WEALTH

Triumph and tragedy are two sides of life with horses, and we are so saddened to confirm the tragic loss of our precious, pink-nosed boy Wealth to colic. None of us imagined that this was how, or when, we’d have to say goodbye. We all had big dreams for Wealth, and he had them for himself. Whether it was being our first real public venture as a new nonprofit, the poster child for our mission, the ambassador of the breed that we believed he could be, or just finding him his very own equally talented person, everything was on the table when it came to this plucky boy’s future. On a professional level, we’re devastated that he did not get to realize those dreams. And on a personal one, we’ve lost a dear friend, a horse we would have been all too happy to care for, root for, spoil, and dote on for years to come. A million more kisses were meant for that pink nose, and we’re poorer for the loss of his presence in our lives. 

Our thanks go out to Wealth’s regular vet, Dr. Erika Jo Beck, who worked tirelessly over the last year to get to the bottom of this, and all at NBC who cared for him in his darkest hour. And we send our deepest condolences to the people who loved Wealth and gave him their best each and every day. To the whole Sydney Solomon Eventing crew, who brought our boy out of his shell and helped him show the world, and himself, what he was made of-you loved him like your own and dreamed big for him as much as we did. There was nothing quite like seeing Sydney and Wealth fly around a XC course. To Ali and her team at Meadow Spring Farm who made sure he wanted for nothing and were at his side on the day-you made all the right calls, acting in perfect accordance with our shared welfare values. The last thing Wealth knew in this life was that his people were going to take care of him, and we’re so very grateful for that.

Henry, our resident goofball, left us for greener pastures at the end of January. Purchased as a yearling out of the 2013 Keeneland September sale, he developed a bowed tendon before his first start on the track and was responsibly retired by his connections. Though he never raced, he spent his days living up to his name by endlessly entertaining the many humans who loved him, as evidenced by his bucket trick in the below video.

Our condolences go out to Lindy Clark and the whole Six M Farm team. They helped us ensure that Henry wanted for nothing in retirement, and we know they all feel his loss deeply. The happy hunting ground is richer for having gained a world-class-and very lovable-entertainer, and we comfort ourselves in knowing that his memory will live on in our hearts and the hearts of all who loved him.

In Tandem was, in a word, a boss. All man and smart as a whip, he left a hole in our hearts as massive as his athletic frame when he passed suddenly from a suspected heart attack this spring at the age of twenty-three. He was owned and cared for by his racing connections at PTK LLC for most of his retirement, and he began his second career under the guidance of Billie Croll. While he had his share of success and was certainly talented, his quirky personality never quite meshed with the right adopter, and he was eventually retired from riding.

His constant companion since his racing days was PTK’s Ghostofxmaspresent, or Ghost, pictured with Tandem above. They never spent a day apart, and we think their relationship flourished in great part because Ghost was content to play sidekick, letting Tandem call the shots. Their bond was something special, and we thank PTK for ensuring they could stay together for life. Both were admitted to our resident herd upon our founding.

Our deepest condolences go out to PTK, Billie Croll, and the Meadow Spring team, all fixtures in Tandem’s life. Because of them, he never encountered a single human who didn’t understand and love him. And of course, to Ghost, who we will cherish and help through this transition.