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 Factor

Fall 2004 (below) ... and... Fall 2005 & 2006! (above!)

Overview: Factor arrived fall 2004 as a 17-year-old ex-racehorse who had been a broodmare since racing unsuccessfully at 2- and 3-years. She had absorbed twins in the summer of 2004, and could not be rebred until 2005. She had not been handled much in years. Factor has since proven herself a brilliant dressage prospect, and a wonderful hunter/jumper prospect as well. Currently, AnnMarie says that if the right rider walks in the door, she will allow Factor to be adopted, but it would have to be to  an experienced dressage rider with the right kind of hands & personality to be compatible with Factor.

A special thank you to a young lady whose been interested in CWER and the horses in our care for several years, who is currently sponsoring Factor's feed and, when she can, assisting with Factor's other medical bills as well. Thanks, Katie!

HISTORY:

Upon Arrival: Factor was donated to Crosswinds by a caring family in Decatur who learned Factor would be going to sale, as an aging broodmare described as having no training and unable to be rebred prior to 2006, she would very likely go to slaughter. The Gregory family purchased Factor from her former owners, and gave Crosswinds a sizable donation along with donating the mare. Thank you so much, Susan and Gordy!  Factor has been a brood mare for many, many years, and is still recovering from the loss of twin fetuses this spring. The plan is to bring Factor back up to weight, then begin her riding training process. Her round pen exercise shows us a mare with dressage-quality movement and personality to match!

October 2004 Update: As Factor has come up to weight, and we've begun to work together, we've found this broodmare definitely knows what a saddle is. And the ink tattoo on her upper lip told us she was TRAINED to race. Below you can find the information that Missy's web research was able to pull up regarding her racing career...basically, 5 starts, no money.

In addition to being significantly underweight after her losing the foals, Factor was also in desperate need of dental work. After nearly $100 worth of dental care, we are THRILLED to see how well Factor now handles a bit, and how well she is now able to eat, with minimal feed spillage. We hope it will also help to restore her natural body weight more quickly.

FACTOR RIDES! Tonight, 10/6/04, Factor and I had our first riding experience. Factor showed herself to be level-headed but timid, and very nervous about standing still under saddle. Unlike most ex-racers, she actually understands that she is supposed to WALK when I'm on her back (most race horses are never asked to walk under saddle), and she has a reasonably responsive mouth. I'm SOOO looking forward to more riding time as we get her up to physical condition! She has a very minor short stride on one hind leg and we will also need to have chiropractic care to determine the nature of the issue and hopefully resolve it 100%.

November 2004 Update: Factor's chiropractic adjustment seemed to resolve the minor short stride 100%, and she is quickly becoming truly a joy to ride. The timid-ness is nearly gone, and she is no longer nervous. She stands still under saddle without difficulty, walks with confidence, and trots beautifully. We are just starting to work on cantering, which she remains timid about at this point, but is making rapid progress. The crazy weather and short days have allowed only a few rides so far, and Factor is making great progress in such a short time! I believe we have a jumper with real potential on our hands in Factor, and hope to find her a home with a rider who has the skill to pursue it.

December 2004 Update: The photos show Factor's most recent ride. She is a pleasure to ride! She has really blossomed! She is eager to please, and just a joy. She saddles comfortably, stands when mounted and dismounted, and rides along fields and roads without any difficulty. She crosses ditches and doesn't flinch at the traffic on our small country road. Her canter is developing nicely and is becoming a smooth, clean gate. She is also nearly completely up to weight, and is muscling up so nicely! What a beautiful mare we have on our hands here!

Dr King was out to work on Bob, and gave Factor a general 'check over'. He found that her left hip was a little stuck, which explained the uneven canter, but otherwise was THRILLED with her physical condition. He thought her muscle toning looked superb, she is within 100 lbs of ideal weight, her winter coat is fantastic for a thoroughbred, and he guess-timated her age (without looking at her teeth) as 7 years old!!! He's really pleased with her resulting condition, and so are we!!! This girl is ready to find her forever home!

