Written by EasyCare Customer, Nori C.
It’s been a long, expensive and time consuming journey to keep this ol’ guy happy and healthy with his long list of pathologies and behavioral quirks. I was told for years by many people to get rid of him or not to trust him because he was dangerous. Turns out he just needed someone to would take the time to understand his needs and traumas. This guy has been the most talented, reliable, kind silly goose I have ever had the pleasure of loving! And I have loved quite a few great horses!
In 2014, I crossed paths with King, an 11-year-old OTTB who had quite the backstory. After an unfortunate incident that left a local trainer with some serious injuries, King was labeled “dangerous” and left to munch grass in a pasture for years. Meanwhile, I was on a mission to find a towering, flashy warmblood to carry me to the FEI levels—totally ignoring King’s scraggly yet charismatic charm. But, as fate would have it, King had other plans.
What I didn’t foresee was that this seemingly average bay gelding would flip my world upside down and completely transform my approach to horsemanship. After receiving a diagnosis of kissing spine, we embarked on an adventure filled with tailored in-hand exercises, a rigorous schedule of bodywork. As we dove into this groundwork, King began to reveal a hidden talent for dressage that would put even the most glamorous warmbloods to shame.
Now at age 31, King is mostly retired. But after his more recent upgrade to the EasyShoe Versa Grip Octo, he’s become a surprising bundle of energy, eager to get back to work!
His recent foray into wearing his Octos (or as I like to call them, his “orthotics”) has reignited his playful spirit, leading to more antics than I’ve seen in years!
Now we are enjoying some light ringwork and trail riding together.
Thank you so much to Amber Greeson and EasyCare for keeping his crunchy old bones comfortable. I’m incredibly grateful to Amber Greeson, David Lanier, and their amazing team of mentors for the collaborative efforts that keep King feeling fantastic.
