10 years ago today I bought a $900 “project horse” off of Facebook sight unseen. At that time Henry was a green OTTB that’d had some things go a bit sideways in his training, but I thought I could fix it and sell him on. We mostly succeeded in the fixing it part, although it took time, but I never did make it to the selling him part.

Instead, over the past decade he’s pulled me solidly out of the h/j world and into eventing, we’ve gone for a victory gallop at AEC’s, he’s taken me up to Preliminary level, competed all across the southern half of the US, made my old dreams come true and inspired entirely new ones, taught Presto a whole lot about life (usually with his teeth), been the Steady Eddie babysitter for all the greenies, carried friends around XC, and put me in my place more times than I can count. He’s even the entire reason I started this blog all those years ago, to catalog his journey. There are so many things that never would have happened if not for Henry.

Like all the great ones do, he’s taught me a lot about myself, horses, and life in general. I suspect he’s been a grumpy old man since the day he was born, but I think it’s just part of his charm. He’s not fancy or particularly athletic and his X-rays are shit, but in my eyes Henry is and will always be a legend. He’s stuck with me forever, so hopefully he deems me worthy enough.

This morning we celebrated our decade-long partnership by going for a ride during which he dolphined from one end of the field to the other and strongly considered running away with me after jumping a brush box. He’s still got all the jokes. Never change, Henny, you absolute king.

Thanks to all of you for being part of our journey. Here’s to hoping we’ve got many more years ahead of being sassed by this opinionated dad bod.