February 2005 Update: Factor has continued to make fantastic progress! In early February, we trucked her out to Indiana to visit with the Kaluf gang and ride in their indoor arena. Factor's old nervousness returned when she was in this new environment, but she settled in and was pleasant enough to ride for Tory to get to ride her in the indoor arena before we brought her home. On the 19th, Gerry and AnnMarie took Factor to a local indoor-arena show in Charleston. This unique barn has 2 indoor arenas attached with a walkway, and the first indoor is a warm-up and staging area. Factor had a hard time getting settled in, but did VERY well as long as we were riding and she knew just what to do. We got to warm up in the show ring over lunch, and after the chance to warm up to all the exciting noises and such, Factor did superb in both classes! Gerry rode her to 2nd place in Open English Walk-Trot, herself having only shown 4-5 times before, and AnnMarie rode factor to 2nd out of 6 in Open 3-gaited English. Factor needs some more off-site experience before she's ready to be a calm-headed show horse, but she certainly excels once she's in the ring!!!

March 2005 update: Factor continues to blossom as a show horse. We've exposed her to a variety of locations, and also found she is far more content with a horsey friend along on these 'field trips'. This weekend Factor was ridden in her second show, and while her placings weren't spectacular, her behavior was. She was sweet, well mannered and a joy to be around almost the entire trip, getting upset only when not riding but out of visual range of Sandy, her trip mate. We are looking forward to continuing to expand her showing experience and sharing this fun with her into spring and summer! (Brief video clip available via email  request.) I LOVE how she is starting to collect at the trot!  (Photos below are lifted from the video.)

April 2005 update: Factor continues to blossom as a show horse.  At our 3rd show together, she placed 4th in walk trot, ridden by 11-year-old Tory, then 3rd in hunter pleasure, then first in hunter equitation with AnnMarie. Factor was fantastic!

Again Dr King's expertise continues to amaze us. Factor was having difficulty picking up her left lead, which was getting worse with each training session, especially under saddle. We asked Dr King to look for a cause for us. He found not 1 or 2, not 3 or 4, but FIVE causes for her having physical difficulty with this lead, starting with her left front hoof (which is due for a trim but not severe by any means) being a little high on the inside, encouraging her to turn her knee out, which was throwing the shoulder out of position, thus irritating several vertebrae at the shoulder/neck junction, and up into her neck. Now that she's had this area adjusted, we're anxious for decent weather again so we can see what improvement has been made.

He also was finally able to find the cause for her continued difficulty with handling her hind feet. We knew her last delivery was difficult, and doc found that her sacrum (where the tail meets the spine) was in significant need of adjustment. During her 2 prior adjustments she was simply too nervous and scared to let him handle this area, so we were unable to determine the issues there previously.

Lastly, despite recent dental work, Factor has been spilling more and more of her feed. Doc found her to have a mild case of TMJ and that her atlas joint (where the head meets the neck) to be slightly out, causing her jaw to move oddly or be uncomfortable during chewing.

It is amazing what a chiropractic 'tune-up' can do. The expense may seem a little high on first glance, but compared to the issues it resolves and the comfort it provides these animals who give us so much, it is SO worth it. EVERY horse in the CWER herd will continue to receive periodic chiropractic check-ups to help resolve these sorts of 'minor' issues that most horse owners sadly ignore or simply don't know how to resolve.

May 2005 update: Factor's chiropractic work did wonders to help 'tune up' her over all performance. And now, thanks to the addition of a fantastic volunteer, Traci G. of Villa Grove, Factor and AnnMarie are fully immersed in learning dressage together. The 2 are nearly inseparable, and Traci has been at CWER every night to work with them. The improvement in both horse and rider is astounding! 

Special thanks to Rosalind of Neddys for donating 3 new, top quality dressage pads to aid in Factor's training and showing!

   June 2005 update: Factor continues to make fabulous progress as both an intro level dressage mount and also as a baby green jumper! She seems to truly enjoy both jobs, and I'm having just a fabulous time doing both with her. I don't believe I've ever been this connected to a horse before in my life. We're just partners on a fantastic level. She strives so hard to please me, and she so enjoys learning new things. We're having a fabulous time! I swore I would never re-learn to jump after a horrible fall when I was 18 years old. But Factor just inspires such confidence for me, that we're learning together. 

