The Story of Figaro

Just a horse, some would say.Or, this is just another horse tale. Some of us, the lucky ones anyway, have had that one horse or animal in our lives that holds us and makes such an impact on our lives. So much so that the words just an animal enrages us. We know what it is like, at some time, to have loved an animal and been unconditionally loved by that animal. I can say I have been fortunate to have had that -- not only a love but also to have had the greatest teacher, confidant, character builder and, most of all, a great friend. One so great I will forever compare any friendship to this, whether the friends are four-legged or two legged. You could almost say it was dream like. Who has not grown up with the dream of the black stallion,the beauty, loyalty, brains, character, courage and bond that cannot come through training but that come naturally.I can say I was fortunate to have that horse. I can say I owned the real life black stallion. Not just because he was big and black but because he was the package. I can see why Alexander the Great felt for Bucephalus the way he did. What we all wish for is one thing but if the Black Stallion was what he was in our day, most people would not be so in awe, I guess. Most people would back away from that. Black Stallion books make us fall in love with the idea but when faced with reality, how many would stick it through? Through the tough times? Through the heartache and more?Could you honestly say you see the diamond in the rough? Or the kind eyes in the spirited body? When it was time, could you stand up for your horse when times are tough through the good and the bad? And most of all be there till his last breath? I have been with horses for many years but I am no expert and will never claim to be. I strive to learn. I learn new things each day. Some things work for me while others don’t. We all have preferences, but I am still keen to listen. In this telling of Figaro’s life, you will see I have dealt with many horses in many disciplines -- from foals to breeding stallions, from $1horses to million-dollar horses, from good to rogue horses. I can say, without exaggeration, I have handled well over 800 horses, some on farms, most of them on the racetrack. Being a swing groom, you deal with at least 45 horses per week and then some because some will ship in and out during the season. A swing groom takes over another groom’s five or six horses so they can have a day off. This may not seem like anything significant but you learn to adapt to many different horses and their quirks. None have been a greater teacher than Mister Fig. I am writing his story because I promised him. I believe that no matter what you get after you read this story -- whether you find this a heart warming tale or educational in some way–youwillfind something in you or at least comfort. Most of all the book will show the bond, the true bond, we had and not just that I loved my horse. Not only did he have an impact on me, he also managed to touch many people through the years as well, whether it was just astranger or an accomplished horseman. Some knew Figaro and some only knew him through pictures, but he always had that something that drew people to him. He may have nothad as many fans as some horses out there but the numbers he did have were genuine followers. Thanks to him I have met so many new and wonderful people from all over the world and was takento levels I never thought I would achieve. I hope I can show you so you will see what I did and why I went through what I did with Figaro from our up to our down days. All in all, we all wish for the dream horse. As the saying goes be careful what you wish for and when it does come, the journey is not all paved in gold. When you do hit that road you will no longer be walking on gold, but clouds, sometimes if only for a moment. I can say I had the privilege of having the real BlackStallion and am grateful to have lived the dream. My favourite saying goes, “A dream is just a dream but a goal is a dream with a plan.” A friend of mine summed upFigaro by saying, "Figaro was a one of a kind. He is often imitated but never duplicated."I doubt I will ever find another like him. So here is the tale of my real life Black Stallion...