“Maggie is being turned out to the life of the wild and free.”
While it might initially seem a grand time for the 15-year-old buckskin Quarter Horse mare, she’ll likely change her mind.
Certainly, this is sad and discouraging time for owner-rider of the very ornery yet many times all-around champion performance horse.
Acquired as a seven-year-old, Maggie’s registered name is CLC Frost Four Doc with a pedigree featuring prominent foundation Quarter Horses.
Purchased to be a “show horse,” Maggie had showring experience that was enhanced throughout her working career.
Maggie changed considerably under this ownership yet perhaps with more bad days than the good ones. However, Maggie would frequently receive complimentary comments.
Those without a clue what a good horse really is often said, “That’s sure a beautiful horse you have.”
Even seasoned, knowledgeable horsemen, trainers and judges sometimes gave recognition to Maggie.
Champion at halter many times, it wasn’t her conformation that attracted attention. Maggie is old-fashioned type, fairly-well muscled, chunky, thick necked, with a somewhat-common head.
Yet evaluators have credited her: “That mare is one of the truest moving horses here.”
Without white markings, her golden buckskin color with long black mane and tail made Maggie stand out in the crowd.
On way too many occasions, Maggie also made quite the spectacle in the showring. Not from outstanding performance but from quite the opposite.
Depending on the day, show conditions, and just how she felt, Maggie threw the most embarrassing conniption fits ever imaginable.
She’d sometimes swish her tail constantly, almost run off, jerking on the bit, throwing her head. On the worst days, Maggie would whirl around a number of times throughout a class. Never bucking, but just being a downright nuisance that everybody watching could see.
Unlike certain horseshow exhibitors who will seemingly brag “I haven’t ridden my horse since the last show.” Maggie was ridden at the ranch throughout the week in preparation for weekend shows.
Riding in the pasture, Maggie was as near perfect as could ever be expected. Come show days that would sometimes change completely.
Different veterinarians and horse experts evaluated Maggie’s erratic attitudes prescribing certain medications and handling. Really it was just the way she was. Maggie was Maggie.
Easy to criticize the mare, Maggie on many days was a winner, an all-around champion. In eight different associations, Maggie has won in every class.
Halter, showmanship, pleasure, horsemanship, walk-trot, trail, reining, working ranch horse, ranch pleasure, extreme cowboy race, English pleasure, English equitation, hunter hack.
When her rider was recovering from having both knees replaced afraid to ride a real speed-event horse, Maggie stepped up. She ran to place in barrel racing, flag race, pole bending, keg bending, lead back race, and Western jump,
On several occasions, Maggie was entered in 18 classes during one show, often claiming the highpoint award.
She’s been used rounding up cattle, ridden in parades, and driven pulling a comfortable high-wheeled cart.
Likely, doing the best in her lifetime, Maggie won or placed high in every class during handfuls of August horseshows.
Then, the next weekend, after riding daily throughout the week, Maggie was extremely lame disqualified from show participation.
Extensive medical attention, x-rays, farrier work, drug treatment, special care, dieting, Maggie remained lame.
Finally, horse specialist veterinarian diagnosed the problem as severe laminitis. No definite cause was determined, but most likely an unpreventable inherited issue.
With intensive care, medication, strict diet, corrective shoeing, there’s less than 50 percent probability Maggie will be sound to show. Likewise, chances of her carrying a foal to live birth are less promising.
Important family member, Maggie is in Flint Hills pasture where there are two other retirees with daily feed and watchful eye.
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