September 05 update: Factor is now on a winter lease at an exceptional, local eventing riding school with an experienced high school student. While AnnMarie misses her terribly already, everyone hopes this will work out wonderfully both for a young lady who cannot buy a horse of her own, and for a very special horse who deserves more time and attention than AnnMarie can provide right now. The first 2 weeks have gone wonderfully, with Factor already making significant progress in learning how to hold her frame properly and move forward more strongly. AM is so proud and excited for her!

January 2006 update: Factor's leasee did so well at being responsible with Factor, that her parents made the decision to buy her a horse of her own, and Factor came home to CWER early. Sadly, not only was she early; she was also underweight, body clipped, her neck hurting from a tying panic (Factor does not know how to be tied and was not to be tied at any time during her lease), and with some other issues. Factor and her leasee had not turned out to be a good match in the long run. With the help of a fantastic friend, Traci G, AnnMarie and Factor have returned to ground zero, and are working only in the roundpen, only "blanketback" (without saddle but on top of her blanket to keep Factor warm), and mostly with no rein contact. Factor is gradually learning again to trust her rider, to carry herself without laying on her reins, and to enjoy her work again.

March 2006 update: This is a copied post from the CWER mailing list:

I have to brag, and share, and just scream from the rooftops over this one!!!

 

I've been reading a lot about dressage these past few months, daydreaming before we actually made this educational vacation a reality. One thing everyone talks about is a 'through horse' with 'a free and swinging back'. Now, I understand the hip motion -- probably better than most horse enthusiasts since we've had several horses here with prior hip injuries and had to do chiropractic. I know how the hip needs to rotate up, the bounce we need to see, etc.

 

But I had no understanding of this swinging back. Traci, my instructor and a dear friend, tried to explain it to me a time or two, and I just didn't really get it. Trying to watch a horse working in the round pen, I still couldn't see anything -- of course - -because I didn't put a rider on their back to show me when it WASN'T moving.

 

Then, in my search for a place for my trip, I stumbled across these articles called "the seat the seat the seat":

http://www.gfdressage.com/articles.html

 

I can't recommend them highly enough as great reading. One had me think about how my hips move when I walk, and that my horse's hips need to move the same way. I started to get the concept of my hips having to rock one then the other, not both rocking forward together with my horse's stride. Interesting idea.

 

Then I read the bicycling exercise. Hey! I understand how to peddle a bicycle. I can do this! So I shared the concept with Traci at my next riding lesson on Factor. (For those who don't know, Traci has been helping me bring factor back to healthy and happy after her unsuccessful lease time. She came home angry, tense, and difficult to ride. We've been doing "blanket back" work, in the round pen, with no reins. Nearly all walking. Just to get her relaxed and comfortable and enjoying working again. it's working.)

 

Traci had me try this exercise....riding the horse at a walk, no reins so I'm not interfering with her motion, and pedal like on a bicycle, although in smaller circles than the article calls out (I couldn't balance the big circles well).  She told me to try to coordinate my hip motions with Factor's. In almost no time, suddenly the most amazing feeling of my life overcame me, overcame us...

 

1) factor's ears were up. her head was raised slightly from her preferred 'hunter walk'. her nose was about half way between relaxed and the vertical line that helps indicate a horse is carrying its weight in an even balance.

2) factor's rate of walk increased about 20%

3) Factor gave the biggest sigh of relaxation I've ever heard other than during a chiropractic adjustment for her.

4) my hips were suddenly rolling -- I mean truly rolling -- easily 2" in each direction with each step.

 

my horse went from a fairly rigid back with the hips just moving straight forward and the barrel staying still, to her barrel swinging below her spine, her spine rolling back and forth, her back muscles against her spine raised up and working, helping to carry her weight.

 

it was THE most amazing thing I'd ever felt! I lost it and regained it probably 10 times. I cannot tell you how happy miss factor was whenever I got it right. she would let us know when I screwed it up or, most the time, I was trying too hard, trying to push her rib cage to swing as I tried to anticipate the motion. and then I would get it right again, and she would carry her weight better, use her hind end more, track up underneath more (her hind feet stepping into or even in front of the hoof print of the front hoof), and just show pure joy.

