Let-It-Ride site of the day Award!

December 6, 2004

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NEW SUCCESS STORIES!

Dad surprised Shelby with Ace's Angel!

Dad told Shelby that "Angel" had been sold. We played along and listed her as SOLD! on our Web site.

Shelby was extremely disappointed. Dad lured her to a stable with the offer of a free Quarterhorse which was NOT what Shelby wanted. Shelby had fallen in love with "Angel" but she was gone. Shelby was very depressed.

Paula, Marie, Barry and Elizabeth (with camera at hand) were all hiding in the stall opposite Angel's when Shelby arrived.

At first Shelby did not recognize "Angel" and with surprise in her voice she told her dad the horse was very pretty. Shelby asked her dad if it was a boy or a girl.

Dad replied, "Don't you recognize your horse "Angel?"

That's when the screaming and jumping started our camera flashing. Shelby was shocked to see us all there and could not believe that Ace's Angel was now her special girl!

We were very happy to be a part of this moment. Shelby knows she has a team of supporters who will help her train her new horse - and Dad is a hero to his daughter.

Shelby Angel and Paula

Paula wanted to share in the excitement when we delivered Ace's Angel to her new little girl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chouette Player is a Thoroughbred horse for sale at Bits & Bytes Farm

Ace's Angel and Paula both love cross country jumping!

 

 

 

 

 

Ace's Angel and Paula in the spring

Ace's Angel and Paula in the spring of 2004.

 

 

 

Ace's Angel waiting for her new mom.

Ace's Angel waiting for her new mom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Willie - horses for sale at Bits & Bytes Farm

Willie at Bits & Bytes Farm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Bits & Bytes Farm

 

Welcome to Bits & Bytes Farm on the Web. Take a virtual tour of the farm and see the beautiful thoroughbreds we have for sale. Follow their training and learn how we bring them from racetrack to a new career in the show ring, fox hunting or eventing.

A Gift of Love from a Dad to his Daughter!

At Bits & Bytes Farm we like to think of ourselves as matchmakers not horse sellers. We work very hard to make a match between horse and rider. It is not always an easy task and sometimes we are not always appreciated for the hard work we do to get these horses ready for a new career. It all becomes worthwhile when we do make a match and get to give a young girl the surprise of her life.

The story of Ace's Angel is a good one to illustrate just what hard work goes into helping these horses and their new owners.

"Angel" came to us a year ago November in a package deal with Lucky and Te Conquistar (now known as Mactavish). We received a phone call from a rescue group that needed help placing these three horses. They were in eminent danger of being shipped off to auction because the trainer was sick and was being forced from his rented farm due to a change in ownership. We had a good horse friend check them out and tell us that they were sound but in need of groceries.

We did a quick trip to Kentucky and picked up the three horses. Te Conquistar quickly found a new mom in Leighton Price. She moved him to a boarding facility near her home but later came back to board with us at Bits & Bytes Farm. Lucky has become one of Elizabeth's most favorite horses. He has a heart that is all out with love and determination. Lucky will go anywhere and jump anything. Ace's Angel came in to the farm covered in a long coat and lacking in energy. She was tired and run down.

"Angel" it seemed had a parasite problem which was addressed with several types of wormer. She lost a great deal of weight during this process and at one point we were afraid that we would have to put her down because she would not eat and had lost so much weight. Finally, after doing a five day "PowerPak" on her she began eating and started to get better.

Ace's Angel November 2003
Ace's Angel November 2003 with her wooly winter coat.

By springtime Ace's Angel lost her wooly winter coat and a beautiful butterfly emerged in the shape of the most perfect little mare. Bits & Bytes Farm friend Paula Gunnels began to take a special interest in this talented horse. Paula comes to us by way of South Africa and she has been riding for many years. Paula put her special touch on "Angel" and got her doing wonderful dressage movements and then started her over fences.

Ace's Angel May 2004
Ace's Angel with Paula in May 2004.

Ace's Angel and Paula schooling at Oxer Farm - November 14, 2004.
Ace's Angel and Paula schooling at Oxer Farm - November 14, 2004.

Soon Paula and "Angel" could be seen jumping anything that did not move. Both Ace's Angel and Paula proved to be brave and bold.

