I was moved on reading this and thought that by replicating it on our forum, it may strike a chord with other fellow racehorse enthusiasts.
Hidebound by Buckskin – Merry Run (Deep Run) at the MRWC
HIDEBOUND – A RETIREMENT PARTNERSHIP – MARCH 2004
by Lee Ann Day
Most racing partnerships are with horses in training but this one is to provide a happy retirement to an old trooper whose career was prematurely cut short only by injury – he tried his heart out, had plenty of ability and had his back held up he would have been a real star and able to pay for his own retirement.
When Hidebound was retired his owners gave him to the Moorcroft Rehabilitation Centre, (see Moorcroft Boy and their own website at mrwc.org.uk) for more details. The Centre is established to assess, retrain and find suitable keepers for the horses. There is no facility for sanctuary at the Centre and all horses must be found a good home within a reasonable amount of time to allow for new horses needing homes to have their chance. It is easy to find homes for young, handsome horses with no injuries or behavioral problems, but older horses with scars from their racing careers go unhomed. The worst scenario are horses who can no longer be ridden as they are what is known as ‘companions’. Keeping a companion costs every bit as much as a riding horse and few keepers are willing to pay so much for a horse who can only be looked at when they could have a riding horse instead.
Hidebound was one such horse until two Moorcroft Centre supporters who had taken other horses from the Centre offered him a place at their livery yard. Adrian and Lesley Bennett are kind souls who have a gift with animals and seem to collect them! Hidebound’s mentor was a lady named Debbie Bonham who will be familiar with rock fans as the little sister of Led Zeppelin drummer Bonzo. She is a talented diva in her own right and often does concerts in aid of charities, notably the Moorcroft Centre. Yu should check out her albums she is as passionate about music as she is about horses and really puts her soul into her music. Just as time was truly running out for Hidebound Debbie took him to Adrian and Lesley where he now can live out his life safely with no threat of having to be put down to allow another horse to be saved.
Adrian, Lesley and Debbie are not wealthy, they are ordinary folk like the rest of us and this act of kindness by them is made possible because of the formation of a partnership for retired racehorses. Hidebound has his own Building Society account and the money donated towards him is used to care for him and hopefully more horses like him. This is not a registered charity like Moorcroft and does not compete in any way with Moorcroft. This is a sanctuary for horses who would otherwise have no future, and we who donate towards this cause are their keepers. Hidebound remains the property of the Moorcroft Centre, we just care for him as if he were our own horse. And we are all very proud of him – and of Adrian, Lesley and Debbie who have made this possible.
Anyone who would like to donate to his retirement, all amounts gratefully received, however small should send cheques made out to Hidebound to the Moorcroft Centre with a note. We will organize photos of him and his friends to send back to you, and visits to see him if you are interested. Hidebound will have his own newsletter where he can tell everyone how he and his mates are doing. He will also parade at the Moorcoft Supporters Open day in the summer where his doting keepers can fuss over him.
The address of the Moorcroft Centre is:
Chief Executive Graham Oldfield
The Moorcroft Rehabilitation Centre
Huntingrove Stud, Slinfold, Near Horsham, West Sussex RH13 0RB, Telephone: 01403 791916 Fax: 01403 791918
Email: [email protected] Website: www-mrwc.org.uk
There are many Hidebounds who need our support and we know we cannot save all of them, so some people may ask if it matters that we do this at all. Well, it matters to Hidebound and if we begin with them one at a time the idea can grow.
THIS IS HIS STORY
Hidebound is by Buckskin out of Merry Run by Deep Run. He was a very late foal being born on 14th June 1992. He ran 8 times and won his first 3 races, then placed in 2 more. During his racing career Hidebound was owned by Mr and Mrs Robins and trained at Seven Barrows by Nicky Henderson who thought the world of him. He was ridden in all of his races by Mick Fitzgerald who also loved the horse.
