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Working with horses a lifelong passion

By Stephanie James

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COLBORNE, Ont. (03/08/11)- Jim Phillips nuzzling his youngest horse, Blondie, whom he likes to call his cute blond. Along with Blondie, Jim owns five other horses; Doug, Dolly, Roxy, Brandi and Rosy. Photo by Stephanie James.

Working with horses since 1983, Colborne native Jim Phillips, 76, still makes time for these large, beautiful animals.

Some people learn a skill when they’re young and as their life goes on, they either forget it or find a new interest, but not Phillips.

At the age of three, his father sat him on a horse for the first time. From then on, he was hooked. After that, his life always included horses.

“I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t around horses. Even when I lived in Toronto, I had horses back home in the country. I guess you can call me an animal lover,” said Phillips.

He started out by working with horses that were used to help with work around the family farm. He even remembers riding a little Shetland pony named Bill, back and forth to school every day.

Throughout his younger years of riding and working with horses, Phillips had his share of good experiences. He’s even had some close calls.

At the age of 13, both Phillips and the horse he was riding rode into a cement wall. He was teaching the horse how to stop properly.

He also had one of his horses trained to smile when he asked by saying, ‘Show me your teeth Nell,’ and she would.

In his early 30s, Phillips began to train racehorses using racing bikes that are hooked to the horse and pulled.

“I couldn’t really afford to race them, but I did anyway,” Phillips said with a laugh.

The first horse Phillips bought for bike racing was called Ed. He was bought in Toronto for $275.

“It took about a year to get him to calm down, but when he was ready to race he took sixth in his first race and eighth in his second,” said Phillips. “I swear that horse drank about fifty dollars worth of beer and whisky on me.”

Phillips enjoyed sharing a few sips of his drink with Ed every now and then.

Even at 76 Phillips still purchases his horses as young colts and raises them into full-grown horses.

“It’s like walking. I don’t think about how I work with them. I just do what I have always done,” he said.

Right now Phillips owns six horses: Dolly, Doug, Roxy, Rosy, Brandi and Blondie. Five he raised from colts and Dolly, his oldest horse, he took in to give her a good home.

“They’re like a bunch of kids,” said Phillips.

He also is currently teaching a neighbour from down the road how to train and look after her own horse, Zoey. Phillips assisted her in purchasing Zoey and even got thrown from the horse and broke a few ribs while seeing how the horse took to being ridden.

“Every horse is a little bit different, and has its own personality,” said Phillips.

You can see the affection he has for his animals in the way that he cares for them, and the affection they have for him. His youngest horse, Blondie, will give him a kiss on the cheek when he asks and takes his hat off for him as well.

Phillips said one of his favourite parts about having horses is just sitting on the porch in the summertime and watching them in the field playing with each other.

“I have done this all my life, and still to this day, I love the sound of their hooves trotting on the ground,” said Phillips.