I’ve heard it’s a thing that people do, but most horse people I know never really retire. In theory, retirement involves leaving some honest but perhaps less than enthralling job to begin to do something you like. Like spending time outdoors? Spending more time with people or animals you love? Doing something that you really enjoy?

Looking back at older people who preceded me in this line of endeavor, I appear not to be the only person who has felt this way. That whole slew of ex- cavalrymen from the “greatest generation”—beginning with my mentor Major Lindgren, then Gabor, Capt. Andy, deNemethy, LeGoff, Buttakay, Wimert, Sommer, Thackery, Kitts, Madden, Edmonds, Kimball—I’m forgetting too many! And equally worth our admiration, the non cavalry guys—Peter Lert, Vic Beckett, Max Gahwyler.

Some taken away too young,– Klimke, Ljungquist, and even Col. Handler who literally died with his boots on during a performance in Vienna.

Yes, in some cases these guys had to slow down or give it up for health reasons. People were shocked when Reiner Klimke “retired” from international competition while only in his 60s, but these fans/critics probably don’t realize how much body parts begin to ache constantly after a certain point.

All along I have been citing famous people – the elder statesmen, the deans – of our sport. I don’t mean to mention myself in the same breath or even on the same page, but I can easily understand their response to “When are you going to retire?” Gibberish! A phrase which does not compute! Passion. May we never be too old to give up our passion.