred and one of those horses that made me a rider, a trainer, and helped to launch my professional career. He is a 2001 Thoroughbred gelding by Coverallbases and out of Fashion Parade by Smarten. Coverallbases, by Capote and out of a Secretariat mare, didn't show much as a racehorse. He stood in Colorado at Menoken Farm, where Dancer was born.

We purchased Dancer from his breeder late in his three-year-old year. He went with me to college, which is when I made the switch from the AQHA circuit to dressage. He tolerated a lot of mistakes and trial and error training along the way. He went to clinics with Jack Brainard, Eitan Beth-Halachmy, Clinton Anderson, and lessons with Stephanie Millham and Manuel Trigo. He was the impetus for switching to the methods of Philip Karl and the trip to Germany to train in the French school.

Dancer also went to shows at National Western Stock Show, just in the open flat classes, but we had a good time. He always showed up, enjoyed the atmosphere, and gave a lot of love to the kids going by his stall. He went on to help teach my students how to ride. He always responded to their requests, gently showing them how to use their aids.

Dancer trained upper-level movements at home, forgiving mistakes while I learned how to bring him along. He more or less retired when I broke by leg in 2014, only riding here and there after that. He finally told me in 2019 that he was done. He had been living in Chugwater during the summers and fall from 2016 to 2019, and he simply preferred that lifestyle.

He is often found covering ground at top speed, jumping ditches and brush, or careening down slopes. He by no means acts his age, nor does he move like he's older. He is as fluid, sound, happy, and athletic as ever. He deserves the lifestyle.

One of the interesting observation is now he is the most sound and the easiest keeping that he has ever been. The wild life serves him well.

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