At the Ponderosa pretending this was my horse
photo from horsemanmagazine.com My grandpa raised Shetland ponies like the one above. I'm not sure what age I was when I first got on a pony, but it was love at first ride. Ever since then, it's been a dream and a passion of mine to own a horse.
My maternal grandparents had horses as well and I always cherished those visits when I got to be around the horses. Can anything compare to the magic and majesty of a horse running proud?
As I grew up I had a neighbor that had horses and I loved to hang out at their barn. At one point I worked at an Arabian barn cleaning stalls in exchange for riding lessons.
Over the years I occasionally went on trail rides and a few times I took lessons. I kept the dream alive but didn't know how or when I would get my own horse.
In 2009 I celebrated after thyroid surgery by going up to the stables at Sundance and doing a lovely trail ride.
After turning 40 in 2010, I decided to take control of my dream by doing what I could--and that meant dressage lessons. I called around to a few places and even thought I might be able to lease a horse. I quickly realized that I didn't have the skills to lease a horse and found the perfect trainer to start with. This is me and Scotty, a beautiful Morgan horse that I rode at my lessons.
This picture was taken (after working night shift with bags under my eyes) at my last lesson--10 days before I bought Koda. I had NO idea! I loved the lessons and spending time with the horses...but I wanted to have a relationship with a horse that was my own.
After a few months I was talking with a co-worker that mentioned a friend of hers had rescued a horse the previous year. She said he was healthy now and ready to go to a new home. My heart started beating faster. She pulled up some pictures on facebook and told me a little about him. I was intrigued but cautious. I'd never wanted a paint horse before (I was in love with palamino's growing up) but I was open to the possibilities. My friend told me that "green + green = black and blue" and I'm sure that's true. As a "green" horse owner I had to be careful to get a horse that would be broke and gentle enough for me. I didn't want to end up bruised and hurt with a horse that was too much for me.
My friend decided to go ride this horse on a trail ride and was very impressed with him. Gentle, broke, good walk-out and ok to lead or follow. I was excited! Could I financially afford a horse? How much would it cost me per month? What extra expenses would I incur? She offered to go with me the following Sunday to ride in the arena.
That Sunday came and I was optimistic. But I had ridden three other horses and they definitely weren't for me, so I was cautious. When we first arrived we saw him in the field. Was that the horse for me I wondered?
My friend drove up and we talked a bit. I asked the questions I knew and they filled in the blanks. We put a halter on him and he let us pet him and scratch his head. He was sweet! He had a blue eye on his brown side and a brown eye on the white side of his face. We brushed him, saddled him and took him over to the arena.
Lindsy rode him first and showed me what he could do. I got on next, prepared not to like him or the ride but I was pleasantly surprised. He was gentle and felt like just enough horse for me (unlike the last three I tried out). We walked and turned and trotted away. I wasn't experienced enough to lope though.
My husband and son also got on for a ride and then I got back on and we went out on a little trail ride by the stables. I was falling in love...
We gave him a bath, loaded him in the trailer and that was it. I wanted him and decided to make my dream come true. I didn't know how I would make it all work, but I knew with the help and support of my family and friends it would be ok.
I agreed to buy him and two days later I picked him up and took him to his new home....
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