Hidebound is a large commanding looking gelding but despite his size he had a mean turn of foot and once he got into 5th gear he left the field behind for good! It is usually the proof of a champion if a National Hunt horse wins his first bumper especially when it is run at Cheltenham. Hidebound did just that in pril 1998 and then went and won both of his next starts in novice hurdles at Newbury and Ascot.
This was no ordinary horse – he was a star. This is what the Racing Post said about his third win, as Ascot, which he won by 17 lengths.
“HIDEBOUND, a really scopey chasing type, turned what looked a very competitive novice into a procession. While we might not have seen the best of some of his rivals, one could not fail to be impressed, and he looks much the best two-mile novice we've seen over here so far this season. There is plenty of time for others to appear, but it will be surprising if anything better emerges.
Nicky Henderson reckons the winner is "very, very good", but confirmed that he had thought seriously of going straight over fences this season and missing hurdles completely. It was only his lack of racing experience that swayed him, but he will now stay over hurdles, with one of the big novices in mind.
Henderson enthused: "That looked a very competitive heat on paper and you were entitled to think that whatever won had to be called the best. He went off colour a little the week after he won at Newbury, but he's been back fit and well for the last 10 days. He hasn't been two and a half miles yet, but I can't believe he won't stay."
Mick Fitzgerald, who describes Hidebound as "a lovely, lovely horse who will surely stay at two miles for now", was worried that he might not have gone fast enough and had merely set the race up for pacier Flat types. However, that was clearly not the case, he said, since when he squeezed straightening for home Hidebound shot another six lengths clear.”
In his next race, at Sandown, he was beaten 16 lengths by the future star Behrajan and it was found afterwards that he had a nasal discharge and had not been well on the day. Nevertheless he had taken 2nd place and the future winner of the Whitbread, Beau was further behind him.
Being a large scopey gelding his future lay over fences, but it was not to be. Sadly on his chase debut at Ascot he fell when traveling well. At that time it was thought that the fall had not harmed him, but it may be that his back was injured as he never regained his form.
Upon his return in the Kingmaker Novices Chase at Warwick in 2000 it was noticeable that his once slick jumping had fallen apart and he banged a couple of fences, finally finishing 3rd behind the stars Cenkos and Fadalko. He had an operation to his back and time off but although he returned to the track he never regained his form and was pulled up behind Landing Light and Azerytuiop in his last two races. His owners retired him in February 2001.
He had been the apple of Nicky Henderson’s eye and the lads at Seven Barrows still send money for him, and fondly remember how he pulled their arms out on the gallops!
He had been with the Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre in Sussex since then, been homed twice but through no fault of his own neither home worked out for him. Some of us who had been fans of his had visited him in Lambourn and been there when he won his races. He had become a friend to us and we could not forget him when he needed us most. We were hoping to buy some land in the country and have him at home with us. But rising property prices put pay to that dream and before we knew it Hidebound had been at the centre far too long.
Hidebound is a very large horse who knows he is a star and gets grumpy upon occasion. He has kissing spines, the spines actually rub together in a bony fusion which can cause pain, and his arthritic old knees are stiff in the mornings. He needs to keep moving to remain pain free and supple and then he is as right as rain. He likes to do things at his own pace and provided you let him bumble about he has a lot of joy in himself and just loves being in his field or being walked in hand. He also loves his companions and gets very attached to people and other horses. He is a gentle giant and a gentleman, not at all aggressive and can be very affectionate once he knows you. At times he could be ridden but others he could not move freely enough. He needed a quiet home where he would only be ridden a few times a week and no hunting or jumping.
So many people tried to help to save Hidebound. Because the Sussex countryside is now full of ex racehorses from the local Moorcroft Centre we put an SOS out to the West Country which was admirably picked up by the Paul Nicholls stable and a kind lady offered Hidebound a home. We were all over the moon but just before she could meet him and take him home with her he took a turn for the worse and his old knees began to give way at night. When horses sleep standing up their knees lock to allow them to do this. His failed and he was falling and knocking his head on his stable walls. Once again his health had cruelly robbed him of his chance and he was back on the sick list. (continued on next post)
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Hidebound by Buckskin – Merry Run (Deep Run) at the MRWC
HIDEBOUND – A RETIREMENT PARTNERSHIP – MARCH 2004
by Lee Ann Day
Most racing partnerships are with horses in training but this one is to provide a happy retirement to an old trooper whose career was prematurely cut short only by injury – he tried his heart out, had plenty of ability and had his back held up he would have been a real star and able to pay for his own retirement.
