Guest blog by Gloria Schramm: "American Pharoah led me to the wonderful world of horses"

American Pharoah and Gloria at Ashford Stud, Kentucky

American Pharoah, born on Feb 2, 2012, from Pioneer of the Nile and Littleprincessemma, is the first horse to have achieved the Grand Slam and induction into the Breeders’ Cup World Championship Classic, because he won all three major races at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in 2015. He is the first horse to capture the Triple Crown in 37 years. The last one before him was Seattle Slew in 1977. Today, American Pharoah is retired from racing but sires offspring at Coolmore Ashford Stud in Kentucky USA where he lives half the year. The other half of the year, he is at Coolmore Australia and commands about $200,000+ per offspring. American Pharoah has sired over 200 offspring to date. He has earned over $8 million and proceeds go to charity from public tours at Coolmore . 

My love affair with horses began two years ago when I became fascinated with American Pharoah, the 2015 Triple Crown winner, when I saw a photograph showing his soft gaze in his eyes and read how “people-oriented” he is. I knew I had to go to Kentucky to find him in the retirement farm I learned he is living. I figured I would beg to see him and maybe get lucky to see him. Little did I know, Horse Country created tours requiring reservations that were hard to get.

I was blessed to be able to get a slot. American Pharoah lives in Coolmore America’s Ashford Stud, which is quite an elegant place of rolling hills and tree-lined entrance and fieldstone, mahogany-lined stables.

I was blessed again.

I slinked away from the tour group and snuck back into the building where he was after the tour passed through quickly. American Pharoah was faced away from the front of his stable and in a corner eating hay. I made a clicking noise and he slowly turned around like a big mac truck to come to the front, put his head in the opening and stare at me. He held my gaze and I was a 16- year-old girl gushing over a celebrity. I touched him and quickly left like a kid who snuck a cookie from the cookie jar. He was watching me as I left the building when I looked back at him.

Since then, I have meditated on that visit many times and it propelled me to visit local horse rescues on Long Island, NY and upstate NY and donate to them. If American Pharoah was human, he would approve of the attention given to his less celebrated “brothers and sisters.”

A whole new world opened up for me. It remains a learning curve. The horse industry is a big one and questions and suspicions arise about treatment of horses during their racing years and then afterwards when they are retired. Not all are lucky to be put out to pasture. Sadly, many are sent to slaughter for meat. I learned that there aren’t enough laws protecting horses, including wild ones. So many times, I have tweeted the Bureau of Land Management for their cruel practices of rounding up horses with overhead helicopters scaring some to death and other cruelties. I learned that not all those who adopt horses can care for them and too many do not know how.

I joined Facebook groups against slaughter and got to know quite a few horse rescues across the country. Those who run them, are the most dedicated, caring people I have spoken to. They breathe horse. I have had the privilege of interviewing them and came away with a distinct understanding and plea from them that the best way to help horses before they land in kill pens, is to donate whatever amount of money you can, to horse rescues. I have appealed to horse rescue groups in locations of particular horses in kill pens. Most do not have the room and it hurts them to turn horses away. Some are angry at being “held” by ransom. The kill pen business is a repugnant one because they post large bail amounts on each horse in order for someone to rescue them. Some are able to appeal to wealthy donors in their networks and post the bail to rescue the horse.

I realize that I can’t keep asking horse rescues to take in kill pen horses, so I started researching grants for horses and amassed quite a lot of links. I readily share these, along with ideas for fundraising and college internships for students majoring in animal care, nonprofit management; marketing, public relations and fundraising, even social work for horse therapy programs. Most of the rescues I became acquainted with, run grooming and riding programs for at-risk youth; disabled youth and adults; domestic violence victims; veterans with PTSD, grieving individuals and prisoners, even seniors with dementia. They might qualify for some of the grants. Besides donations for hay, boarding and Vet care, they need volunteers to help with the daily activities of equine care and therapy. The rescues are always thrilled to receive the information, which they don’t have time to seek out on their own. I feel I am performing a valuable service and they are grateful.

It was inevitable that my radar would bring me to a local center near my home for equine therapy, HorseAbility, housed at State University of Old Westbury on Long Island, NY, where I began volunteering with my husband one day a week and learned how to groom, the different implements and tools and how to tack a hose with a saddle and bridle. The 23 or so horses have gotten to know me as the “mints lady” and I wound up adopting one. Moon is a 24-year-old chestnut gelding who used to be a trail horses and is either on permanent loan or donated outright. Adoption is really a sponsorship, a monthly affordable donation and a great way to involve donors! It is probably the closest I will come to owning a horse. (Or maybe not!)

I like stroke Moon and he nudges me for mints or frisks me with his nose as in a law enforcement search. I breathe on him and he sneezes at me! Sometimes he just closes his eyes. I have gently leaned on him in his stall and he has leaned back. I read it’s a sign of affection from a horse. I sing songs to him, like, “My boy lollipop, you make my heart go giddyap,” and “Dancing Cheek to Cheek.” We also sidewalk while students are riding the horses to assure their safety. I leave feeling upbeat and as if I contributed something and that all is well with the world.

I have also joined many horse lover groups on Facebook and Lord knows, there are many more. I have made some beautiful friendships with fellow horse-lovers who are among the most sensitive and life affirming people I commune with, but have never met and probably never will. They are from all over the world.

That’s what American Pharoah, a champion equine did for me!

American Pharoah
Public domain image