Recently my family and I went on our first real family vacation in about 8 years. My in-laws live on a boat in British/U.S. Virgin Islands area so that’s where we went.

It was a great, once-in-a-lifetime vacation. But, interestingly, it seems no matter where you go, horses are there.

We flew into St. Thomas and stayed there. On the way to our hotel, we drove by a track. My in-laws mentioned that occasionally they’ve seen guys out swimming the horses in Muller Bay, just across from Red Hook. My wife and I had to see this.

Strolling along the beach, our timing was good out and saw it.

Here’s a photo sequence of what happened. A few things of note: This horse is a three-year-old named My Time To Rock that won the first two races he ran before bowing a tendon. they’ve done extensive rehab on him, and a big part of that includes swimming him. He was a typical race horse when he came off the trailer?very hot. His handler put the stud chain under his lip and the swimmer led him up to the ocean?s edge, he walked right in and as the water deepened, the swimmer grabbed a handful of mane and the horse went to work. I’d guess they swam ? of a mile. When the horse came out of the water, he acted more like the Quarter Horses I’m used to, relaxed and quiet. It must have been a real workout. The groom said that in addition to the workout, the saltwater opens the horses? lungs and helps them breath.

Anyway, it was a fun thing to witness, here are the pix.