photo by Anita Motion
Wherever I am working and riding out for someone I always seem to find a couple of favorite horses in each barn. When I moved to Fair Hill a few years ago to go to school and work for Graham, I found one horse that has always held a hugs place in my heart. His name is Under Control. He is an eight-year-old Brazilian bred gelding owned by Live Oak Plantation. He has been with Graham for as long as anyone can remember. He has won five of his twenty-four starts and has had a lot of seconds and thirds as well. He is a really cool guy who has always been very sweet and laid back. He’s also had the privilege of being work partners for some of Graham’s top horses. He’s always been a very popular horse in the barn who has also been very well loved.
Last Thursday after I got home from work I got a call from Graham with the best news. Under Control had just run in Belmont the Sunday before and he finished almost last. Clearly it was time for him to move on to another career. Luckily for me Live Oak knows how much I love Under Control, so there was no hesitation when they needed to find a new home for him. I’m so lucky that I get to call him my very own now. He is a special horse that deserves a wonderful retirement form flat racing. I haven’t decided what his next job will be, but I have a feeling it will involve some jumping. Showjumping, foxhunting, eventing, and being a track pony; everything is somewhere in Under Control’s future. I get bored very easily if I just do one discipline all of the time, so he is going to be an all around fun horse.
I am so grateful for this opportunity to have a wonderful horse like him. I always seem to find the best horses, or they find me. My dad always said to me “wait until the right horse comes to you.” This is definitely this right horse. I’ve been very lucky with horses like Orpington and Woodmont, and this guy will be right up there. I’m also very thankful to be able to keep him at a farm right next to Fair Hill, so he is very close to home and we have plenty of places to ride. I’m looking forward to this new adventure and I’m sure there will be many updates on Under Control to come.