“The horse that changed my life would have to be my first horse I owned named Adanac's Rite of Spring, or, Termite. Yes, his name was Termite. He was a young horse who was sold and brought back to the farm because he was a bit of trouble and somehow my Dad liked him and thought we should have him. He wasn't exactly the kind of horse every little girl dreamed of. I mean, he was young and VERY uneducated and I was young myself.
But, he became everything I could ever ask for. He took me to so many places and levels of competing and yes, he dropped me from time to time just to keep me on my toes. He kept me out of trouble to say the least. He demanded a lot of attention and with having a horse, comes a lot of responsibility.
I think he has changed my life forever because without him I wouldn't be where I am today. He gave me confidence from his accomplishments and he gave me all the experience you could want as a kid with their first horse.
If he didn't pull a carriage, he was jumping a five-foot fence or going for hikes through woods and when it was time to break babies for the track, he was a great pony to help. If it was dressage you wanted or just a pony to ride around without a saddle, he was your man.
He made me want to be at the barn 24/7 and because of that I think it changed my life forever.
My favorite memory of him would be the first time I swam him. I went to a close-by pond and took him for a swim. Well, he sank the first time. He went in full steam and down to the bottom. Then back up and down to the bottom. Apparently, he didn't know what to do. Needless to say, I was swimming trying to catch him at this point. He figured it out the second time.
When I think about him now, I think of how proud he makes me and all of the great memories I have from this one horse. This troubled horse who came back home is now an old dude who is great for the new generation kids. I couldn't stand to sell him. He owed me nothing and with my traveling and work he couldn't come so I left at the farm. He was born there and one day he will pass there but that's his home.
He has given many other kids joy after me and that makes me happiest of all.”
By Melanie Giddings, for Ontario Horse Racing
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