Sonic Boom

Every horse person has one extremely special horse in their life to which they will compare all other horses in their life. For me, that horse came in the form of 16.1 hand, chestnut, thoroughbred gelding, with a quirky and loveable personality, and a mane that that insisted on sticking straight up, named Sonic Boom (Boomer for short). I found Boomer at a sales farm in Southern MA, while looking for a new eventing prospect. He was extremely underweight, and covered in bedsores. Despite his ragged appearance, their was something so kind about his eye that made me instantly fall in love.

About a week later, we were back with the trailer, and Boomer was on his way to the Cutter Farm where his recovery could begin under skilled eye of the farm owner and trainer, Marina Burliss. After a month with Marina, Boomer had put on a substantial amount of weight, and in addition to the already kind nature of his eyes, a little sparkle became evident as well. We decided that Boomer was healthy enough to bring home, and he was brought the the small two stall barn in my back yard.

Initially, training Boomer was extremely difficult. His only training had been on the race track, and as the weight came back, so did the racehorse energy and spunk. He was under the impression that while he was being ridden, it was in fact play time, and let me know this by bucking, rearing, spinning, and bolting. It is fair to say that in those first few months, I spent almost as much time on the ground as I did in the saddle. My father would often ask me after my rides how my "flying lesson" was that day. On top of Boomer being difficult, I was only 14 years old, and relatively inexperienced, but I stuck with him. Eventually Boomer started to settle down, and learned how to focus on the task at hand.

It was at this time I thought it was appropriate to introduce him to jumping. Boomer took to jumping like a fish to water. Aside from the ocassional excited leap, he was calm and patient to the fences, and did not know the meaning of the word "refuse." Even if I gave him a terrible approach, he would find some way to get his body over the fence.

After years of riding my pony, Dixee, who was truly wonderful but had a tendency to be a dirty little stopper, my confidence jumping wasn't great. This didn't bother Boomer at all as he seemed to have enough courage for the both of us. Riding such an honest horse can do wonders for one's confidence, and before you knew it we were out on the x-country school jumping banks, ditches, coops, roll tops, and any other kind of jump you can think of. I soon overcame my fear of jumps larger than 2'6'', and learned to trust in my very brave horse.

While Boomer and I were very strong in both x-country and stadium jumping, dressage was a weak phase for us (ironic, I know). I use to blame it on Boomer not liking dressage, but it has become quite clear that I was just a terrible dressage rider at the time.

After three years of the most amazing equine partnership I have ever experienced, Boomer's life ended tragically at the age of 7 after a severe bout of colic. This was one of the most devastating things I have ever experienced, but now instead of being sad about what could have been if he were still alive, I am so grateful for the time I did have with him. Several years after Boomer's death, I got a tattoo in his honor. The tattoo represents the most important lesson Boomer ever taught me: ride for the love riding, the love of the horse, and love of the partnership between horse and rider.