The Retro Story

The first time I crossed paths with Retro “Retrospective” was in the summer of 1993. He was owned by a teenage girl who rode at the barn where I worked. She enjoyed riding Retro for a short time (maybe a year at the most) until other interests became important to her.

Soon Retro was left in a small pen at the barn bored to death. The girl’s family abandoned Retro and quit paying board, poor Retro was now unloved for at least a year.

I did as much as I legally could for him, which wasn’t much. Retro had to entertain himself by learning bad vices. He began to drink (water that is) and soon he was addicted. He also learned to crib (pressing his top teeth on a bar and sucking air in) this is a common habit with bored horses and is equivalent to smoking with humans.

Yes if he were human he would be a drinker and a smoker! Now poor Retro’s pen would become muddy in 24 hours due to his drinking and peeing. We had to move him to different pens.

Finally a deal was made to trade Retro for the board. Now, Retro was owned by the barn. I was very secretly hoping I would get to use him in lessons.

The first thing the barn owner did was load him up into the trailer and haul him to the ranch, 4 hours away for mountain riding. Well on the first day they were riding up a mountain and Retro collapsed. (The best news for me ever!) Why they thought that a sedentary horse could go work in the mountains, I will never know, but, I will always be glad it happened. They thought he was dumb and sent him home to me to be used for lessons and to sell.

I was so excited to finally be able to love and use this absolutely wonderful horse. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him, and treat him with what he needed. Love, exercise, grooming and attention. I knew this horse would be an awesome lesson horse. I had told my husband that I had the perfect horse in mind for him to buy. (We were dating at the time) I told Patrick all about Retro and that I knew they were meant for each other.

The first time Patrick set his eyes on Retro he said his color reminded him of a fudgepop that had been in the freezer too long! Patrick rode Retro and they were a great match, he bought him and the two of them became companions. Never judge a book by its cover. Now Patrick loves his color. Patrick has always let me use him for lessons when he wasn’t riding him. Patrick also generously shares Retro for students to show. Now you get to ride and show him too!

Back in El Paso when Patrick was riding Retro regularly he took reining lessons on him, showed him in reining, western pleasure and trail. He took him in many team pennings, barrel races, pole bending and other speed events.