No matter, no one has an interest in riding other than myself, so one riding horse is all we need. Even then I am not able to get out much.
But then I popped onto our local online farm and garden sales Thursday afternoon, and right there infront of me was a new posting just listed for a little mare, all of 14 hands, nearly being given away. Not uncommon really...horses are practically being given away due to the failing horse market these days, I nearly gave away Snickers last week myself. A good home was far more important than the money anyway, and I screened my callers well. Some buyers out there you have to be careful, not so good intentions.
What caught my eye about this little mare was her young age, only little more than 2 years old, but she had a soft, gentle eye. The kind of soft eye you usually see on an older, "been there, done that" mare, or a well aged and wise ol' dobbin who could tell you stories of the miles he'd seen.
This little mare was special, and was going to go quick at her price. I balked...telling myself I didn't need her...we're all set with what we've got. But I didn't have time to balk for long...she was being sold the more I sat on my hands. I sent an e-mail to the sellers, then realized they had a number listed.
Ugghh...I thought to myself..I do NOT need to call, I do NOT need to be doing what I think I am going to do. Even if they e-mail me back..I'll just ignore it and let them sell to the next person. Yes, let them sell her to someone else. They've got someone already anyway, I'm sure. I'm sitting here long enough...this will pass. Let her go. Let her go.
I grabbed the phone...and dialed.
Ah!! Voicemail!! Perfect! I left a message anyway, then hung up. I am only one of a thousand calls probably, this horse wasn't meant to be mine. Sweet relief, they'll never call me back. She is being sold right now to someone else.
I tip tapped on the computer a bit, still with this little mare in the back of my mind, but already "letting" her go, because she wasn't mine anyway. Never would be. She was being loaded up in a trailer probably right now, of to her new home.
Thirty minutes had past, she was gone. Still, I was startled when the phone rang next to me. Probably a grooming client. I looked at the caller ID. No way.
"Hello?"
"Hey there, this is Chuck, I'm returning your call on the little mare".
My stomach lurched, but I figured it was a courtesy call to let me know she was well on her way to her new home, and to thank me for calling anyway.
"She's a great little mare, " he continued. What? I was thinking...what? She's still there??
I listened and responded, and found myself asking questions about her. This man was friendly and knowledgeable, not a horse dealer in the slightest. He could tell me everything about her, and for good reason, as he had rescued this girl from a sale barn when she was 4 months old and raised her since then. This wasn't JUST a horse for sale, she was his "baby", even though he wouldn't admit it out of his own words.
The only reason she was for sale, she wasn't going to be the size he had hoped, for what he was planning to ride her for; extreme horse riding. This is Extreme Sporthorse Competitions that is very demanding and...well...extreme. She just wasn't going to finish out to the size he wanted, and was reluctantly selling her. His nine year old daughter had another horse she was riding, and with heavy heart they posted her for sale.
I had beaten the odds, I knew at the price they had listed her for...I was backlogging their phone line with other people trying to get in! But here he was, returning MY call!
I drove out to see her Friday night, and it was love at first sight...no question! I was eager but didn't want to appear so, as anyone experienced in horse dealin' knows it is to be done with no signs of anxiousness, as there would be little room for dickering. Still, there WAS no time or room to dicker around, I wasn't about to ask for even a DOLLAR off this horse, she was worth triple or even quadruple the asking price as it stood, even with a failing horse market. Inside I was jumping for joy, Chuck and Suann, Harley's owners (yes, her name is Harley!) were most honest and upfront, there were no secrets, they told me evrything about this darling little girl.
Their nine year old daughter jumped up on Harley and walked her through a pole pattern, and she did wonderfully. For as young as this horse was, she was doing things and acting like a seasoned broke trail horse.
There was no doubt that this little mare was fate, and my heart was doing somersaults as I handed them the few measly bills they wanted out of her and she was loaded into my trailer. There were tears from Suann and dear young Hannah, yet Chuck stood strong, he had an Extreme Horse rider image to uphold. But... I think if truth be told, a tear would have fallen as well...if no one had been looking.(shhhh Chuck...your secret is safe with me...oh yes..and to the few who read this blog).
I drove the hour ride home with the little mare in tow, and once home I put her in the corral to settle into her surroundings. I couldn't believe I had went and done it! But it was the best "impulse" I have had ina long while! This little mare is a jewel, a genuinely sweet soul, and here she shall stay.
Shunami has lots of wisdom to share with her, and can raise her up well and teach her the ways. And in return, this little mare can raise up some children as time goes by, teach them about horsemanship and riding, perhaps even pull a wagon for us someday.
As for Luna, she has not been replaced, only "retired" for a bit as her wound repairs quietly. Perhaps our new addition will help Luna heal faster for fear of BEING replaced..lol!
Here is our new addition with her soft eye and pure heart! A little thing yet at two years old, but has plenty of time to grow! She is truly a diamond in the rough, but a huge thanks to Chuck and Suann and Hannah who saw SO much more in her at the sale barn that day, and then raised her right and waited for me to come and get her, fate indeed!
