Ballast was retired at the age of ten years old and now lives on the Eastern shore with Trish Hechter and is wonderfully happy going on trail rides in the woods and by the water. Now he’s progressed to small hunter shows and doing very well.
Ballast At the Eastern Show in June 2013
Ballast 2001
Career Racing Summary:
Starts Firsts Seconds Thirds Earnings
56 12 12 5 $ 575,380
One of his favorite things to do is to ‘give lesson’s’!
4 year old Sarah walking under Ballast. He doesn’t care!
Update – June 17th, 2018
Would you have ever thought Ballast would be this Mello?
The child is Lucy O’Shaughnessy. She will be 2 in September. This morning is the first time she sat on horses without screaming:).
When I got on Ballast, she wanted “up up”on him.
October 8th, 2018
Please read below the wonderful article Trish has about Ballast on her website – Hechterequinebodyworks.com
August 2021
New friends
Adorable boy….Looking great at 24! 
April 2026
After many, many happy years with Trish, Ballast decided he wanted to leave and be with his friends. He had lost his best buddy 3 years ago and over the winter lost a couple of others. I guess when you get older it’s harder to want to carry on. He didn’t have the best of winters and didn’t bounce back this spring, along with physical issues appearing. Trish knew he was missing his friends too and made the selfless decision to let him be with them again.
Out of all the retirees I have found homes for, Ballast is the one I’ve visited every single year as I became good friends with Trish. My visit this year will not be the same….although Poppy will still be there (hopefully in a good mood)!
The day before and the day of…..special man.