It is not an easy thing to put so much work into a horse only to have someone buy it away from you. We always have mixed feelings. We are relieved and happy that the horse is safe and will continue with his/her training. We are also sad that we are not the ones who will get to enjoy the successes. Seeing the happiness on a little girl's face, because her dad could give her this most precious gift, is the greatest reward we can receive. The money from each sale goes right back into getting more horses off-the-track or to caring for the ones who have not yet found that special someone. None of the Friends of Bits & Bytes Farm are given a salary or money. They do it for the love of the horses and for the people who will love the horses we save. We could not do what we do, without them. Thank you one and all!

Bits & Bytes Farm's Ace's Angel and her new family.
Ace's Angel and her new family.

Ace's Angel gives Shelby her first ride at her new home.
Ace's Angel gives Shelby her first ride at her new home.

Willie & the Two Mares

There are many ways to buy a horse from us at Bits & Bytes Farm. Some people watch to see what we bring home and wait for it to be trained. Some people come with us to the track to find their special horse and some people hire us to find that horse for them. That was the case with Willie.

We were at the track in April to pick up Secret -- we waited a year to get him. We had been asked by a woman to find a big gray gelding that would be quiet enough to be a trail horse. He did not have to be perfect (we love people like that) but he needed to be big and kind. As we were going from barn to barn to meet with our favorite trainers we spotted three gray horses on a walker. We tracked down the trainer and zeroed in on Willie as a potential match. There was one problem though. The trainer was still wanting to run him a few more times.

Three greys at the track.
Willie on the walker.

We spoke with Candice (the person who had asked us to find the gray) and she said she could wait if we thought that that was a good horse. In September, the gray horse, Willie became available but Candice's mom was very ill. Candice decided to put her horse hunting on hold to focus on her mom.

We had been waiting since July on another horse (Chouette Player), who had been identified as a good prospect horse for us at the same track.

Marie gets and gives Two Thumbs Up

Friend of Bits & Bytes Farm and boarder, Marie found Chouette Player in July when she picked up Two Thumbs Up -- who we spotted on our April trip to pick up Secret. Whew! Are you following the story? Can you tell that we are always watching for good horses and they are worth the wait?

Anyway, Marie was picking up Two Thumbs and Willie was still not available in July. So she took photos of Chouette Player for us. She was told he would be available later in the season according to his trainer who we had purchased Alaskan Crown from. See the networking we do? You think this is easy?

Chouette Player became available in October. He was our October Prospect One. No one wanted to take a chance on getting him directly off-the-track so, when a stall opened up here with the sale of Ace's Angel, we brought him in. (Just try to get him away from Elizabeth now.) Since we were going to the track to get Chouette Player we checked in with Candice to see if she wanted us to negotiate a price for Willie. She did. We did. The rest is history. The photos of Willie were taken as he stayed over at our farm. He was here only two days before he was picked up and taken to Greenville, SC to be with his new mom Candice. She is very happy with him.

Willie a grey Thoroughbred at Bits & Bytes Farm
Willie was presold before he even got to Bits & Bytes Farm.

So what about the two gorgeous mares All My Money and Confirmed Countess you ask? We have another wonderful contact in Macon who is working to find these beautiful Thoroughbred mares good homes.

Michael and Lana Wuolukka own Hidden Paradise Farms in Macon, Georgia. If you are interested in these beautiful mares, and some other great geldings, give them a call. We are their mentors in a new venture to help get even more Thoroughbreds off-the-track. They are giving these horses a wonderful place to recover and get some down time before beginning their new lives. There are so many horses and so few people who are willing to help. Thank the Lord for people like Michael and Lana Wuolukka. Read the story of how we connected on their Web site.

All My Money and Confirmed Countess
All My Money and Confirmed Countess

You might have trouble getting Lana to let go of Confirmed Countess. But then there have to be some rewards for what we do. (Lana, let's do a trail ride with Countess and Chouette Player.) ;--)

Call or come by for a visit

Please call us to discuss which horse might be the best match for you based on riding skill, experience and equine personality. We do not send out videos because it is important to match the personality of the horse with the personality of the rider. We are matchmakers, not horse brokers. We have horses in a wide price range. Call us to discuss prices or to schedule an appointment. We'd love to have you come meet all of our horses--we know that it will be worth your time. Just bring peppermints!

 

 


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