Ngala

This week our Horse of the week is Ngala, a beautiful black Thoroughbred gelding who has an equestrian Cinderella story.

Ngala has had a tough life. As a youngster he managed to get his foot caught in the grills of his stall and flopped around in a panic, smashing his jaw. He was supposed to be sold as an expensive race horse, but his injury reduced his price considerably. When he finally began training for the race track, he colicked and ending up in hospital in Guelph for an operation. Ngala handled this well - unfortunately, an inexperienced helper turned him out on grass (a big NO NO) and he colicked again, suffering a hernia as a result.

Well poor Ngala never got to be a race horse. He was tossed into a field and ignored. One day a gal named Leslie Saila of Glen Oro farm saw him, inquired after him, and then brought him home. He was a terrible mess, underweight and suffering from rain rot. She gave him some time to relax, get well and put some weight on. Leslie trained him for a few months and thought he would be the perfect horse for Janet Patterson. Janet had a sick and aging horse that she had just put down. She wasn't quite ready for a new horse. Janet started riding Ngala and in February of last year she decided to buy him. Janet says it was the best thing she ever did. She loves her horse dearly and they are best friends.

When she first started riding Ngala he had his moments but with Leslie Saila's help, and patience and time, he is turning out to be a wonderful horse. Janet says he is spoiled and he knows it. She says he actually pouts if you scold him. Ngala's a social butterfly and likes to be the center of attention. He has many human and horsey friends. His best friend of the equine variety is Kairos.

Ngala turned 5 in May but he acts much older MOST of the time. He is excelling in his dressage and loves to jump. He has been to a few North River Rider shows this summer to give him some exposure and he is quite a show off in the ring. Janet is planning on doing some more NRR shows next year and hopefully some eventing. By the way, Janet has had Ngala checked out and neither his jaw nor hernia bother him and his future prognosis is excellent! Way to go Ngala!

  Horse of the Week changes sometime Sunday Evening