Hello everyone,
Things continue to be very exciting here for me at the FARM. LOOK AT THIS! I did so well my first couple days in the paddock that I now have been introduced to my first BUDDY. She is in my barn and stabled right across from me. Her name is Pirate Queen. We are really doing very well together. She is gray and I am dark brown/black so it is easy to tell us apart. I am having SO MUCH FUN!
Our schedule is rather nice! In the morning, we walk out to the paddock together. At that point, when we are settled into the paddock, we get ‘turned out’. (This means the shanks are taken off and we are now ‘free’.) Then we get to play, run, jog, and graze! Here we are just relaxing and grazing. I often grazed with a friend on the grass back home in Barn 55…so this is all very normal for me. At home in CA, Harmonious and I would spend hours outside together. Then I’d also graze with Zardana quite a bit. I like having friends and being able to share my time and experiences with them.
I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s Diary. I tried to give you lots of details about my time ‘being free’ in the paddock. Dottie really helped me put my thoughts and feelings into words for you! Each of the moments was so special to me…and seeing my TEAM Z FAMILY again made that day even more precious! WOW!
THE BLOODHORSE video is also amazing. I hope you have been able to watch it. As I mentioned, Anne M. Eberhardt and Alex from the magazine were here filming and taking photos. They did a fabulous job capturing ‘the moment’ and my time outside! I hope you enjoy it! I personally want to THANK THEM for their hard work and dedication to our sport! They really wanted this experience to be very special and memorable…not only for me and my TEAM…but for the FANS! Again, THANK YOU!
I’m off to go play some more with my BUDDY! I wonder if she has a nickname. I have several of them: Z, Queen Z, Zenny, and Lady Z to name a few. I’ll find out and let you know. I am so excited. This is great FUN!
Cheers for a wonderful, wonderful day for each of you!
With love,
Hugs to all~
Z
Leslie
Hi Zenny, your diary post yesterday was wonderful! I loved the video but hearing your explanation of what was happening made it extra special.
I’m glad you are getting some free time with your girlfriend.
Enjoy sweet girl!
Love you,
Leslie R.
Whatawonderfulworld
Zenny, you were running just like a HUGE Arabian with your tail up! I hope you have a lot of fun with Pirate Queen. Gray horses are wonderful. I learned to ride on a retired gray Thoroughbred racehorse…a mare too! Retired Thoroughbreds are great pals and can be very versatile. That mare was my aunt’s horse ‘Cloud’ and she did barrel racing. Back to you…have a very Merry Christmas and eat more carrots. Glad you got to see Mario again!
Voyager
Zenyatta, You are a queen but you are sharing your hay with another. How gracious of you! It’s a wonderful message for us all; If you want to have friends, share with others. What a role model you are.
Kathryn Cogswell
Hello Again: So happy for this #38, seeing Miss ‘Z’ & ‘PQ’ contentedly poking around. ~ If you have a bit of Christmas Spirit to share in New England, *’.. . Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officials’ are reporting ‘a sharp increase in the number of horses surrendered to their Methuen facility/Nevins Farm this year.’ — boston.com article by L. Finch. The number is more than triple its 2007 figures, and ‘shows no signs of stopping.’ [*Saving space, these are not verbatim quotes.] More accurate info. about adoption or donations is at boston.com &/or http://www.mspca.org/nevins. Thank you again. Khc.
Alexandra
Zenyatta, you are one of the greatest racehorses I know. When I watched your last race, I felt history unfolding before me. You are an inspiration to me. Thank you for sharing your greatness with us, you are an unbelievable, incredible mare.
Lisa g
Ms. Zenyatta, Good Morning to you and Pirate Queen. I hope you two have fun together today, and perhaps another BFF will join in, since you are so smart and doing so well being yourself and free. Wow, you are beautiful. Love and Hugs, Lisa g
TBPartner43
What a wonderful video. It did cross my mind that Z’s people might be holding their collective breathes when she got to running on that ground. Was not surprised that she is now with a buddy. She was not all that happy being out alone, as evidenced by the dash toward the barn and the whinnying. She should be a lot calmer overall now. What a wonderful thing for all her fans that this is being shared with us.
