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The Story of Comeback Callie
 Have you ever had a dream that you would own a horse that was something special? Well, we have lived that dream. Unbeknown to us at the time, it was to start on our farm April 14, 1999 at 6 AM when Fleurs Uptown Gal, AKA “Callie,” was born. Since we had purchased the foal while still in the belly of the mare from a local breeder, we were delighted with a Filly. Callie was healthy, cute, friendly, and smart. Although we thought the world of her, the judges did not agree with us. At her first Quarter Horse show, in her weanling futurity, she placed tenth out of eleven. The eleventh placed filly was lame. For sale was the first thing on my mind, but not so with my husband Gary. “Give her time, she has all the right parts,” was his thinking. So home we went to grow and learn.
Not wanting to repeat her weanling performance as a yearling, I decided we would only enter Callie in Lunge Line classes. She did well throughout the year, winning or placing in every class. By the completion of our show season, she had won her Futurity and was Reserve Champion Lunge Line Yearling for New York State Quarter Horse Association. Just one little change happened in her showing schedule. We were persuaded to enter another Halter Class, and as Fate would have it, she won. So began her show career as a Halter Horse.
Callie’s two-year-old show career was a little more hectic. We showed in Halter classes in the morning and Lunge Line class in the afternoon. Luckily, she did not mind the wait between classes, and was content to stand quietly tied to the trailer eating. By the completion of the years show season Callie won her Lunge Line Futurity, was third in the 2 year old Lunge Line for NYSQHA, in Halter she earned her AQHA Amateur Register of Merit, was NYSQHA Hi-Point 2 Year Old Halter Mare, and Amateur Halter Mare 2 and Under.
Now we were on a mission for next year, to complete her AQHA Open ROM. We would be happy to finish with two ROM’s. With no one but Gary and I conditioning her, and only me showing her, we will have done it on our own without any extensive traveling. Callie is always back home in the comfort of her own stall at the end of each show day.
With our goals planned for next year, we thought it would be a good time to start Callie’s training under saddle. By the middle of September, we had ten rides on her and, she was riding quiet, how fortunate we were to own a mare like her.
Gary fed most mornings by 6:15 AM, and I slept in until he returned from the barn. On September 27, 2001, the ringing of the phone disturbed my morning sleep. It was Gary, “get to the barn,” was all I heard. That phone call was the beginning of the longest nine months we would go through.
I ran down to the barn to find Callie shaken, and standing on three legs. She had injured her right hind leg. The pastern was swollen, the hair and skin scrapped off. After hosing the leg and reducing the swelling, we noticed the top of the hoof no longer met the coronet band on either side. We immediately called the Veterinarian.
A horrific injury was the Vets description. Callie had injured the ligaments and tendons on both sides of her pastern, and indeed separated the hoof from the coronet band. Nine months stall rest and lots of doctoring was the course of treatment. “No way with the stall rest we said,” Callie is used to being out; she is not rambunctious when turned out. We were afraid she would do more damage to herself if confined to a stall. The Vet compromised with us, our method of caring, including her treatment of the leg for thirty days. If it was not healing properly after thirty days, it would mean stall rest, we agreed. With our Farrier there weekly to keep Callie’s hoof from becoming deformed and Callie’s daily leg care, thirty days passed quickly. When the Vet finished examining Callie, she shook her head in disbelief. Her leg had healed as if ninety days had gone by instead of thirty, our care was working. However, unknown to us at the time, our Vet and Farrier both felt that we would be fortunate if Callie came sound let alone able to enter a show ring again. We proved them wrong, May 2002 Callie was back in the show ring, and won both her Halter Classes with her hind shoe held on by two nails and duct tape covered with hoof black, the sides of her hoof had yet to grow down. (I am now an expert concerning horseshoes and duct tape.) July the Vet released Callie of any restricted activity….we had beat the odds. By the end of our show circuit Callie had her AQHA Open Halter ROM, she was the NYSQHA Hi-Point Amateur Halter Mare 3 and over, and Reserve Champion Open 3 Year Old Halter Mare.
At this time, we figured we were finished Haltering, as we had accomplished our goals. Once again, Fate would step in and change our plans completely. Our darling girl Bridget, who had been my Super Groom through all this, decided she would like to earn a AQHA Youth Halter ROM with Callie.
As a four year old, we did not feel Callie was placing high enough in her Open and Amateur Classes. In Youth Mares, she was almost unbeatable. Therefore, Gary had the idea to photograph all the winners in Callie’s classes and compare them to her. Yes, there was a difference between the top placing mares and Callie. At home, we changed her feed and exercise, and by the middle of July, she was winning most of her classes.
By the end of our show circuit, she had earned her AQHA Youth Halter ROM and qualified for the 2004 Youth World. She was 7th in the nation for Youth Halter Mares 3 and Over, qualified for the World in Amateur Aged Mares. For NYSQHA Callie was Hi-Point Aged Mare, Amateur Mare 3 and Over, Youth Mare 3 and Over, and Hi-Point Halter Mare. Callie was close to earning Superiors in all three of her Halter Classes, so we knew we would Halter one more year.
I rode her outside throughout the winter. I was dedicated to keeping her fit and having a jump-start for the spring shows. By our first show in May, Callie was as fit as she was at the end of the previous years show season. All our work paid off, by year’s end Callie had earned her 3 AQHA Superiors, Qualified for the World in Open and Amateur Aged Mares. She was undefeated in Youth Mares standing Grand Champion at every show and qualifying for the 2005 Youth World. Once again, she was 7th in the nation for Youth Halter Mares 3 and Over. For NYSQHA, Callie was Hi-Point Aged Mare, Amateur Aged Mare, Youth Mare 3 and over, and Hi-Point Halter Mare.
With 202.5 AQHA Halter Points, 83 Grand Champions, 29 Reserve Champions, and qualifying for the World 5 times, it was a fabulous way to retire her from the Halter Arena.
All throughout Callie’s show career, she never wore a chain, and we went without banding her mane. It caused some eyebrows to be raised, and drew comments, but for the most part people enjoyed watching the well-behaved mare show and improve with each passing year. Almost every judge complimented me on her manners, and being chainless.
Now that we have retired her from the Halter Arena, it is a pleasure to watch my husband Gary rein her, Bridget learn to ride on her, and myself enjoying her on trail rides with my friends. I cannot help but wonder what Fate has in store for us next.
We have learned from Callie, never give up our dreams, for dreams really can come true….so do not give up on yours.
Sue Feinman |
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