And here runnin' with his best pony friend!
Posted on 03/04/2003 1:16:38 PM PST by Cagey
Tuesday, March 4, 2003
By Carrie Wolfe
Staff writer
Cathy Crighton, 44, of Palos Park, was charged Saturday in Wellington, Fla., with two counts of grand theft and one count of dealing in stolen property, Palm Beach County authorities said. She was being held Monday at Palm Beach County Jail on $5,000 bail.
Crighton allegedly stole one of the horses, Keller, in October from an unlocked stable at Top Brass Horse Farm in unincorporated Palos Township.
Keller, a Swedish Warmblood, was found at a stable in Wellington, about 13 miles west of West Palm Beach, authorities said.
A Florida resident reportedly bought Keller from Crighton for $15,000. The horse was valued at $50,000.
Palm Beach County deputies arrested Crighton Saturday at another Wellington stable where they found San Diego, a dark gray gelding who had disappeared from a local paddock Jan. 22. His white legs and the white stripe on his face had been spray-painted with black Rustoleum paint.
Someone apparently saw Crighton spraying a horse and contacted authorities.
The paint caused blisters near the horse's nose and he could be permanently scarred, deputies said.
The horse reportedly was worth $100,000.
Scooby Doo, a 3-year-old Dutch Warmblood stolen Sept. 21 from Bordon Farms in Wilmington, was found in a stall next to San Diego. The horse also had paint on his legs and feet.
Crighton's veterinarian license, which she received in Illinois in 1996, expired Jan. 31, and she should not have been practicing, said Jeff Irwin, a technical assistant for the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations.
To renew her license, Crighton would have had to complete 20 hours of courses, Irwin said.
Kathy Fitzpatrick, owner of Fitzjoy Farm in Palos Park, said she worked with Crighton occasionally for about a year, and Crighton provided in-house vet services for horses at Fitzjoy.
Crighton had been argumentative with some of the boarders at Fitzjoy and seemed unhappy, Fitzpatrick said.
But Fitzpatrick was surprised by the charges.
"It didn't seem like she needed the money," she said. "It didn't seem like she needed the notoriety.
"I can't imagine she thought she'd get away with something like that," Fitzpatrick said. "No one could look at a horse and not know that it was painted."
Lea Ann Koch, president of the Illinois Quarter Horse Association, was alarmed by the news.
"It's astonishing to me that somebody would do that; plus (she's) a veterinarian," Koch said. "I have never really heard of anyone going into somebody's barn and taking a horse.
"I guess I've never seen someone gutsy enough, or stupid (enough) — whatever you want to call it."
Allen Hoger, owner of Top Brass Horse Farm, said Crighton was contracted by some boarders who rent space at the stables.
No one answered the door Monday at Crighton's home, 11099 McCarthy Road. Her driveways were blocked with chains.
She is scheduled to appear in court March 31, Palm Beach County authorities said.
Keller and Scooby Doo reportedly are being shipped home this week.
Hoger said he was happy Keller's owner, Jolene Novak-Racevicius of New Lenox, would be reunited with her horse.
Novak-Racevicius couldn't be reached for comment Monday, but trainers and horse owners at Top Brass said Novak-Racevicius was happy her horse was found. They said she recently returned from a trip to Germany to buy a new horse.
Since I've never had to recolor a horse, I'll take your word for it. The closest I've come is using baby powder on the white parts of a certain snotty little pony at dressage shows, where he can roll on the grass, even when tied to the trailer, and magically get grass stains only on the white parts.
I try to keep one of those solar-block sheets on the mare all summer, because she fades BAD. I don't like to turn her out with a tail bandage on, so the top of her tail always turns brown. She does like the fly bonnet though.
I put my kids on tired old horses to learn - but my son the Speed Racer is now riding a little white half Welsh half Connemara - 'snotty' is her middle name. She is FAST and can jump the moon - most of the kids are afraid of her but my son doesn't care (one of the advantages of ADHD by the way). He got into a makeup class and just ASSUMED that he and the pony should be jumping the BIG fences - so here they come down the outside line with a 3'3" vertical at the end, and the pony and he sail over it, more or less together. We could see daylight under his pants, but he wound up back in the saddle and he and the pony cantered on. As Thelwell observed, it's just a case of who breaks who first . . .