Shirley Nolan Al-mlaiti
I am delighted to see you in the video and all the fun you were having ,you deserve all the joy lovely lady ,you have worked for it all your life….I hope it lasts a lifetime for you and one day on a lovely farm in the country where you can really relax with no pressures and just fresh air and sunshine..Enjoy lovelt lady Zenyatta…LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU, LOVE YOU..
Trisha Veazey
Merry Christmas gorgeous girl. Hope Santa brings you all the goodies and presents you deserve. You sure have given all your fans the best present we could possibly wish for.
Love hugs and kisses
CHERYL
Merry Christmas to you and your extended family!
Patricia Emery
To Valerie P. Cannon-
thanks for the location to find info on Dyna King! I was at my daughters riding lesson yesterday & the instructor was telling me how lots of horses are just “left” in that part of Arizona, from people who are trying to get them to Mexico for slaughter…she said some make it & some don’t. I did not realize we do not have slaughter houses in the US any more, so I learned something. That is difficult for me to think that is the way some of these horses lives end, but she said at least when they did it in the US it wss humane. I won’t say here how she told me they do it in Mexico, but not pleasant.
She did have something positive to share with me regarding this issue…she found a home for a retired thoroughbred from Saratoga that has been residing on her farm. I got to see a picture of him & what a beautiful boy! So people are reaching out to these retired horses & there are some positive endings!
SO Glad Zenyatta has such a beautiful home at LE-she is one LUCKY girl!
Zen-Fan
I know Sarah Campion is a newcomer to Team Z & I would like to take a moment to thank her for all of her photos & for sharing them with all of Z’s fans!
Thanks Sarah!!!!
Sunny Boyd
@TBPartner43
So Zetty was really scared after all, and not happy to be free? I know high tail & head mean very alert/almost anxious, right? Which is natural, after leading a very controlled scheduled life, at first. Just evidence that ‘critters’share with us high sensitivity/anxiety on every level to changes. Also that having a friend not necessarily always close, but continuous makes for success. According to the guy @ Disney studies have shown that successful people have just that. I bet that goes for Zetty, too.
Linda / NJ
Hi Zenny: Another surprise! I was wondering when you would have company in the paddock. How funny is this that you have the Queens’ Court–the royalty paddock. Please tell Dottie (and I think I am speaking for all of us fans) how much we appreciate her keeping in touch with you so we can see you and share your experiences. I still didn’t pick up my computer, which is being serviced. So, I have only seen the BLOODHORSE video of you, which was terrific. BLOODHORSE has done a superb job in celebrating you and your career. Thank you, BLOODHORSE. I also enjoyed seeing your special moment with Mario. Again thank you Dottie and Mr. & Mrs. Moss for making all this possible for us. I know all these posts are a lot of work. Thanks a million to everyone involved. I can’t wait to see the other photos. With Love, Linda
Yvonne and Maurice Kirby
It was so wonderful watching your video, brought tears to mine and my husband’s eyes. You never looked so beautiful!!! I love your new buddy. I know you will each have a great time sharing your own personal and fabulous stories. Love you -Merry Christmas.
stella bagwell
Queen Z–how great that you have a new girlfriend to share your day with! Bet you two have all kinds of stories to swap. So glad you’re enjoying your new home, even though I’m sure you think of Barn 55 often and all your great friends there.
Enjoy your day, sweet girl!
Love and hugs,
Stel
SuZanne
Team Z, Back in November, at the last minute, I cancelled a much anticipated zen- filled weekend in Sedona for a Zen- filled weekend in Louisville. Watching that incredible girl race was one of the biggest thrills I’ve ever experienced! It was my first horse race and I expect I’ll never witness anything like it again. Even so, should Zenyatta’s future offspring take to the track, I hope to be there cheering them on as well! Merry Christmas from Colorado and a sincere thank you for sharing Zenyatta with everyone the way you do. Health and Happiness in 2011!