When Hidebound was retired his owners gave him to the Moorcroft Rehabilitation Centre, (see Moorcroft Boy and their own website at mrwc.org.uk) for more details. The Centre is established to assess, retrain and find suitable keepers for the horses. There is no facility for sanctuary at the Centre and all horses must be found a good home within a reasonable amount of time to allow for new horses needing homes to have their chance. It is easy to find homes for young, handsome horses with no injuries or behavioral problems, but older horses with scars from their racing careers go unhomed. The worst scenario are horses who can no longer be ridden as they are what is known as ‘companions’. Keeping a companion costs every bit as much as a riding horse and few keepers are willing to pay so much for a horse who can only be looked at when they could have a riding horse instead.
Hidebound was one such horse until two Moorcroft Centre supporters who had taken other horses from the Centre offered him a place at their livery yard. Adrian and Lesley Bennett are kind souls who have a gift with animals and seem to collect them! Hidebound’s mentor was a lady named Debbie Bonham who will be familiar with rock fans as the little sister of Led Zeppelin drummer Bonzo. She is a talented diva in her own right and often does concerts in aid of charities, notably the Moorcroft Centre. Yu should check out her albums she is as passionate about music as she is about horses and really puts her soul into her music. Just as time was truly running out for Hidebound Debbie took him to Adrian and Lesley where he now can live out his life safely with no threat of having to be put down to allow another horse to be saved.
Adrian, Lesley and Debbie are not wealthy, they are ordinary folk like the rest of us and this act of kindness by them is made possible because of the formation of a partnership for retired racehorses. Hidebound has his own Building Society account and the money donated towards him is used to care for him and hopefully more horses like him. This is not a registered charity like Moorcroft and does not compete in any way with Moorcroft. This is a sanctuary for horses who would otherwise have no future, and we who donate towards this cause are their keepers. Hidebound remains the property of the Moorcroft Centre, we just care for him as if he were our own horse. And we are all very proud of him – and of Adrian, Lesley and Debbie who have made this possible.
Anyone who would like to donate to his retirement, all amounts gratefully received, however small should send cheques made out to Hidebound to the Moorcroft Centre with a note. We will organize photos of him and his friends to send back to you, and visits to see him if you are interested. Hidebound will have his own newsletter where he can tell everyone how he and his mates are doing. He will also parade at the Moorcoft Supporters Open day in the summer where his doting keepers can fuss over him.
The address of the Moorcroft Centre is:
Chief Executive Graham Oldfield
The Moorcroft Rehabilitation Centre
Huntingrove Stud, Slinfold, Near Horsham, West Sussex RH13 0RB, Telephone: 01403 791916 Fax: 01403 791918
Email: [email protected] Website: www-mrwc.org.uk
There are many Hidebounds who need our support and we know we cannot save all of them, so some people may ask if it matters that we do this at all. Well, it matters to Hidebound and if we begin with them one at a time the idea can grow.
THIS IS HIS STORY
Hidebound is by Buckskin out of Merry Run by Deep Run. He was a very late foal being born on 14th June 1992. He ran 8 times and won his first 3 races, then placed in 2 more. During his racing career Hidebound was owned by Mr and Mrs Robins and trained at Seven Barrows by Nicky Henderson who thought the world of him. He was ridden in all of his races by Mick Fitzgerald who also loved the horse.
