Therapeutic Riding, Inc.

Cochise

Registered Name: Top Amigos Sandman

Foaled June 24, 1994

Joined TRI October 26, 2007. Retired home to be with LaDean English and Dale and Andrew Rose on May 27, 2009

It’s always sad to say goodbye to a friend. Cochise, one of our wonderful horses, retired from TRI on May 27, 2009. He had been a hard working member of our equine staff for two years and decided that he was ready to retire and go home.

However, this is a “good news, bad news” situation. While the bad news is that he has retired from TRI, the good news is that he has gone home to his former owners who had always said they would welcome him home when it was time for him to retire. He got on the trailer with them on the 27th for the short ride back to the west side of Ann Arbor. There he has a little boy to love him and bring him treats, a horsey buddy to hang out with, and trails to wander on.

Our heartfelt thank you’s to LaDean English and Dale and Andrew Rose for sharing Cochise with us, and for taking him home with you for a well earned retirement. Thank you for everything, Cochise. You were wonderful and we will miss your colorful, handsome face.

Dee Jay

4/9/83 - 10/23/08

Registered Name - Go Wild Fire Go

On Thursday 10/23/08, we bid a sad farewell to our wonderful Dee Jay. Dee Jay came to TRI March 18, 2000, and for the next eight years he served as a faithful part of our equine team.

Dee Jay was donated to TRI by Paula Bishop and came to us with more dressage skills than any of his human co-workers could ever hope to have. Yet he didn't hold our ignorance against us. His easy going, relaxed attitude was obvious whether he was in the paddock, in his stall, or in the arena. He was rock solid and reliable with fragile riders, and trustworthy with timid riders making their first steps into independent riding. Dee Jay was one of those horses that you could lead "with the rope in your pocket". He knew his job and was quite comfortable doing it.

In recent months, Dee Jay had become quite visually impaired. This made him increasingly nervous and jumpy so we reluctantly retired him from working in classes at the end of Session 1. He spent the fall in relaxed retirement, keeping George company in their private paddock. However, other health issues forced us to make the painful decision to let our sweet friend go to his peaceful reward.

Dee Jay is buried here at TRI with his old friends Wabash and Brutus. I bet he's up there right now, catching them up on all the things that have happened here since they crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Thanks for everything, Dee Jay. You were a gentleman to the end and we'll miss you.

George

Foaled 1986

Joined TRI 1998, retired home with Marilyn Johnston 10/22/08

George left TRI on 10/22/08 to retire home with his former owner, Marilyn Johnston. George's AQHA registered name was "Georgio Tardy" but around here, he was known as Mr. Perfect.

In his former life, George was an all-around show horse; he won several Championships at Michigan State University in Showmanship! He put those skills to good use here at TRI. He was the easiest horse to lead as he knew how to do it himself. Even if his leaders didn't keep him straight or stop him squared up, he knew his job and did it well. He was the perfect horse for training new leaders. He had the ability to "read" them the second they went in his stall. If he gave someone a hard time walking down the aisle, I knew that was his way of saying, "Not this one, Tracy!"

George was as close to bomb-proof as they come. We trusted him to take care of our independent riders and he never put a foot wrong. He taught several riders how to canter - his slow, rocking canter was a perfect introduction to the gait.

Jeremy takes care of all the horses seven days a week and knows them better than anyone. George was his favorite, his special horse, and it was a sad day for him when George left on that trailer. Still, he was proud of his boy. He said George stepped right up on that trailer like he'd done it every day, instead of not having seen one since our last Ride-A-Thon!

George, you were one of a kind and we'll never have another horse like you. We wish you a happy retirement with Marilyn. Thank you, dear friend.

Sympatico

Joined TRI in 2003, retired from TRI in 2007

Sympatico, or "Symmy" to his friends, was our tallest horse at 16.3 hands. Foaled in 1986, he was a handsome chestnut Thoroughbred gelding. While jokes about "riding high" and "how's the weather up there?" were often heard, his narrower body shape and exceptionally smooth, gliding gaits were a delight for our riders who found wide-backed horses a challenge for their leg muscles. Sympatico had a long career in hunter/jumper and advanced dressage before he joined us in 2003.

On October 21, 2007, Sympatico officially retired from life as a therapeutic riding horse. Declining health and arthritis troubles were making this job too hard with him. Katherine Simson, his owner, found a lovely retirement farm for him in Kalamazoo. We will miss you, Symmy. Thanks for everything.

Licorice

The barn cat

On Thursday, June 5, 2008, we lost a very special member of the TRI family. Licorice, our beloved little black cat, died that morning. She is buried on our property along with the horses and dogs that went before her. Licorice was a bonus feature when we moved into this property in 1997 – she was already here and adopted us as her new (very large) family.

For the last 11 years, she has served as our official greeter, appearing like clockwork at the beginning of classes and making her rounds among all the riders, volunteers, and families, with that powerful purr of hers going nonstop. Ever patient, she never seemed to get upset when riders would pick her up and hug her, or pass her around, each rider wanting to make sure to get their turn with Licorice before getting called up to the ramp to get on their horse.

Tracy will dearly miss her office mate once the weather turns cold. All winter long, as soon as Tracy arrived at the office, Licorice would appear at the door, demanding to be let in. She would check out everything on the desks (hence those muddy footprints that were sometimes on your papers!), then curl up and sleep on her horse pad behind Tracy’s desk.

At least 12 years old, Licorice had a good long life and was loved by everyone – even those who were allergic to cats had a soft spot in their hearts for her. Thank you for all the laps and love you gave her. She will be missed.