Why Not a Standardbred??

I just made some super yummy shortbread and I'm trying not to eat it, so I will type instead :)

Why not a Standardbred?  Have you ever played with one? 

My dearly departed and much beloved Sam was out of a Standardbred mare, Chris Dundee.  She had the BIGGEST heart of any horse I'd ever met in my life.  Old pin-fired-up hocks, she'd hobble around with a disabled kid on her back while her young son was screaming in the stall, Chrissy was amazing.  It was because of her that I wanted Sam (Smirnoff).  I thought if he had half his mom's heart, I'd have one hell of a partner.  He did and I did <3 I miss him so much still.

So, when it came that Ritchie's very bestestest friend Spud relocated to Ft. McMurray, it quickly became obvious that he needed a new play buddy and FAST!!  The bred mares were not very happy about his play antics.  I looked at a friend's dad's 2-year-old stud colt who was going to be just a pasture pet, had an injury on a leg quite early.  He wasn't handled and he wasn't free... I wasn't interested. 
I went to the auction in Westlock and thought I'd maybe save one from the meat man.  Again, not gelded colts, not handled, not vaccinated or dewormed and exposed to everything that an auction's horses brings into it... Hmmmmm what else could work??
Then the word came around about a 3-year-old gelding, Standardbred, who wouldn't pace and needed to be relocated before the end of the month when the rest of the stock headed to BC.  Hmmmm, a nice colt who's already gelded, been in a barn, handled, farriered, dewormed regularly, vaccinated and HANDLED?!?!  Gotta check this out! 
He ate cookies right away and learned how to smile in about 2 minutes....

His registration was not completed, no need to for a horse who won't race, but his name would've been Vegas Black Jack.  That's all well and good but Jack isn't quite the Spanish compliment for Ricardo (Ritchie as in Valens) so his name is now José Jalapeno (on a stick!) and he came home this afternoon. 

Richie was SOOOO HAPPY to have a friend to play with again!!  I think this was likely the best Christmas present I could've provided :) 

So what's the plan for José?  Well, like everything else out here, if it's sound and can be broke to ride, it gets broke to ride.  He's already been in a full racing harness and pulled the "bike", been in a barn, etc, etc, so I don't think it's going to be a huge streach to have him become a riding horse.  I'll just work on some trick training and some basic in-hand stuff and see where the summer takes us.  I believe this guy's going to top 16+ hh and he's got quite a big TROTTTTT already!  I personally love these horses and would really like to see him go and do something one day, whether with me or one of the PC kids, or whomever.  I will give him an education to be a success in life regardless :)  Welcome home José Jalapeno.