The horse that changed my life
Quarter Horse jockey Josh Scott has only been riding for three years but says he never would be where he is had it not been for a strong-willed horse by the name of Calypso.
Scott, who is from Sault Ste. Marie, ON, was given the feisty Appaloosa mare by this mother when he was just 7-years-old. And he didn’t want a quiet riding horse, he wanted a challenge.
“She was full of spunk,” said Scott about the 6-year-old mare. “She broke me, not the other way [around]. Most people get bomb-proof horses but not me. I asked for her and I knew she was nearly wild.”
Scott said it took him nearly a year to be able to ride Calypso before he was not being dropped and that accomplishment ignited his interest in working with strong-willed horses.
“She’s what got me into fixing problem horses and breaking babies,” said Scott, who has worked for trainer Roger Attfield as an exercise rider in addition to riding races at Ajax Downs. He rode his first race for trainer John Neil in 2012.
Scott owned Calypso from 1998 to 2007 before he had to sell her when he relocated to the Greater Toronto area. He currently lives in Woodbridge.
In his collection of memorabilia is a wonderful photo that appeared on the front page of a Sault Ste. Marie paper of him and his mare at the Laird Fall Fair. The poignant moment at the Fair was captured by Paul Nobo.
“I was a handful as a kid,” said Scott. “I was full of life and going a million miles an hour. Calypso changed my life by keeping me out of trouble. Like my Mom used to say. I'm sure if it wasn't for that horse I wouldn't even be riding.”
(PHOTO BELOW - JOSH SCOTT AT AJAX DOWNS, by Laurie Overton)
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