Lisa g
Ms Zenyatta, I have heard from Horse Experts that the high tail is happy/excited, and the tossing of the head is playfullness. Is this wrong? I read something different in a post a few above this. Let me know, I love you…Lisa g
Lisa g
Ms Zenyatta…just an update, I have not heard anything from Oprah. I was so hoping that she would have you on her new network and follow thru all these baby steps of yours…Love and Hugs, Lisa g
Debbie
Dear sweet Zenyatta. Not to detract from your fun and progress (I have already commented on how wonderful the Bloodhorse pictures and video are) but some others are commenting about horses in need. I went to Bloodhorse, then http://www.heartoftucson.org to read the story of Dyna King (now named Gifted). The picures are heartbreaking. Do you think it would be possible for you and Team Z to lend some of your celebrity in an effort to help him? I have donated what I can but it looks like he is going to need a lot of time and money to recover. I know you have a huge heart so thought I would throw it out there. Please let us know if you can help. Thanks and hugs, sweet Z.
Sharon Call
Lisa G. That is correct. Z was having the time of her life out there and it got so good that she squealed. High head and tail indicate excitement/happiness and just plain feeling good. She wasn’t at all scared or anxious. She had been walked in that paddock enough that it was familiar to her and there were familiar people around her. Did you notice the part where she appeared to be prancing or maybe a better description is spring-loaded? I’ve seen so many horses do this when they’re happy and full of themselves. No worries, she’s doing really well and another indication of that is that she’s already out grazing with a gal-pal.
Patricia
To Debbie!
I just went to the HEART website & watched the video…I am going to make a donation after this post-we are so blessed that this will NEVER happen to Zenyatta & I think anyone who can help, I am sure the organizaiton would appreciate any support. I liked how they showed the before & after clips in the video.
Hope all is well BIG Z!! XOXO
Nancy
Thank you for writing each day–I am grateful for the time you spend thinking of us. I have introduced you to friends via your videos–and they have become fans, too.
It is great to see you so happy in your new home and hear your “laughter.”
Dallas
Hey baby girl,
I’m so glad to hear that things are going well for you. Although I have to admit, it made me sad today when I was thinking about your next race then realized that there will be no more. Can’t tell you how much excitement you have put into my life. You enjoy your beautiful retirement, because only God knows how much you deserve it
Love you Z
Dallas from Texas
Debbie
love you Z!!! so happy to see you out grazing on your own:-) xo
Cathy P
Wow Zenyatta it’s so nice seeing you relaxed and enjoying your life. I’m so glad you are meting new friends and it looks like you and Pirate Queen are have a nice time together. Your video is wonderful they great job showing you off (love it) and the stills are great also. Thank you to Bloodhorse for making the video we all love Zenyatta so much and like to see how she is doing. BIG HUGS to you Zenyatta, love ya sweet girl.
Debi Hamari
Beautiful Queen Zenyatta,
So good to see that you are enjoying your new life and making new friends! I love getting your daily updates. Dottie does such an amazing job of putting your experiences into words.
I just went to the website with Gifted. It is so hard to think of other race horses being cast aside and forgotten. Together I know that we can make a big diffence.
Love and hugs!
Donna from Baltimore
Dear Team Z –
I, too, have made a donation in the Queen’s name to Heart of Tuscon. What they are doing is incredible. The number of former racehorses being dumped in the desert to die is symptomatic of what is wrong with horse racing today. No horse, TB or not, should be disposed of with such cruelty.
Team Z – you have shown the way a horse should be raised and cared for. If an owner can’t humanely take care of their horses, they should not be allowed to race them.
Bless you all for setting such a sterling example and for loving your horses so well.
Donna Frederick
Sue
Dear zen…What a Priceless Christmas gift you have given to all of us!! To see you ‘run free’ was simply tearful joy ( I just KNEW you would RUN when you were set free…it’s who you are!!) And what a Priceless gift for you, to have all your family show up to wish you a Merry Christmas. You are a lucky, loved girl!! To top it all, would be to have your ‘ MAMA’ show up too!!! Maybe Santa will take care of that!!
Merry Christmas ,and, again, thank you for all the joy you’ve bestow upon so many!! XXXOOO Sue You are SO BEAUTIFUL
Carol Hill
MERRY CHRISTMAS ZENYATTA!!