Carolyn Butler

bay, mare, by Adios Butler - Chocolate Float by Tar Boy

Carolyn Butler was purchased at the Pine Tree Sales auction in Cumberland Maine for $1600 in November of 1982. We bought her for four reasons. (1) She was by world champion Adios Butler, (2) Her papers showed that she was an early speed horse that could fly out of the gate. (3) Our farm name happened to be Butler Hill Farm. (4) We thought we would eventually like to use her as a broodmare.

Carolin was the most quiet and gentle horse we have ever known. She never, ever, gave anyone a bit of trouble. But, as soon as you would hook her up to a jog cart or a sulky, she would turn into a fireball! If you wanted the front end in a race, she could get it. We bought just about every bit they had in the tack shop trying to find one that would control her in harness. 

Carolyn´s racing career ended prematurely. She sprained her ankle going around the first turn at Rochester Fair in New Hampshire and had to be retired.

Carolyn´s breeding career consisted of: failures to come in heat, failures to conceive, an abortion, a foal born dead, and finally one live healthy foal. That foal, a filly we named WINDROSE BUTLER appeared to be a carbon copy of Carolyn. She had the same cool quiet personality that her mother had. I remember the first time we trimmed her feet which is usually a struggle and she just stood there and let us do it like we were just grooming her. Unfortunately, Windrose turned out to have some strange internal leg injury and never raced.

Carolyn retired for the second time and is now living on our farm and will be here for the rest of her life. 

UPDATE: In 2001 Carolyn Butler developed a cancer in her rear end. In June of 2002 her condition became worse and it was determined that she could not be saved. We have had Carolyn around for 20 years and it was really hard to say goodby.