Horses
Hey, I’ve never been much of a horse guy. We had horses on our farm when I was growing up, but they were working horses. My daddy used them to plow fields and our vegetable gardens, and my siblings and I never rode them. We cared for the horses, like feeding them, brushing them, and cleaning their stalls, but I wouldn’t say they were our pets.
I’ve only ridden a horse once. It was such a terrifying experience that I never saddled one again. When I was about seven years old and shopping with my mom, I rode a horse for the first time. Once I was in the saddle, I put my feet in the stirrups and grabbed the reins. The first few minutes were fine. The horse trotted along, and the ride was actually pretty enjoyable.
But when I loosened my grip on the reins, it was like I’d unleashed a wild bronco. The horse took off! I was so terrified that I put my arms around the horse’s neck. I fell off the side, but the horse kept going. Fortunately, my feet were still in the stirrups, or my head might have been bouncing off the ground. My momma screamed for help as she watched in horror.
All of the sudden, a cashier came running out of the department store where we were shopping and unplugged the horse. Hey, she probably saved my life. It was a close call.
Since I’m still afraid to ride horses, I figured I’d buy one that somebody else could ride. I thought it might be fun, and maybe I could make some money with my investment. Hey, do you know how you make a small fortune from horses? By starting with a large fortune, Jack! At least they’re cheaper to shoe than my wife, Christine!
In February 2014, I became part owner of a filly named Sithechristmas Elf (read, Si the Christmas Elf). Ashley Howard Nelson, who is Korie Robertson’s sister, is also a part owner of the horse, along with Wes Melcher, who operates Double Infinity Ranch in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
I’ve always had a way with animals, especially horses. Do you like horses? Yay or neigh?
Now, you would probably think that a horse named after me would be pretty fast. Well, that’s not exactly true. Sithechristmas Elf was bred in Louisiana and was two years old when we bought her—she was still a work in progress.
Unfortunately, she finished next to last in her first race at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans on January 30, 2015. Hey, our horse was so slow our jockey could have kept a diary of the race. There might have been a photo finish for last place, but it was too dark by the time they finally finished.
After that inauspicious start to her racing career, Sithechristmas Elf ran seven more races in 2015. She had a second-place finish at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, Louisiana. Hey, maybe there is hope for her yet. I really think the only thing she needs is a good motivational speech. They don’t call me the Horse Whisperer for nothing.
Now, there is actually another racehorse named after me that is much faster than the one I own. Go figure, Jack. George “Chip” McEwen and Anthony Robertson own a New York–bred horse named Uncle Sigh.
I really like what they’re doing. McEwen was on a flight with his girlfriend in 2011 when the pilot asked everyone to remain seated until a wounded veteran could depart the plane. The young man had lost most of his motor skills after being hit by an IED.
McEwen was so moved by the incident that he renamed his ranch Wounded Warrior Stables in honor of military veterans injured or killed in Afghanistan. He donates 10 percent of his horses’ earnings to various charities that support injured veterans, including Retrieving Freedom, which trains dogs to assist soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Uncle Sigh has turned out to be his best horse. In his second career start, on December 27, 2013, he won the race by fourteen and a half lengths at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. In fact, Uncle Sigh finished first or second in each of his first four starts. He looks like one of the most promising racehorses in America.
On May 3, 2014, Uncle Sigh finished fourteenth in the Kentucky Derby, the most famous horse race in the world. His silks were yellow and purple and depicted a purple heart. After racing in the Run for the Roses, Uncle Sigh finished in the top five in four races in 2015, including his second victory at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Hey, it makes me proud to have my name on a horse that helps raise awareness about wounded veterans and their charities.