June 13, 2024

Ide
(May 5, 1993 – June 7, 2024)

Ide, by the great Forty Niner out of Naskra’s daughter, Maytide, was a good racehorse at two years old and one of the best in the county at three years old. He was on the Kentucky Derby trail with wins in the 1996 Southwest Stakes (G3) and Rebel Stakes (G3) when an injury derailed his career.

He healed and went to stud at Longfield Farm in Kentucky from 1997 through 2002, then moved to Clear Creek Farm in Louisiana where he was a leading Louisiana sire for the rest of his breeding career. He earned top state honors by number of winners and North American earnings in 2003 and was the A.L. “Red” Erwin Louisiana Sire of the year in 2009 and 2013, his main rival for state honors being Afternoon Deelites, who also stood at Clear Creek Farm and was a retiree at Old Friends.

Ide was stepped down from stud duty due to declining fertility at age twenty-three. He retired to Old Friends in thanks to the Ide Group, Allen Peltier, Bryan Harang, and Harvey “Drew” Peltier.

Photo by Laura Battles

I remember the evening in late August 2016 when I was strolling up Old Friends’ front drive and Michael came by in his car. He told me to go into the barn because I’d see the most beautiful horse ever to come to Old Friends. I walked into that barn and there was one of the most gorgeous sights ever. Ide was a flashy, remarkably muscular, solid-boned stallion with a handsome head and the clearest eyes I’ve ever seen in a horse.

As Ide settled in, we all began to learn that, as beautiful as he was on the outside, who he was on the inside was even more beautiful. Ide was friendly. He was confident. He was kind. He was gentle when hand fed and patient while having his fly mask straightened or his mane untangled. He got along with the horses in the neighboring paddocks and was respected by them. He was adored by his visitors. Everything about him inspired admiration and love.

Ide and George
photo by Paul Nett

He was also just about the most optimistic horse I have ever known. Most Old Friends retirees are optimists about carrots. Any human who approaches on foot or in a golf cart surely must have carrots, they hope. They’re often right. Ide is the only horse I know of who would fix those bright hazel eyes of his on any human within sight, even several paddocks away, with a confidently hopeful expression. He was so good at it that sometimes people left off whatever they were doing to oblige him. He deserved every carrot of it.

When Alphabet Soup died in January 2022, his donkey companion, Gorgeous George, grieved for him. With characteristic easy-going grace, Ide welcomed George into his paddock and befriended him. Laura’s camera caught some of their play sessions, which are included in the “Remembering Ide” video slide show below. George remained Ide’s paddock mate for the rest of Ide’s life. (Antonio is finding George a new companion and will pay special attention to making sure they get along well.)

Ide with a friend
photo by Wendy Culberson

Not least, Ide had many loving friends among the tour guides. Old Friends’ horses and tour guides have a unique relationship, partly a working partnership—tours are entertainment, of course, and it’s really fun to watch some particular horse & guide teams do their number together—and partly the affection of friends who hang out together when they’re not doing a tour. All of us, staff, guides, other volunteers, fans and visitors, will miss Ide always. The thought of him will always bring loving smiles.

Beth