20 SIDELINES OCTOBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
e
By Lauren R. Giannini
Just over a year ago, a mother and daughter adopted a
rescue. After two months of TLC, they discovered they had
way more horse than they ever imagined…
“We didn’t know anything about Magic – my daughter
Morgan had recently lost her pony and we got Magic for her
to do hunt seat and 4-H,” said Jennifer Teller. “He was very
underweight when we got him. I think he just fell through
the cracks, a matter of miscommunication and lucky for us
that he did. Everything works out the way it’s supposed to,
eventually. He has a forever home with us. When he retires,
he’ll be a pasture pet for the rest of his life.”
No idle promise: Jennifer was a senior in high school
when she bought a two year old to trail ride and show in 4-H.
That mare was 33 when she crossed the rainbow bridge
last June. Cape May Comet retired to a life of leisure as a
pasture pet when, at 16, she was diagnosed with navicular.
“When my horse was put down, it just about killed me,”
admitted Jennifer. “I had her for 31 years – it was never
long enough.”
Magic, meanwhile, was doing a four-star job of keeping
the Tellers on their toes. Last fall, about two months after
the 17.1 hand English Thoroughbred entered their lives,
they found out just how much horse they had. “Me and my
friend had a little cross-rail set up and I wanted to see what
Magic would do,” recalled Morgan. “He went right over the
cross-rail and then he just sort of locked onto the 5 foot tall
pasture gate and jumped it. I fell off. I don’t jump very much,
and that was huge.”
Her friend also took a spill, albeit not jumping the pipe
gate. Hours later they went to the emergency room where
they were diagnosed with concussions. The doctors thought
Morgan had injured her back; but it turned out to be torn
connective tissue in her hip, which would require surgery
to repair.
“When Morgan got home from the hospital after jumping
that gate, I told her ‘this horse did something!” recalled
Jennifer. “He has a freeze-brand on his back, and she
started doing web searches and his picture popped up:
10:30 at night, Morgan was walking around the house
screaming, this horse nearly went to the Olympics!”
Midnight Magic had been campaigned by Stuart Black,
who was short and long-listed on the Canadian three-day
team for the 2004 Athens Olympics; but they did not get
to compete. The horse changed hands a number of times
and, after sustaining injuries in a trailer accident, retired.
Obviously, time off and turnout healed whatever was wrong.
That’s when the Tellers adopted him: “he’s a lot of horse
for a 16 year old kid” is the verdict from many people in
Magical Rescue
Former Three-Day Olympic Prospect Finds Forever Home
Morgan Teller and Midnight Magic
Photo by Rita McMullen