Dream Big: Illuczion

Illuczion, aka "Penn" (like illusionists Penn and Teller), is an unregistered (not for lack of me trying) Oldenburg/TB. He's a 2009 model, and he came into my life a week and a half after Mikey's death.

Illuczion, January 2019

His pedigree, carefully put together using Excel because he's not registered anywhere.

Confirmation picture from the day I went to see him.

This is the pic that really made me want him- he's looking like a scruff muffin, but he's so active with his hinds legs and isn't even engaged. And he didn't know anything.

Penn joined us here in PA on 8/15/2015. I had quite a wild ride with him over the next 3.5 years, fulls of highs and lows that I wouldn't trade for anything.

8/23/2015 - Trotting around Intro A- first test ever, just a little over a week after he came home.

Open/AA/Jr Champion of T-1, T-2, and T-3 tests in the Nov 2015-Apr 2016 Winter Schooling Show Series

2016 Competition year was spent at First Level
So happy after finishing a great First Level AA Championship test. 66%+ for 9th out of 29.

We finished out 2016 strong, and hooked up with a new trainer in November who overhauled some of our basics to help get us ready for 2nd/3rd.

He had so much fun playing the GP Trainer's pond in summer 2017.

First rated show at Second Level: AA 2nd Level High Point at Loch Moy June 2017.

Competing at Third Level in 2017.

My 5th bronze medal score won the 3rd Level AA High Point at a show in July 2017, complete with a small scholarship amount.

Finishing my Bronze Medal, 9/2/2017.

This is as much Penn's as it is mine.

Repeating First Level AA Championships in 2017.
65.221% 9th out of 45 riders due to a rider error (could have been 6th)

2017 Championships I learned a lot about losing, and learned a lot about how much the horse just doesn't care about that.

2017 Piaffe practice

2018 linking flying changes

Penn was injured in 2018. The medial branch of his front right suspensory tendon had a small tear, and an MRI in Nov 2018 showed he also tore the lateral coffin collateral ligament in his left front, and the medial coffin collateral ligament in his right front. We did all the things to fix him, but he was retired at age 9. It was obvious that if he became sound again, he might return to third level, but it would be better for his long term soundness if he didn't.

Penn went to his new home in January 2019.
He now belongs to a friend who has loved him for years and was capable of finishing his rehab.
I owe this horse so much. He taught me a lot about winning a losing, and remembering this is all for the the love of a horse.