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Post by .*.Brandy.*. on Feb 25, 2008 16:14:43 GMT -5
Show Name: Ima Joker IGCH Barn Name: Joker Breed: Thoroughbred [registered Silverbred] Gender: gelding Age: 23 [1990] Color: blood bay Markings: star and snip & two back socks Height: 16.2 hh Dam: Poker Sire: Woodman Breeder: unknown Trainer: unknown Owner/Usual Rider: Lily Anderson Show Points: 24280 Website Inhabited: Cold Creek Inc.
I don't even know where to start when I'm supposed to talk about Joker. He is modeled after my horse in real life so I'm going to speak about him more personally than any of the other horses here. Of course, Joker has his flaws. Everyone on SIM seems obsessed with saying how flawless their horse is and how it's better than someone else's. "My stallion can jump 6 feet and then let 5 year old children ride him in short stirrup hunter the next day." Admit it. We all do it. We all just get so wrapped up in making our simulated horses THE BEST. That's not the case with Joker though. We jump, of course, and we jump around 3' or 3'3 consistently but even after I've worked with him on complicated things for a long time, I can dismount and hand him off to my brother and know that when he rides, Joker will take care of him. My brother (he's nine by the way) will literally let go of the reins completely and Joker will walk him slowly around the arena in circles and on the track, never stopping at the gate like other horses would. My brother says that Joker has the best 'auto-pilot' and it's true. I have yet to find another horse that won't try to stop by the gate or run out if you completely let go of the reins. He never takes advantage of me closing my eyes and trusting him. Joker's not perfect, as I said. He's a thoroughbred so he's very high strung even though he's gelded. He's too high spirited and unreliable to be a lesson horse and too grouchy to be a therapeutic riding horse. With Joker, you have to be very clear and decisive about what you want him to do. Otherwise, he'll get frustrated and will completely give up on doing what you want! I knew that Joker had to be mine the day that I met him for the first time. He had been sitting out in a field with another horse for two years while his owners were in a custody battle and was for sale for cheap. I tried out the other horse and absolutely hated him. My instructor (who was a slave driver, by the way) yelled at me that I was spoiled and snapped "Well, why don't you try that other horse (Joker) and then you'll be able to see that you're making a big mistake about not buying the other one." I got on Joker and my instructor told me to walk around and then trot a couple of steps and get off. I asked him to trot very quietly after we had both settled into each other and we started to trot a few steps. And then a few more. And then we were circling the arena at an easy trot. I cut across the diagonal and did the change just as easily. Then my instructor told me to try a canter, still believing that it was just a fluke. We did that just as easily, going in both directions. Then my instructor had me jump a crossrail. And then a vertical. Then a line of fences. Finally, I took Joker out into the field and galloped him without a problem. It was so fun and it was just the kind of thing where you knew that it was meant to be. He used to show on the jumper circuit down in Florida in his younger days but right now I've been getting him to slow down over fences and do hunters/equitation, my area of expertise. Joker tries to be slow and listen to me but sometimes, he just gets really excited. His ears prick forward and in all the pictures, you can see in his face that he loves to jump. You can see it in his eyes that he's always loved to jump. Joker is an old horse in comparison to other SIM horses. In real life, horses can compete as long as their physical condition allows it. Joker looks like he's about six and acts like he's four. He's not an easy horse to handle on the ground either. He doesn't do anything terrible but he has some days where his arthritis acts up or he woke up on the wrong side of the stall, I guess. He'll pin his ears and bite out but never mean anything by it. He always bites out when you buckle the front of his blanket and once he bit me by accident. No lie, the second I checked to see if he'd gotten through the skin, he nudged my arm with his nose as apology. He's allowed to be grouchy though. He's ANCIENT! Joker's really in tune with my emotions too. Some days, when my mind is clouded or consumed with something else, he can't connect with me and we end up having a bad ride. Usually when we have a bad ride, it's because I'm the one that's unfocused or upset. Some days I come out and I just feel great. Usually when this happens, Joker and I are like magic. There's no comparison to the feeling of knowing you and your horse are completely in tune with each other. A few months ago, I went out to the barn and completely broke down. My mom told me that I probably shouldn't ride because I was so upset but I ignored her. I got up on Joker and started to trot with my reins loose and floppy. Joker lowered his head and collected himself without me having to ask. As I rode around, I started to tear up again. I kept saying things like 'Good boy, Joker' or 'You are such a good boy, Joker'. I didn't even know what I was doing, I was so upset. Joker just kept on going around, his ears flickering back towards my words, listening intently to my aids and voice. I rode him like that for a long time and later, I stopped him. I looked over at my mom with disbelief and elation. And I said "Momma, he knows." I looked down at Joker as we walked out and his ears were pricked forward. He was proud of himself. Joker's also great in the show ring. Most recently, we showed at a show down the road. He was freaked out though because the mare that he loves was back at the trailer and we had to go in our classes. It took him a long time to settle but when he did, we got ribbons in every class that we were entered in. Our second course in the hunter division was poetry in motion and we won the class and later found out, the whole hunter division. I was ecstatic! No one can make Joker go the same way that I can and that theory has been proven countless times. He follows me around the arena without me holding onto him and comes to meet me in the field. People don't understand why I have Joker. They just don't get why I would want an old horse or a grouchy horse or a high strung horse but I just love him. I love him for all his faults and all his good qualities too. He does everything that a horse is meant to do and more but never recieves the credit that he deserves for it. I don't know what else to say. Joker was recently honored with becoming a Silverbred after I wrote all of this. He has a gentle and kind spirit and that's what got him this highest honor. Becki read this essay and almost cried. It all is from the heart.