 

And...the movement we've been struggling with for weeks -- my convincing factor to turn 90 degrees off the rail with just an upper thigh instruction -- suddenly was absolutely perfect, so simple, so easy, you know they say you think something and your horse does it? this was almost that...it was barely a breath of left upper thigh, and with her next step my hips automatically moved with her stride, her swinging rib cage, giving her room to make the bend, and she turned right 90 degrees and went across the center of the arena. Traci told me what I already knew. Factor had begun the motion correctly, and crossed over behind in the process of making the turn. She had done it. PERFECT.

 

I dismounted, and found myself bawling silent tears on my horse's neck. Something that seems so basic, so fundamental, as understanding how my horse SHOULD move at a walk, and letting her do it. And, after only 27 years on horse back, I finally understood it and got it right. WOW.

 

For those of you wondering how I can possibly want to spend my vacation and my bonus on a week of riding lessons, THIS, THIS is why. This is the kind of thing I was so hoping I would find while in NC. Except I was given this fabulous gift by my best human girl friend, Traci, and my best equine friend, Factor, right at home in my own arena. WOW.

June 2007 update: Factor had some rough spots this winter, losing more weight than was desirable, so she's had the spring off from work, just regaining her muscle tone and weight safely. Now that she is back to shiny and at full weight, Factor and AnnMarie are working together again. The time off seems to have been good for Factor's mind. They had such a fabulous time at camp this February with Susie Wiedemann, and are just now starting to put some of that education to work together again. Factor really moved brilliantly while at camp and Susie was so impressed with this mare. AnnMarie is still hopeful that the right adoptee will come along for Factor, able to show her up to 1st or 2nd level dressage, able to connect with her very passionate personality, and to love this mare for all she is and get to see all she can be. AnnMarie adores Factor and will gladly care for her the rest of her life, but she would prefer to see her have one person, who has just one horse, and can give factor the time, attention, and education she so enjoys.

September 2007 update: Factor and AnnMarie are finally getting a bit of riding time, now that CWER is settled into its new home. Factor has gone right back to the work she learned at Suzie's as if she returned from camp a few days ago, rather than several months ago. This mare has such fabulous natural movement, and is such a joy to watch. It's unlikely Factor will outgrow some of her non-riding quirks at her age, but when it comes to training level dressage work, Factor is the ultimate proof that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! Or rather, maybe, simply help her fine tune some amazing natural talent....

November 2007 update: Factor and AnnMarie had the most terrifying of experiences recently. Factor has always had a problem with being tied -- she panics and runs backward. Annmarie had her completely tacked and ready to ride. Factor pulled back prior to mounting, panicked, and collapsed, remaining down until AnnMarie removed her bridle. She got it, seemed a little dazed, then normal. Figuring Factor had knocked the wind out when she fell, AnnMarie checked everything over, then put her bridle and saddle back on. Factor pulled again, this time her knees obviously wobbly and out of balance before falling and collapsing again.

Panicked, AnnMarie called Dr King. He advised that he'd seen this once before, that he believed that Factor had over-extended her atlas joint (where her skull meets her neck), and so when she pulled back, the bridle was in that sensitive ridge where the joints meet -- where the blood flows to her brain! Essentially, she was cutting off the bloodflow to her brain when she yanked back.

Doc saw Factor first thing the next day, gave her a mild tranquilizer, and then began chiro on her neck, finding a variety of other problems as well as the expected hyperextension. He returned her neck to normal range of motion, and released Factor back to work. Factor will get several checkups and adjustments over the next few months to ensure her muscles get retrained to hold the joint correctly and avoid this type of problem again.

We firmly believe that most vets, with limited or no knowledge of chiro, would have assumed the mare was crazy or had some sort of neurological problem, and pronounced her unfit to ride...perhaps even recommended laying her to rest. Instead, thanks to Dr King yet again, Factor is back to work and loving it as always. We couldn't be more thrilled.

