“Who is the horse that changed my life? Sleepin’ Lion, a.k.a, Leo!
I have been lucky enough to ride and work around hundreds of different horses, in so many different disciplines. All of which exemplify extraordinary talents in their own personal ways. Though I can think of dozens who have helped shape my equestrian past and future, the standout is Leo.
Him and I have shared so many things together but he holds the record in my life for sharing the most “firsts.”
First and only horse I groomed to ever win on my birthday. First racehorse I sat on. First racehorse that I fell off. First horse I ever breezed. First horse I flipped into a lead pony. First lead pony I ever owned. First horse I broke to team pen. First horse I taught on my own to jump. First (and only) horse I would choose to hide at a farm close to school (Brock University) so I had something to practice on for the equestrian team...didn’t go over well at home! First horse I broke to ride in a parade. First horse to fall off bad enough to need surgery. First horse to love plowing through snow drifts as much as me! First horse to ride over cross country jumps. First horse to ever ride into Lake Erie on. First horse I have ever taken to Florida with me. First horse I have ever leased to anyone else.
He is what I would define as a pleaser. He is good at almost everything, and although not all of our trials and tribulations have made him happy, he does everything willing. He is a point and shoot kind of horse. As long as he trusts you, he will try anything once. He opened my eyes to the potential that these animals have. How adaptable they are. After his final work out as a racehorse, he loaded onto a trailer, in a stock saddle and went to learn to team pen. The very next day was on the track, hooked up to a racehorse, giving them a lead. He is the right amount of spunk and class. Not a horse you want to fall asleep on but a horse you count on.
(Photo by Mr. Will Wong)
It is truly hard to pick a single memory that makes me fondest of him. The Christmas parade is probably the funniest story we have together. Everyone was going to the parade and I didn’t want Leo or myself to be left out, so I dressed him up and found a ride. He had never done anything like it and I didn’t think twice.
I treated him like everyone else was with their horses. I tied him up to the side of the trailer with his friends and went and socialized. Sure enough, he broke free and did the same. After catching him, it was parade time. He was a dream. He was patient, kind, took photos with people on the side of the road. It was about a 30-minute ride back to the track parking lot where it started.
As we neared the track, we cut onto an old train track path; used now as a dirt bike trail. A good friend of mine asked if I wanted to race back, and of course I said YES! Sure enough we are flying down the trail, laughing, when she reminded me that the road was coming up. Old (racehorse) habits die hard; I figured Leo would neck rein around this little tree that was just planted and pull up. Boy was I wrong. He went right, when I swung left and I took out the tree. I didn’t want him to get loose so I let him drag me by the reigns, until the horse we were racing ran me over. As he flew down the rest of the trail, someone caught him on the on ramp to the QEW. He came back unscathed. I however, was black, blue and bloody. I had broken my ulna and radius. I was devastated. I had just bought my first car, which was standard and got a job with hall of famer, Roger Attfield, in Florida.
It is funny how eventually thing comes full circle. Seven years later, Leo is Roger’s barn pony, taking care of him with his broken foot right now and I am his assistant trainer. We have learned so much along the way and shared most of our racetrack experiences together.
He has worked at Fort Erie, Woodbine, Gulfstream and Payson Park. He has ponied multiple stake winners like Shakhimat, Groupie Doll and Will Take Charge. He participated in leading the groom school at Woodbine this year. He has taught children to ride and schooled those who think that they can ride. He is a star in his own right. He provided a shoulder to cry on when one of our own, Wayne Whalen, died. Wayne was the nephew of Leo’s trainers/owners, Henry Whalen and Claudia Rabstein. If it wasn’t for Wayne and his love for his family, that horse and me, Leo wouldn’t be in my life now. I wouldn’t have ever groomed him, rode him, or have him today.
When I think about that horse, I see who I want to be. I hope to be veritable, patient, willing and loving. Not everyone is fortunate enough to experience horse like that in their life time, but I sure hope everyone tries to find their Leo.”
By Allyson Walker, for Ontario Racing
(C) Ontario Racing 2016. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without permission.
More For The Love of Racing