Australian Horse Provides Inspiration Through Recovery

I apologize for being absent for awhile. I will be back with a longer blog story next week, but as I am currently dealing with some family issues, this week I will simply be sharing with you a touching article that I read recently.

I love reading stories about horses with huge hearts. The subject of this article—an 8-year-old Australian-bred gelding named Geejayhaitch--is reminiscent of racing icon Personal Ensign.

Geejayhaitch didn’t have as high of a profile as Personal Ensign, but I believe his inner strength and ability to defy the great odds that were against him is equal to that of the late mare.

Personal Ensign suffered a fractured pastern as a 2-year-old but returned to racing and win multiple grade I races, including the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I).

Geejayhaitch also had a miraculous recovery from a horrific injury. Four years ago, Geejayhaitch broke both of his front legs below the knee, which is a death sentence for most horses. But trainer/co-owner Walter McShane thought the gelding deserved a second chance.

After an extensive surgery to repair his legs with screws and meticulous rehabilitation efforts on a new water treadmill, Geejayhaitch was back to his old self. McShane took the gelding’s spirited nature and thorough healing after 14 months as a sign he was ready to go back to work.

While he hasn’t gone on to accomplish the same heroic feats of Personal Ensign, just the fact Geejayhaitch has won five races and placed in seven others since his return to racing deserves some major accolades. Most recently, the gelding finished second in a 12-furlong turf race at Moonee Valley in Australia.

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did. We all need a little inspiration once in awhile, and Geejayhaitch gives me hope and makes me smile. Click here to read more about him and view pictures and video.