Hidebound is a large commanding looking gelding but despite his size he had a mean turn of foot and once he got into 5th gear he left the field behind for good! It is usually the proof of a champion if a National Hunt horse wins his first bumper especially when it is run at Cheltenham. Hidebound did just that in pril 1998 and then went and won both of his next starts in novice hurdles at Newbury and Ascot.
This was no ordinary horse – he was a star. This is what the Racing Post said about his third win, as Ascot, which he won by 17 lengths.
“HIDEBOUND, a really scopey chasing type, turned what looked a very competitive novice into a procession. While we might not have seen the best of some of his rivals, one could not fail to be impressed, and he looks much the best two-mile novice we've seen over here so far this season. There is plenty of time for others to appear, but it will be surprising if anything better emerges.
Nicky Henderson reckons the winner is "very, very good", but confirmed that he had thought seriously of going straight over fences this season and missing hurdles completely. It was only his lack of racing experience that swayed him, but he will now stay over hurdles, with one of the big novices in mind.
Henderson enthused: "That looked a very competitive heat on paper and you were entitled to think that whatever won had to be called the best. He went off colour a little the week after he won at Newbury, but he's been back fit and well for the last 10 days. He hasn't been two and a half miles yet, but I can't believe he won't stay."
Mick Fitzgerald, who describes Hidebound as "a lovely, lovely horse who will surely stay at two miles for now", was worried that he might not have gone fast enough and had merely set the race up for pacier Flat types. However, that was clearly not the case, he said, since when he squeezed straightening for home Hidebound shot another six lengths clear.”
In his next race, at Sandown, he was beaten 16 lengths by the future star Behrajan and it was found afterwards that he had a nasal discharge and had not been well on the day. Nevertheless he had taken 2nd place and the future winner of the Whitbread, Beau was further behind him.
Being a large scopey gelding his future lay over fences, but it was not to be. Sadly on his chase debut at Ascot he fell when traveling well. At that time it was thought that the fall had not harmed him, but it may be that his back was injured as he never regained his form.
Upon his return in the Kingmaker Novices Chase at Warwick in 2000 it was noticeable that his once slick jumping had fallen apart and he banged a couple of fences, finally finishing 3rd behind the stars Cenkos and Fadalko. He had an operation to his back and time off but although he returned to the track he never regained his form and was pulled up behind Landing Light and Azerytuiop in his last two races. His owners retired him in February 2001.
He had been the apple of Nicky Henderson’s eye and the lads at Seven Barrows still send money for him, and fondly remember how he pulled their arms out on the gallops!
He had been with the Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre in Sussex since then, been homed twice but through no fault of his own neither home worked out for him. Some of us who had been fans of his had visited him in Lambourn and been there when he won his races. He had become a friend to us and we could not forget him when he needed us most. We were hoping to buy some land in the country and have him at home with us. But rising property prices put pay to that dream and before we knew it Hidebound had been at the centre far too long.
Hidebound is a very large horse who knows he is a star and gets grumpy upon occasion. He has kissing spines, the spines actually rub together in a bony fusion which can cause pain, and his arthritic old knees are stiff in the mornings. He needs to keep moving to remain pain free and supple and then he is as right as rain. He likes to do things at his own pace and provided you let him bumble about he has a lot of joy in himself and just loves being in his field or being walked in hand. He also loves his companions and gets very attached to people and other horses. He is a gentle giant and a gentleman, not at all aggressive and can be very affectionate once he knows you. At times he could be ridden but others he could not move freely enough. He needed a quiet home where he would only be ridden a few times a week and no hunting or jumping.
So many people tried to help to save Hidebound. Because the Sussex countryside is now full of ex racehorses from the local Moorcroft Centre we put an SOS out to the West Country which was admirably picked up by the Paul Nicholls stable and a kind lady offered Hidebound a home. We were all over the moon but just before she could meet him and take him home with her he took a turn for the worse and his old knees began to give way at night. When horses sleep standing up their knees lock to allow them to do this. His failed and he was falling and knocking his head on his stable walls. Once again his health had cruelly robbed him of his chance and he was back on the sick list. (continued on next post)
