Christine Gibson has a vision for her farm, and based on what the Sebright, ON resident has accomplished so far, she is likely to accomplish her dream.

Gibson, along with her two retired thoroughbreds, Bob Loblaw and Catch a Ride, are planning on opening their 47-acre home to many more retired racehorses for an equine-based assisted learning facility.

“I’ve done a lot of research on horses and how they can help teach assertiveness, confidence and provide therapy for all types of people,” said Gibson. “I am not exactly sure of my path yet, I am also considering doing equine-guide development for people with depression, anxiety. Right now I am researching what I want to do but I would really love my horses to have another job, they want to do more.”

Gibson was in her 20s when she was studying nursing and began a summer job working with racehorses at the legendary Windfields Farm in Oshawa. She worked with broodmares, foals and sales horses and, well, once she started there, she never went back to nursing.

Gibson also worked at Gardiner Farms and Woodbine Racetrack where she learned how to be a polished exercise rider.

Sometime later in 2003, Gibson met her first horse, Bob Loblaw, owned by friends Debby and Dennis Brown and Sean and Dorothy Fitzhenry, who were just getting into the thoroughbred business. Bob Loblaw, a Kentucky yearling purchase, did not have the speed to be a competitive runner and his owners gave the horse to Gibson.

Gibson was working for the Browns when Bob suffered an injury to his back that put an end to his racing career. She was given the horse, but had to rest him for a year before she started to teach him how to slow down and be a riding horse.

“I had to work with him a lot to get him to stand still actually,”said Gibson. “Just putting the saddle on and taking it off, getting on him and off, so that he learned how to be a riding horse.”

It took some time but Gibson and Bob have been enjoying recreational riding and some small jumps in the nearly 12 years she has had him.

Gibson went all out to purchase her farm for Bob, renting out three rooms in her townhouse and working long shifts at Casino Rama before she saved enough to make the purchase. Bob, who is now 18 and Gibson’s best friend, certainly lives in luxury too.

“I wanted to make my barn the most comfortable for Bob and for myself, it’s spotless,” Gibson said, laughing. “I bought a leather chair for the barn, chandeliers and have pictures up. I am having a Windfields Farm reunion in August and I want everything to look great.”

Bob, who has a most unusual mane that looks like a brush cut, has a buddy now too as Gibson sought out a friend for her riding buddy a year ago and was told that Sam-Son Farm in Milton, ON had a retired racehorse available.

“His racing name is Catch a Ride. I called him Arjan and he came from Ocala where he was getting over an injury. He traveled 27 hours to get here to me, all at the same time as I was finalizing the paperwork.”

Catch a Ride, a regally bred son of Candy Ride (Arg) from an A.P Indy mare, has thrived in his new surroundings so much so that he gets mad when Gibson takes Bob out for a ride without him.

Gibson, who still works at the casino, hopes to add a few more horses in the near future with an eye to introducing them to a new career as therapy horses.

“I have a place in my heart for thoroughbreds,” said Gibson. “They race because we ask them to race. I just think that they deserve a happy life during their racing careers and after.”