We have had Traveler for approx 11 years. He has been a great horse, an all-around horse that we have done many things with. Over the past 5 years, he has had some soundness issues and some breathing problems. We tried listing and selling him to a family friend for her young son. He was just too much for the boy and what they wanted to use him for. We continued to do riding lessons with him until last year and he hasn't had a job since. I would pull him out to ride at various times only to find him too lame for what I was trying to do. I would end up just walking him around while the guys roped. I had known about a ministry run by a former barrel racer. I had contacted her a couple times about Traveler hoping he would be something she would want to purchase. Eventually we decided we would just donate him. Kellie was an IRCA barrel racer back when I ran barrels. She too had an Iris Joe horse. She has since remarried and started a minisirty called GodSpeed. Here is what it is about:
GodSpeed Equine is a ministry committed to sharing the love of Jesus with Central Iowa youth through equine therapy, related activities and character-based values training. Youth who participate in a GodSpeed Equine program will be empowered by going deeper with their horse and by building relationships with coaches and mentors. The GodSpeed Barrel Racing Program will be a positive “daring” journey for young ladies who participate. We are confident that GOD will be at work in the hearts and minds of the girls as they form a bond with their horse to achieve speed as they navigate barrels. The GodSpeed Horsemanship program will be a positive, character building journey introducing youth to basic horsemanship skills while learning to care for their horses.
I was excited for Traveler to have a job and do something I felt he would be great at. I think he will be a great addition to their program. Traveler has always been a kid favorite for riding lessons at our home. He is also the "go to" horse I pick for beginners to ride when they come to the farm. He is perfect with ground manners, does great at a walk and trot and is easy to control. With all that being said, once you get some speed going with him, he can get pretty speedy and hard to stop. Traveler was bought from a family friend that roped hard with him, too hard. He kind of ruined him as a rope horse, overusing him. Traveler was a hot mess when we got him. Mark tried roping with him for a few years only to fight him and his stops. We had him to Pott's and Jackson for some training in hopes of fixing some of his issues. Mark and I both alternated him competing in ranch rodeos and Team pennings for a couple years. He went on many trail rides over the years. Next I worked barrels with him and had Jayden make a few runs at some youth rodeos with him. He had speed and it went ok, he was just so hard to stop. I took him in 2015 as my mount for serpentine. He had some breathing and coughing issues during some of the practice nights. Starting in May we had weekly practices leading up to the Labor Day weekend rodeo. That was some hard core practice and a 4 night performance over memorial weekend. I dont know who was more exhausted, my horse or myself! He also had to carry flags during the rodeo in between events and ride in the Labor day parade.
Trav was the horse we chose out of our herd to be the companion animal to haul with the new colt we brought home from the Sutton ranch. We hauled Traveler 12 hours to a ranch in South Dakota, we threw him in a pen with a few mares for the night, loaded him back up in the morning with a colt beside him and a divider and drove 12 hours home.
Trav is a beautiful horse, a bay roan , stout build and kind disposition. His coloring changes so much from winter to summer and each year he can look a little different. He was a great guy always at the bottom of the pecking order. He would practically walk to you when you had a halter and stick his nose in it. He reminded me so much of my Joe horse in color and some of his behavior.
I hope to visit and see him in action soon. I hope he can provide therapy to kids needing it. He is a gift and he will be a blessing to others.
Comments