Meet the "Kid," Major!

This is one of the off the track Thoroughbreds, Major. His Jockey Club name is actually "Ima Last Love." Major is the sweetest, gentlest, most laid back horse in the barn right now. I can't see how you can get more laid-back than he. He just turned 4 in January 1, when all Thoroughbreds have their birthdays. His Jockey Club pedigree shows that back in his family tree he is related to the likes of Racing Greats Native Dancer, Nashua, and War Admiral. He was "disgarded" from racing simply because, as the trainer told us, he simply would not race. The official record of races won on his papers is blank.
He isn't as flashy as the other two we have, but he is still sweet, and pretty clever.
I haven't been able to ride him much, as almost as soon as he stepped off the trailer after coming here from the Track, he was kicked on one of his lower hind legs and he bowed a tendon. That requires a lot of rest. Then he got into the high tinsle portion of our fence and cut himself badly, and it got infected. Then bad winter weather set in, preventing me from doing hardly any riding at all. Yesterday, however, I threw on breeches and boots, determined to fling my leg over one of the horses, and I chose Major. We got into the arena, and all he wanted to do was mosey along at a s...l...o...w... walk. I used muscles I haven't used since my instructor clinics when I rode several different horses for eight hours of riding per day..... I used a heavy following seat, pushed him with my seat bones, calves, thighs, I gave him everything I had without kicking him (I despise kicking horses...) and he never changed gears. After 20 minutes, I was getting worn out, and knew I wasn't going to get a trot from him, so we packed it back to the barn. Next time, I think I will try using my light spurs (prince of wales) and maybe introduce him to our friend the dressage whip. (I never whip the horses; the whip is merely an extension of one's arm.) I think maybe he was cursed when the breeder named him Ima LAST love..... Thoroughbred breeders should think twice before naming their horses anything with "Last" in it. :)
Nevertheless, I know I will figure out what makes Major wake up, and he will make a lovely school horse for my students. He is such a doll. At 4, he is still pretty immature, so I refer to him as "the Kid." I think he thought I was crazy, when I took about 50 shots of him, trying to get him to pose for me. The more shots I took, the more he showed me he "wanted his bridle off, already!" by lowering his head, as I teach horses to do for bridling and unbridling.
Stay tuned to meet our other horses soon.