About In The Light...

Colby 'learning' about water....this was the first time she had ever seen it.

Back in the Spring of 2011, my Aunt lost a battle with cancer. While this was one of the lowest points in my year – if not my entire life – it also resulted in me (as well as my brothers, sister and cousins) being the recipient of some life insurance money, of which she had named us as beneficiaries. The money went to good use. I made a significant donation in her name to cancer research, as well as a donation to her local animal shelter – she loved animals and had numerous dogs and cats over the years. I had a small amount left over. It was with this small amount…and I mean REALLY small…, that I was able to buy my current ride, in the middle of July.

She is a 16hh+ coming 4 year old OTTB. Chestnut. Big white blaze down her face. Blonde mane and tail. (I know, I know, what was I thinking??!) She came with the name ‘Sky’. but I had to change it, as there was already a Sky Jr. and a Sky Sr. at the barn. I ended up calling her Colby – as in Colby Village, Nova Scotia, where I grew up. I thought it was fitting.

Her athleticism, willing attitude, bravery (except for cows, she loathes cows), workmanlike demeanour and just plain old raw talent, makes me shake my head. Everyday. Not only that, she is very pretty, very girlie and knows it. She squeals whenever a gelding walks by, kicks at them in the tack-up stall when they sniff her butt too long, and demands to be made clean….just so she can roll and become completely covered in mud…again…the next day.

She refuses to eat apples whole, and makes me hold them, while she takes mini dainty sized bites. She refuses to eat carrots if the pieces are too big, and will spit them onto the floor and if she had eyebrows to raise, that is the look I would get. She loves to be fussed over and insists on being thoroughly inspected and groomed everyday….don’t brush her too hard though, because then she will give you attitude. She has no forelock anymore because everyday for 3 weeks in September, she was covered in burrs.

She is amazing.

She is also the reason that I have something to believe in again, when it comes to my goals as a rider. While she will never, ever be able to replace the emotional attachment I have to Chester, she will be able to make my dreams come true. Up until July, I didn’t want those dreams anymore, simply due to the stubborn reason that those dreams wouldn’t have been accomplished with Chester. Dumb eh?

Then, she came along because ‘a friend had a friend with a horse for sale’ …

When Colby and I work, it feels like there is nothing we can’t do… I feel safe. I trust her and she trusts me. She is bold. She hasn’t refused anything I have ever pointed her at and she took to XC like she was born for it. Whenever we introduce something new to her, she does it as though she has been doing it her entire life…that scares the hell out of me. More importantly than any of that; she gave me hope again when I had none left.

Her show name will be In The Light…after the song of the same name by the un-matched amazingness of Led Zeppelin. Listen to the words in the song and you will understand why she is my light.

"And if you feel that you can't go on. And your will's sinkin' low.

Just believe and you can't go wrong.

In the light you will find the road."