Last week our trainer put my daughter on this amazing horse named Shade - he is half Percheron and half T'bred. He is HUGEOUS - I didn't stick him but he looks like at least 17.2 - pure Perche head and neck (thick neck, roman nose and kinda goofy look) but fairly fine body. He's very well coordinated but he's extremely strong. Fortunately he's a perfect gentleman and will stop when asked - my daughter is a tall girl but light, and she could no more stop him than she could pull a school bus. I was working in the ring, but I did catch a glimpse of five or six of the kids thundering around the lower pasture - I inquired afterwards and was told they were playing "pursuit of the Nazgul" - if I were pursued by THAT horse I think I'd just give up on the spot. Sort of like being chased by elephants.
And here runnin' with his best pony friend!
I wish she hadn't had her housecoat and curlers on, so to speak, when I took that picture. (We had also just been through three run-throughs of the Novice "C" dressage test and a jumping course, so she was absolutely pooped and it shows.) When I get her in frame in a nice extended trot she looks more "together", especially her back. (Hey, I'm sensitive about "broodmare droop" myself!) :-D
Here's a nice head study. She does have a classic T'bred head. (Even if her mouth is full of hay and she's in the process of taking a good big chomp.)
And of course he just shouts "ARAB!" at the top of his lungs. His legs look really really clean too.
I've never had much experience with Arabs, we don't see them much in the hunter world because they're a little short-backed to win in hunter conformation. (But my 16hh girl would look silly in an endurance trail ride, so it takes all kinds to make a world.)
And he is in great health still, I intend to have him for the rest of his days, and I hope to still have many more good years.
Here's one more! ;~D from our lunch break in the middle of a trail ride last year. (A little more belly on him here!)
I don't see any such droop on her! - She's beautiful!
Thank goodness we're going on a trail ride tomorrow - or I might feel jealous . . . ;-)
Is that an endurance saddle? The knee roll looks bigger, the seat deeper, and the cantle higher than what I'm used to.
You take good care of that boy! He looks like a treasure.
She was a professional broodmare for years - the lady who owned her was putting her to QH stallions and getting Appendix halter champions out of her - one national champ. She came up empty two breedings in a row and was sold to my trainer as she stood - unbroken at age 14 - basically for the price of a month's feed.
I had not started a horse since I was a teenager, and I was a little worried, but she accepted a saddle and bridle without a SINGLE complaint and has never looked back. The first year was very tough because she had not the first idea about what we were doing - she would turn her head to the opening rein and keep right on going straight! - but now she's competing on Tadpole level in combined training and placing very solidly. I also occasionally take her to hunter shows (just because I did that for 20 years so we can walk on and do it) and her last show she was Champion in the 2'6" Division and Reserve in Handy Hunter. (I don't like to show her much higher because of the age of her legs, even though she never raced so they're in pretty good shape. I also find that the older I get the less I like the big fences.)
Amen on the "horse bug". I have had it since I was 3. Even my kids think my adoration of the equines is a bit excessive . . . of course I'm also nuts about my Labrador and my three Siamese cats . . . although I draw the line at birds and fish.
I can understand that! - I have half the courage I had as a youngster.
Speaking of jumpers. That little pony of mine is an unbroke 6-year old (I have done a lot of ground work but she is too little for me to ride: shy 12 hh). I think she could have a great future as a little pony club mount, but I don't know anyone in those circles. I don't really want to sell her either, Bay adores her and needs her companionship. She is a really easy keeper as a pasture buddy. I guess I am wishing that there is a kid out there somewhere who wants a project and wants to ride, but can't have her own.
She will jump anything! (even when she takes off too far out ;~D)
Your story of training yours really late in life is reassuring... I have fears that my pony will continue on as she is, unbroke into her teens at this rate!
I'm riding right now in a Courbette all-purpose jumping saddle. I call it my "Barca-Lounger" because it is very comfy - especially compared to the Gold Cup close-contact saddle I used to have! I use a cellfoam shock pad and an oversize quilted dressage pad under it. She goes in a French snaffle with a rounded center bar and a figure eight noseband.
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