Stories from the Heart
#HorsesChangedMyLife
Ten years ago, I loaded up my one true love and sent him six hours north for his next adventure. He was my childhood horse,…
Author:
Carleigh Fedorka
Carleigh Fedorka is a Ph.D. student at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center. A Pennsylvania native, she moved to Kentucky after graduating from St. Lawrence University and has worked closely in all aspects of the thoroughbred industry. She spends her free time eventing as well as training, selling, and rehoming OTTBs. Read more about her horse life at her blog, A Yankee in Paris.
Stories from the Heart
Controlling the Future
“But, this is the last one,” I reasoned with both my fiancé but mostly with myself. “Kennedy is tucked safely in the barn, Sail Maker…
2 weeks ago
Science
Cloning, Genetic Engineering and “Playing God”
I’m sure by now many of you have seen the video circulating social media about the cloning and genetic engineering of horses. Published by the…
1 year ago
Horse Rescue
Battered, Burned and Bonded
I awoke Friday morning and just stared at the comments. I’d spent the previous evening in a state of distress; a state of overwhelming fear,…
1 year ago
Aftercare
For Breeders’ Sake
On Thanksgiving Day, while the turkey roasted and my family gathered, my significant other and I huddled on the couch with shoulders touching and a…
1 year ago
Horsemanship
Where Have All the Horsemen Gone?
I hum this in my head to the tune of “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” by Paula Cole at least once a week, and…
1 year ago
Eventing
For the Record
I walked off my XC course on Sunday and just shook my head. A grimace was plastered across my face and my reins draped across…
1 year ago
OTTB
The Horse I Can’t Quit
Five years ago I took on an off-the-track-thoroughbred with the idea that he would be an easy flip. Some quick cash. A safety net for…
2 years ago
Horse Health
The Pre-Purchase Exam and YOU
I have sold quite a few horses. Some for a lot of money, some for a little. Some which had training for years and are…
2 years ago
Eventing
Full of Firsts
I walked to the start box today and stared down at my horse’s neck, trying to calm my nerves and relax my core. His black…
2 years ago
Eventing
Worth Her Weight In Gold
I can remember moving to Lexington, KY a decade ago and thinking: “Now. Now is when I finally learn to ride.” I grew up in…
2 years ago
Eventing
My Two Left Feet
I strive for perfection… But I own horses. There is a duality in this lifestyle that is so hard for people like me. And by…
2 years ago
Eventing
A Perfect Day For Lemonade
A year ago today, I loaded the love of my life onto a trailer bound for his new home. He was off to the hunter…
2 years ago
Aftercare
The Untold Stories About Thoroughbred Breeders
A few weeks ago, I received a Facebook message. It was a screen-shot of a comment written in a lot of rage; a comment about…
2 years ago
Eventing
Big Horse, Little Human
I have a big horse. Heck, he’s not just a big horse, he’s one of the tallest thoroughbreds I have had the pleasure to work…
2 years ago
Life
Stuck in the Rat Race
I remember being 16 years old and feeling the tears streaming down my face. I remember walking off the cross country course with my head…
2 years ago
Eventing
The Happiest Loser in the Barn
I left the ring with a huge grin on my face and signaled my student with a thumbs up as we made eye contact. I…
2 years ago
Breeding
The Stallion Shuttle Show
Social media is a frenzy of opinions, from politics to ponies, and everything in between. But one abnormal topic recently caught fire in the frenzy…
2 years ago
Life
Riding High, Crashing Hard
A month ago I wrote about my struggle setting goals, and how for the first time in a long time I was forcing myself to. I…
2 years ago
OTTB
The Thoroughbred Cycle
I was once told I was anti-racing. That because I was a part of the second career movement I obviously didn’t respect the first, and…