Steve Costa, The Invisible Man

May 21, 2007

Old Growth Oak Morgans thanks Steve Costa for all his ‘behind the scenes’ support.

Many who have come to visit me have heard me talk about Steve Costa and how it would not be possible for me to have the size of breeding program I do without him.  But for those who don’t know, let me explain…

The Invisible Man, by Wendy LeGate

Steve Costa is a man who knows how to do EVERYTHING.

When OGO Morgan Horses was just a dream, I talked to Steve about how I could never really have a breeding program, because I didn’t have any way to contain and house horses in such a way that would be safe and comfortable.  

Steve replied, “Buy the panels and I will construct you safe and comfortable pens for the horses.”

So I bought the panels and he put them up. Then I needed shade and shelter and he built those. I needed a place to store hay and he built that too. I bought water troughs and Steve proceeded to design and execute an underground watering system around the entire perimeter of the property not only for automatic watering, but also providing water for the professional sprinklers to water the pastures he planted.

I worried about getting a consistent supply of hay and the cost of keeping so many horses supplied in hay. Steve secured land and planted, cut, raked, baled and stacked the hay, so I could have a supply of hay that would last the entire year each year.

There is also all the constant up-keep and repair, which Steve has made a priority to keep in wonderful condition.  Rather it be repairing a fence, watering trough, or disking a rough field so that the horses have a softer footing, Steve did it.  Not to mention, manicuring the pastures, helping me during breeding season and the occasional trailering of horses all over gods green earth.

Then we move on to my purchase of a trailer.  Steve proceeded to tear it down to the bare bones looking for any and all safety issues.  For those that don’t know Mr. Costa, he is nothing less than a perfectionist.  So, not only did he insist on a new floor (that he put in himself), but he stripped and sanded the entire trailer.  He then had it painted by his friend Damien O’Keefe.  He put new brakes and electrical, a new window, weather stripping and added diamond plating.  Then he put on new wheels for the added new, over-all look.

When I mentioned it was too bad there wasn’t a place to put saddles in the tack room of the trailer, he made and welded on a saddle rack – and as an after thought, he put in some interior lights.{mospagebreak}

When I have had emergencies and have needed to transport horses to the hospital Steve has provided his support.  One time he even had a new born colt in the front seat of the cab of his fastidiously kept truck, which by the way, had just recently been detailed.  However, he didn’t even blink as we climbed in with hay, dirt and more.

  One of my favorite stories that really shows Steve is a man of action is when one of my Stallions, Canyon of Quietude, foundered.  The vet told me Canyon had less than zero percent chance of surviving, but if I wanted to proceed in trying to save him, I needed to make an enclosed area that was soft for him to stand and lay on.  This happened to be on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. Steve somehow got a semi truck and trailer of sand, made a pen and boarded it up to provide a weather block.  He dug it out and graded it so all moisture would drain out, then filled it up with sand.  He then proceeded to pick up and haul to the back the 100 bags of cedar rest to put on top of it.  He helped me do all of that in only one day!   Without that special footing provided for Canyon, I do not believe he would have made it though the acute founder.

Steve Costa has fed the horses for me, when I have been sick or have gone somewhere on vacation.  He has also helped me medicate horses, when I have not been able to do so by myself.  And although Steve is not a horse person himself, he did have his favorite in my herd. WoodRose Katrina was that favorite.  Katrina would nicker whenever Steve was near – begging for him to scratch her itchy place under her belly and her neck. Katrina would do anything to keep Steve from leaving…she would back up or walk forward just to block him from going out the gate.  It was hilarious to watch.

Katrina had very bad knees from serious old injuries.  Picking up her feet to be trimmed was painful for her. Katrina would allow Steve to literally hold her up whenever her front feet had to be done. Steve would lift up her head and hold her up, while her front feet were being done. It took a lot of trust on Katrina’s part to allow Steve to do this and A LOT of strength on Steve’s part, as well.

A number of years ago, I asked Steve to pose for a few pictures so that I could write a little article of thanks to him and place it on my website.  His response was less than enthusiastic…Steve refused to have his picture taken and wasn’t interested in an article being written. In retrospect I should have just written the article and snapped a few sly shots, while he was working (he would have been none the wiser for it).  Not being interested in computers at all, he wouldn’t have known that the article and pictures were even there.  My gratitude, however, would have been boasted long ago.

Thank you, Steve Costa, for your tremendous amount of help in too many things to list.