Ruhlmann, RIP 1985-2008

Ruhlmann at Old Friends in 2004/Photo by Rhonda Lane

See the people giving the black horse a wide berth? They’re guests at the Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center Open House in 2006.

The horse is Ruhlmann, a millionaire champion from more than twenty years ago. Our guide told us that he bites and not to get too close to him.

Too bad for Ruhlmann. We all had bags of treats sold by the shelter for the horses who weren’t likely to take a taste of human flesh.

Two years later, I admit that I did get too close. When I read today that Ruhlmann had died on Christmas Eve — a horse I’ve only seen twice and that lived a thousand miles away — I wept.

A special edition email from Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen broke the news. Ruhlmann had died suddenly, instantly, in his home.

A little about Ruhlmann

Ruhlmann in his paddock at Old Friends in 2004/Photo by Rhonda Lane

Ruhlmann had died tough and fast, just the way he’d lived

If you noticed when you read his obit, he was sponsored and retired at Old Friends by his owners Jerry and Ann Moss. Those who echo Clare Boothe Luce’s aphorism that “No good deed goes unpunished” would be shocked to hear that, soon after the Mosses had sent Ruhlmann to his retirement home in the Bluegrass, their horse Giacomo won the Kentucky Derby.

More about the open house photo

Every year, Old Friends holds at least one party as a fundraiser. It’s not a hoity-toity affair. Their parties are more of the “fun and casual picnic at the farm” variety. There’s live music, memorabilia auctions and, of course, the horses.

In 2006, it was an overcast Sunday afternoon, the day after the Kentucky Derby. Each guest could buy a little gift bag that was a variety pack of horse treats. Carrot slices, peppermints, gingersnaps, horse kibble – it looked like pretty gift bag of  Chex party mix.

Of course, that was one of those great ideas that turned out to be a hassle.

Some of the horses, thoroughbred stallions or not, enjoyed treats and could be hand fed.Except it was like Halloween night after a trick-or-treat  bonanza at the old folks home. Special diets meet endless treats.

Plus, accommodating guests happily plied friendly horses with goodies and slowed down the process of touring. Guides, though polite, were fit to be tied.

And then there was the safety issue. Only two of the horses within reach of the tourists were reputed biters. One of them was Ruhlmann.

But I hadn’t heard that before I had given him a treat already. I had been in the first tour group and had drifted away from the crowd. Everyone else had been paying attention to his across-the-aisle neighbor Creator, who had been tossing his chestnut forelock and showing off.  (These photos from the Old Friends site show the dashing Creator in full charm.)

Like a family’s quiet brother, Ruhlmann had been gazing over his paddock rail at all of us. I hadn’t known then that he was a biter. Besides, what were those goodie bags for?

Getting too close

Anyway, his eyes, ears and tail looked placid enough, as did his energy at that moment. So, I didn’t know then to be afraid of him.

I held out the treat on the flat of my palm. His lips gently lifted it from my skin.

Not long after that, guides advised guests to stay clear of Ruhlmann. And he accommodatingly lived up to his reputation.

He snapped into coiled energy mode. The guides were quick to steer everyone away from Ruhlmann at his fence.

As the evening wore on and interest in the tours waned, I joined another group. By then, he wore his role well as the sleek snapping monster of the farm.

He caused a few guests to gasp when he stretched his neck over the fence or between the rails to get a closer sniff.  Somehow, I got the impression that, if he couldn’t have treats, he’d get his fun by messing with the guests. Besides, he probably thought that a taste of anything would be nice, let alone the entertaining squeals.

At one point, his attention had been drawn to a man in a wheel chair. When Rulhmann’s black nose pushed between the rails of the fence toward the chair parked almost within the horse’s reach, everyone gasped.

The man in the wheelchair, putting it rather darkly, appeared to be a sitting duck. But Ruhlmann was curious about this metal device in his world of fence planks, grass and sky. He only sniffed at the metal and then withdrew.

Back to the present

I’m not the only one who “got too close.” Val at the Old Friends blog seems to have gotten too close, too. There, we can read that Ruhlmann had mellowed of late and dearly loved gingersnaps.

I think a lot of people associated with Old Friends get too close to those friends.

And that’s probably the point.

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Tags: Jerry and Ann Moss, Michael Blowen, Old Friends, Ruhlmann