brought him in, Bluff began walk- actual words come from him, his
back to the slaughter auctions.
ing frantic circles in his stall, body told quite a story: his front
Bluff had come into the Center
rolling, and showing all the classic legs were pinfired and his back legs
with a pledge of financial sup-
signs of colic. I hadn’t dressed for were covered in scars from his own
port from a fledgling group called
the barn that day, and was ner- front hooves. He had a club foot,
One Horse At A Time. OHAAT
vously eyeing his feet as I slipped an old break in his left shoulder,
co-founder Penny Austin came to
into his stall wearing open-toed displaced pasterns and misalign-
visit Bluff, and continued to visit,
shoes and carrying a tube of Bana- ment in his back. Bluff had raced
each time bringing more friends
mine. He stopped his pac- with all these problems--and
who had heard his incredible
ing to look at me. ‘One won.
biography. When our vet reports
stomp from those
hooves and I lose
It’s
came back detailing his old injuries
Owner/trainer
and it became clear he would not
a toe,’ I remem- amazing how far Steve Murtough
be rideable, Austin and the group
ber thinking.
“Well, let’s give it
said he had found
decided to adopt Bluff to ensure his
Bluff froze, low- Bluff, cannons
well-deserved retirement in quiet
ered his head,
a try.” will take a
sliced to shreds
pastures.
and walked
horse.
from interference,
quietly to where standing in a kill
The best part of Bluff’s story is
I stood. His eyes pen. Something about
the way that he spoke (literally, or
looked right through the horse struck him, so
figuratively) to people. The courage
me, and his face plainly said ‘Sure, he bought Bluff and spent months
and heart it took him to run de-
I could do that, kid. But not today. rehabilitating him. Once he was
spite injury, despite being thrown
I understand the situation and I’m sound, Murtough put him back
away have moved some members
no fool.’ on the track and Bluff ran with
to tears, and given them inspira-
more heart than ever, but he was
tion to fight their own battles. Even
Many people later claimed Bluff simply no longer earning his keep
better, his story on the OHAAT
spoke to them. While I never heard and Murtough refused to send him
website generated more support-
dream big
work hard
have faith
templeton thompson
20 Equine•Connections -
www.templetonthompson.com
the magazine for global equine stewardship - www.equineconnection.org
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