Welcome to Cody's site!

Welcome to Cody's website! This site is dedicated to my 6 year old; 16 hand; chestnut; OTTB (Off-Track Thorougbred) gelding, Cody. Cody used to be a Thoroughbred racehorse. His registered/racing name is "Gold N Silver Wind". Cody's racing career ended just a few months ago after he ran his last race on April 29th, 2006. Cody had 21 starts and has won 4 races during his career. Cody's sire is "Judge Smells" and his dam is "Arts And Styles". He was foaled in PA, and raced at several tracks there and also at Fingerlakes Racetrack in New York State.

CODY'S STORY

On Saturday, July 15th, 2006 I went up to Fingerlakes Racetrack with a friend of mine who volunteers for "The Exceller Fund", an Off-Track Thoroughbred rescue organization. She showed me around the track and we stopped at many stables looking at beautiful horses that were all no longer suitable for racing and in need of immediate placement. I truly wished that I had the funds and facilities to take all the horses, but I could only pick one. Although I found something unique and intriguing about each horse that I saw, it seemed that I couldn't find the "right" horse as my first true ex-racer project. Deciding to keep a few horses in mind, we left the track and I felt a little dissapointed. Before heading back down the NYS thruway my friend remembered to make one last phone call to a local vet to ask if she had any horses that fit my description. The vet operates a local adoption program.  We headed back down the road following the directions given by the vet to a small barn where a few of her available horses were being kept. When we got to the barn I looked at more beautiful horses although again, none of them fit the bill. Just before we were heading back to the car we remembered that the vet had mentioned there was a small chestnut horse out in a pasture that was very recently donated to her program. The horse had only been at the barn for approximatley a month, and had been turned out day and night. The vet didn't know much about the horse, although she said his legs looked clean and was never injured at the track. As we approached the paddock I saw a small, underweight chestnut horse with a litte white star on his forehead who appeared to be starving for attention. As we entered the paddock the little horse walked right up to us. This horse had the kindest eyes I had ever seen in an equine. I immediately fell in love with him and told my friend that he was the horse I had been looking for. He stood there, swishing his tail at the flys and looking at us as I rubbed his neck.  He seemed very affectionate. We looked over his legs, and watched as the barn owner picked up his hooves. The horse continued to stand in place and was very cooperative. The barn owner didn't know much about the little gelding, he didn't even have a name. We asked to see him move, and the man got after him a little in the paddock. He seemed to have some energy and his movement was pretty nice! I didn't want to leave without taking the horse with me but we didn't have a horse trailer with us. I kept looking back at him as we headed to the car.

My friend contacted the vet to inquire about the gelding and then told her that I wanted him. I was filled with excitement! Although I'm normally a bit timid by nature, the fact that I would be bringing home a Thoroughbred who hadn't had any training since being off the track didn't seem to bother me. I had to fill out a couple of forms, and the adoption was complete. I adopted the gelding from "The Fingerlakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program. "  I chose to adopt without a pre-purchase exam (leg x-rays) and without even getting on his back! Since the program already has so many horses in need of homes I adopted my beautiful gelding for a small fee of just $500.00. The following day, Sunday July 16th, 2006 we returned to the barn with a trailer to bring the horse home. After two attempts we loaded him up and were on our way back to our stable. During the three hour ride home I went back and forth in my mind trying to decide on a suitable name for the little gelding. At last, he had a name, "Cody". 

The first day I hand grazed Cody around his new stable and showed him the surroundings. He didn't seem to be too high strung or bothered by the move. For the first week he was turned out alone in a small round pen and then carefully introduced to the herd of horses he would soon go out to pasture with. After one week of ground work I decided to try to get on Cody's back to see how he would respond. To my surprise he stood still at the mounting block while a friend of mine held him from the ground. I put one foot in the stirrup and swung my other leg over his back. I was riding him! That was one of the most rewarding days of my life! For the first ride I had someone lead Cody around the ring while I sat quietly in the saddle. The next day I decided to get on him without help and walk him around the ring alone. Cody was perfect! After a few days of walking I decided it was time to try a trot. I really had to put my leg on Cody to get him to move out. My first trot on him was a bit unbalanced and awkward! I don't think Cody was sure of what I was asking, although he tried his best to please. Since Cody seemed a little sore walking on the rocks in the driveway I decided to put front shoes on him. The shoes made quite a difference and I also saw an improvement undersaddle, as he was moving out much better. He seemed to be alot more comfortable. I worked with Cody alot on bending exercises, transitions and voice commands the first month. After some problems occured at the stable it was decided by a boarder friend and I that we would move our horses back to our old stable, Franconia Farm.

Once again, Cody was being moved. I was alittle worried that it would take some time for Cody to adjust to his new home but he seemed to settle right in. I rode Cody in the much larger indoor arena the second day after the move. He was yet again, very well behaved despite his whinnying for a best horse bud out of nervousness. As the weeks went by Cody kept improving and I finally decided to try and canter him. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get him to pick up the canter, or that if he did, he would gallop off with me. I asked him to move out at the trot and in the corner I asked for a canter. He picked the canter right up for me and was on the correct lead! Since then, I've been working with Cody on basic Dressage exercises and he has been doing very well! I've trotted him over ground poles, worked him on 15 and 20 meter circles and also we've done a little leg yielding. Cody has been responding very well to my aids! In fact, Cody has been stretching his neck down for me (creating a slight arch in his back) and moving forward. I have been working with him on "accepting the bit" and driving him forward with my seat and legs so that he begins to push off from his hind end and "use himself" properly. Retraining an exracer has been absolutley wonderful! I couldn't have found a better horse for this first time adventure.