Medical Record
Vet/Farrier: Judy Andrews Last Examination: August 2013 Comments: No comments needed. Next Examination: September 2013
Titles/Banners
ASSR Silverbred Bronze Champion
Reserve Champion of the 08 ASSR's OhSoRomantik Show (Golden Memories Hosted Show)
GM's 2008 September Gelding of the Month
Islandic Grand Champion Horse
Cross Country Competitor for the Tropical Equine Team at the Blue Bell International Olympics
Reserve Champion of the 08 ASSR's Fallinginlove Variety Show (Golden Memories Hosted Show)
GM's 2008 August Gelding of the Month
Reserve Champion of the 08 ASSR's Hotshot Show (Golden Memories Hosted Show)
Confirmed As An Official Silverbred
Second-Year Green Class Champion of QRN's Get Moving Hunter Show (Quoth The Raven/Nevermore Hosted Show)
Champion Green Hunter Classic of SMO AHEJC February Hunter Classic (WF Show Grounds Hosted Show)
Third Level Division Reserve Champion & Reserve Show Champion of QRN's New Beginning Dressage Show (Quoth The Raven/Nevermore Hosted Show)
Nominated to be SAI's Overall Senior Show Horse of the Year
Day Three Show Jumping Reserve Champion of the OS 2007 Eventing Classic (WF Show Grounds Hosted Show)
Second Year Green Hunter Rch of the So Cool Hunter Show (SAI Farm All-SIM Hosted Show)
Reserve Champion of the Brass Olympius Horse Show (Tropical Equine Hosted Show)
Partridge In A Pear Tree 2006 Show Runner Up (From the Candy Cane Cup)
Champion of Cross Country (From the LSF All-SIM Show 2006)
Reserve Champion of the New 3-Day Show (Show Jumping Fyrre Hosted Event)
Evaluations
[given by SAI]
Joker's Performance in the Brass Olympius Horse Show: Day Two- Cross Country LILY & JOKER Test: 5 Bond: 2 Breed: 7 Total: 14 [judged by MD/randomizer]
Crown Royale Warm-Up: Out Of Twenty Five: 26/30 Power: Out Of One Hundred: 14/20 Speed: Out Of One Hundred: 11/20 Clearness: Out Of Twenty: 12/20 Bond With Rider: Out Of Forty: 32/40 Ability: Out Of One Hundred: 100/100 Performance: Out Of One Hundred: 80/100 Aptitude To Discipline: Out Of One Hundred: 92/100 Stood Out: Out Of One Hundred: 87/100 Total: Out Of Four Hundred: 454/500 [given by MD]
Joker's Performance in the Brass Olympius Horse Show: Day One- Dressage Movement 1 [collected trot/halt/salute]: 5/5 Movement 2 [collected trot/left rein]: 5/5 Movement 3 [halt/rein back]: 3/5 Movement 4 [change direction/rising extended trot]: 5/5 Movement 5 [halt/right lead canter]: 5/5 Movement 6 [change diagonal/flying change]: 5/5 Movement 7 [extended trot down center line/halt/salute/exit]: 5/5 Total: 33/35 Use of Dialogue: 5/5 Bond between horse and rider: 10/20 Overall: 35/40 [judged by Paula]
Crown Royale Name: Out Of One Hundred: 90/100 Breed: Out Of One Hundred: 92/100 Aptitude To The Disipline: Out Of One Hundred: 98/100 Picture: Out Of Fifty: 47/50 Past Performance: Out Of Ten: 10/10 Personality: Out Of Ten: 8/10 Bond With Rider: Out Of Ten: 9/10 Page Layout: Out Of Ten: 10/10 Warm-Up: Out Of Ten: 8/10 Total: Out Of Four Hundred: 372/400 [given by MD's friend]
Crown Royale Name: 9/10 Color/Conformation: 10/10 Persona: 10/10 Pics: 9/10 Heritage: N/A Offspring: N/A Show Record: 9/10 Comments: Gotta love the picture of him jumping out of the water! 47/50, 94%, A [given by ottonomical101]
[H]e comes out of the water jump in perfect form.- [Bekki]
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