Tradewind, A Corolla Stallion, And The Fourth Fundmental Virtue

He's likely around twenty years old now. When he was captured his founder was so severe that in addition to long curving toes he walked over on the side of his front right hoof. He moved as best he could on strained tendons and ligaments and displaced coffin bones.

He was not merely lame, He was crippled.

Took a long time using Pete Ramey natural hoof care trimming techniques to get him able to walk normally. Took a bit longer for him to be able to move painlessly. He was not difficult for me to train to ride. At that point he was the smallest horse that I had ridden as an adult. I had learned that Colonial Spanish horses easily carried much more than the ridiculous  twenty percent of body weight rule that some many rule obeyers cling tightly to, yet he was only 12.2 hands, weighed 626 pounds and had once been crippled.

But he carried me fine. Never a hint of discomfort in 206 hours of brisk movement through the woods.  He was likely about ten years old then. I was fifty. He carried me, gaiting and trotting primarily, for so many hours through the woods trails in 2011 that he was named National Pleasure Trail Horse of the Year by the Horse of the Americas Registry.

It has been said that while there are many virtues worthy of seeking, courage, generosity, honesty and perseverance are four fundamental virtues upon which the exercise of all other virtues depend.

Tradewind persevered. Tradewind is resilient. I am often asked how much these horses are worth. It is always sad to hear that question because it means that I am speaking with a person who understands so little of life that they equate sales price with worth.

Tradwind is still ridden and brings particular joy to one family. He still produces spectacular foals for the Corolla off site breeding program.

All of that matters, but none of it goes to what he is truly worth. Tradewind's most important job is to stand there in a pen while I tell people about him and what he has over come--when I tell teenagers who are fighting to stay clear of drugs what he has over come, when I tell young adults who suffered molestation as kids what he has over come, when I tell people whose neurotic parents raised them to hate themselves what he has over come, when I tell people gripped in clinical depression what he has over come--That is when he shows his value-that is when he shows his worth.

Tradewind's worth is precisely equal to the worth of the people that can use him as a beacon of the fourth fundamental virtue--perseverance.

He also teaches a bit about the virtues that our program depends on. He was a crippled wild stallion. The established horse world would have simpley decreed that he should be put down.

But we do not throw away horses. And we do not throw away people.