Tyler Baze

Today I came across a video at www.thebloodhorse.com . It was a two part video about jockey Tyler Baze. It was hard to watch all the old video of Turf Paradise and the California tracks it showed. Seeing the locker room scenes and riders I used to ride with. Listening to him talk about the passion he has for it. I wanted to cry watching it. It's been almost six years since I sat on the back of a horse. While I am grateful and blessed to have had the opportunities of riding races, I am also saddened by the loss of it. The emptiness you feel inside when it's gone from you can't be filled by any other thing. God gave me a unique gift when I turned out to be 5'3 and a natural 110 pounds. The perfect size and weight to be a professional jockey. He also gave me the unique ability to talk to horses through a pair of reins. When Tylers' fiance talks about him sitting and watching horse races, I know exactly what she was talking about. It is heartbreaking to watch something you love so much and know that you will never be able to do it again. Tyler has been given the gift of a second chance and so far he is making the most of it. I often wonder how far I could have gone if I were led to the race track earlier in life. I had never ridden a horse before when I decided at the age of 22 that I wanted to be a jockey. So today I say good for you Tyler. You realize the gift you have been given and are making the most of it.