Sponsorship:  Factor has no sponsor. She needs a feed sponsor -- $50 per month -- to cover the cost of her grain. Factor also has other special needs on the medical side, not the least of which will be monthly chiropractic care for at least Nov/Dec 07 & Jan/Feb 08, to ensure she doesn't have repeat issues with her neck. Each treatment costs approximately $100. If you feel this care is important, or are moved by Factor's story, please consider covering even just the cost of one treatment. Please help us to help this sweet, gentle, darling mare.

Racing/Bloodlines:  Special thanks to Missy Martin, Zee's Mom, for researching Factor's bloodlines! Factor is exceptionally well bred, with classic European lines, including 5 doses of Nearco! (The Chronicle of the Horse titled him as "The Horse of the 20th Century,") Nearco appears at the Great-Great-Great-Grandfather level. (Nearco was an Italian thoroughbred race horse born in 1935 by Pharos out of Nogara; he was bred by Federico Tesio, who also bred Ribot. He retired undefeated after fourteen races and was sold to the British bookmaker Martin Benson for 60,000 Pounds. Nearco was sent to the Beech House stud farm in England where he became an outstandingly prepotent sire, eclipsed only by his grandson Northern Dancer. Also among his descendants are Ballymoss, Never Say Die, Nasrullah, Nijinsky II, Royal Palace, and Sir Ivor. Nearco died at Beech House stud farm on June 27th, 1957. Nearco's line is famous for producing great jumping horses.)

Thanks also to Stephanie Buford, who has previously sponsored Dollie, for this added information on Factor's pedigree:

Pedigree:

105 For Factor 1987
On 06-Oct-04(C) Copyright 2004 Bloodstock Research Information Services, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.

                                                      =Nearco (Ity) 35
                                         *Nasrullah 40
                             Never Bend 60            =Mumtaz Begum (Gb) 32
                                                      *Djeddah 45
                                         Lalun 52
                   Riverman 69                        Be Faithful 42
                                                      *Princequillo 40
                                         Prince John 53
                             River Lady 63            Not Afraid 48
                                                      Roman 37
                                         Nile Lily 54
          Rio Carmelo (Fr)                            Azalea 44
             (1976)                                   *Blenheim 2nd 27
                                         =Donatello 2nd (Fr) 34
                             =Alycidon (Gb) 45        =Delleana (Ity) 25
                                                      =Hyperion (Gb) 30
                                         =Aurora (Gb) 36
                   =Fisherman's Wharf (Ire) 5         =Rose Red (Gb) 24
                                                      =Salmon-Trout (Gb) 21
                                         =King Salmon (Gb) 30
                             =Herringbone (Gb) 40     =Malva (Gb) 19
                                                      =Schiavoni (Gb) 22
Factor, Dkbbr, F                         =Schiaparelli (Gb) 35
   Foaled March 12, 1987                              =Aileen (Fr) 18
      In Kentucky                                     =Brantome (Fr) 31
                                         =Vieux Manoir (Fr) 47
                             =Le Haar (Fr) 54         =Vieille Maison (Fr) 36
                                                      =Teleferique (Fr) 34
                                         =Mince Pie (Fr) 49
                   =Exbury (Fr) 59                    =Cannelle (Ger) 42
                                                      =Nearco (Ity) 35
                                         =Mossborough (Gb) 47
                             =Greensward (Gb) 53      *All Moonshine 41
                                                      =Noble Star (Gb) 27
                                         =Stargrass (Gb) 42
          Pointe Ex (Fr)                              =Grass Widow (Gb) 26
             (1974)                                   =Rialto (Fr) 23
                                         =Wild Risk (Fr) 40
                             *Le Fabuleux 61          =Wild Violet (Fr) 35
                                                      =Verso 2nd (Fr) 40
                                         =Anguar (Fr) 50
                   =Pointilleuse (Fr) 68              La Rochelle 45
                                                      =Tourbillon (Fr) 28
                                         =Caracalla (Fr) 42
                             =Pointe D'acier (Fr) 54  =Astronomie (Fr) 32
                                                      =Balthazar (Fr) 37
                                         =Pointe Rouge (Fr) 46
                                                      =Pointe De Galle (Fr) 29
5SA X 5SC =NEARCO (ITY)
Race Record:
          Race Record in North America
           1989     1     0     0     0            $0
           1990     4     0     0     0            $0
          Totals    5     0     0     0            $0

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