New arrival!

So, maybe it's time for some more horse content on this blog, which I originally started to discuss my horse search.  :-)

I knew when it didn't work out with Trigger that I'd take a break from horses for a while.  Then when I lost my job, I knew I'd need to take a break from horses for a while after THAT, especially when my next job was a bit of a pay cut.  So it's been in the back of my mind, but I knew I needed to get my finances in order first.

Well, it's started to come a little more forward in my mind because I got a little bit of a raise at work, plus once I refinance my house (losing both the PMI and rolling my student loans into it, which will reduce my monthly payments even with the higher-than-current loan balance), I know I'll be able to afford to keep a horse.

A few days ago, I went to a "girls night" with a bunch of horse folks, and my friend Shar asked if I've been riding much lately.  Unfortunately, not very recently, no.  So she started telling everyone at dinner that I needed a horse, and to get in touch with her if they know of any stocky trail horses available for sale or lease.

One person said she might know of one, and I messaged with her on Facebook a bit about the horse that night.  But the next day, Shar texted me that she'd found me a horse!  She'd messaged a few people about wanting to find me a horse, and a friend of hers has a horse that is currently just sitting around that she'd been thinking of selling or leasing.  It's actually her husband's horse, but her husband isn't riding lately, so she'd been exercising her every week, and now that she (the owner) is injured, can't even do that.  So she'd be willing to lease and/or sell her to me.  Win/win/win!  I get a horse to ride and a decently long trial period to decide if I'd like to buy her, the horse gets exercise, and the owner gets her off her hands for a bit, to a place she knows with someone she knows (even if I'm a friend-of-a-friend, the horse will be living at Shar's place).

So last Sunday, she brought Elk out to meet me, and me her.  (Their family has a history of less-than-traditional horse names, especially for mares--they had a mare named Frank.)  She's a mustang (can't see her brand because her mane hangs over it, but it's there), and she's BIG.  Not super-tall, probably 15.3, but BIG bones.  Which is good--she can carry me around.

Isn't she pretty?  She was on a dry lot at her prior place, so even though this is not high-quality grazing, she was still in heaven.  Plus, she's a mustang, so it's actually quite the smorgasbord for her, even if other horses would turn their noses up at it.

Nice butt!

So, I met Elk, petted her, groomed her a bit, and tacked her up.  Then her owner showed me how she likes to round pen her before riding.  We lunged her both directions for a bit, then tied random stuff to a rope and she dragged it around the round pen, not bothered by it at all, even when the rope went between her legs.  Good girl, and good practice for random brush getting dragged around on the trail (catches in their tail, catches in the cinch when walking over it, etc.).  Then it was time for a rider, but I wasn't quite up to being the first one, especially since she hadn't been ridden in a couple of months.  Her owner couldn't ride due to her injury, so Shar volunteered.  She was a perfect angel.  So soon enough, it was my turn, and Shar became photographer.

Could I BE any more happy?  :-)  Yeah, we only walked around in circles in the round pen, and trotted for only a few strides, but so far, I'm a happy camper.  We'll work our way up to a trail ride, which is where Elk will really shine (I hope!), and within a month, I'll make a decision about whether I'll be keeping her or not.  I'll keep you all posted.  But already it's working out better than it did with Trigger.  :-)

Trigger is HOME!

So...My wonderful friend, K, decided a week or two ago to combine a trip to visit her parents in the Portland area with helping me pick up my horse (the seller was headed to the coast, and would be passing through Longview, and was willing to bring the trailer and horse that far for me). 

Friday, I got Nathan out of school a little early and met K at her house around 2:30 or so, and she, her brother, her four kids, my one kid, and I all loaded into her big SUV, towing an empty trailer, and headed off.  We arrived at her parents house by 6:00 p.m. and were immediately treated to vegetarian enchiladas...mmm!  (I didn't even have to request special food--K and most of her kids are all vegetarian or close to it.)

We hung out in the living room chatting, and I felt right at home with her family, and even a friend of theirs who stopped by.  Soon it was time for bed.  I didn't sleep well, but it was no fault of the accommodations--I was just excited for HORSE DAY the next day!

I woke up bright and early and tried not to wake the rest of the house, but soon enough, I heard others stirring and headed downstairs.  We hit the road about 8:00 and headed north on I-5 to Longview.  About an hour of driving and we arrived at the designated rest area.  We pulled into one of the first couple spots, as it was near grass, and didn't seem too scary.  We waited a bit, then I decided to head to the restroom, but before I got there, I realized the seller was already there with her trailer, and Trigger inside!  K pulled her truck up next to the seller, we signed the paperwork, I gave her some cash, she gave me some of his familiar hay and feed, and we attempted to transfer the horse.  A rest area was probably not the BEST choice, as there is a constant stream of big rigs rumbling by.  He got off the seller's trailer rather gracefully, but was hyper-aware and kind of freaked out at his surroundings--standing on asphalt, strange noises and smells, and big trucks rolling by.  There were even a couple of horse trailers that ambled through, so I'm sure he could smell the horses, too.  He was curious enough about K's trailer, but didn't want to get close at first.

Eventually, he was brave enough to put his front feet into the trailer, but immediately threw his head up and hopped out of the trailer backwards.  He did that a TON of times, very nearly bonking his head every single time.  It freaked me out!  We ended up getting a long whip and tap-tap-tap-tap-tapping his rear end and backs of his legs with it.  Just trying to make being outside the trailer annoying, and every step forward was rewarded with the tapping ceasing for at least a few moments.

Eventually he got in, got tied up, and we shut the door behind him, and we were off.

I thought of taking pictures, but we were too busy loading the horse to worry about photo ops.  It was scary with him on the slippery asphalt, and knowing if we let go of the lead rope, he could be out on the highway, or even smashed by a semi right there in the rest area, in no time.  Anyway, so no photos from then and there.

We got him back to K's parents, unloaded him, and he was clearly suspicious of his surroundings, but soon decided the long lush grass was worth all the traveling and loading and unloading he'd done, and he settled right in to their little pasture.  K took some pictures of Trigger and me together.

SweetPea texted me good wishes earlier in the weekend, and said to give him a kiss on the nose, so I did:

We went to Portland for a while, ate lunch at Produce Row Cafe, checked out saddles at the Oregon Outdoor Store, then checked back in with K's mom and all the kids who were roller skating, before heading back "home."  K's mom made some delicious tabouleh and hummus, the perfect light dinner after we gorged ourselves at lunch.  We sat on the back porch, visited, and soaked up the sunshine and ambiance.  They have dogs, cats, and chickens, and my horse was also grazing on the little farm.  Gorgeous!  I groomed trigger a little, fed him a couple treats, but mostly just let him graze.  I did take a couple more photos, though.

At dusk, his belly must have finally been full of all that lovely grass, and his mind turned to other things.  Something about the neighbor's property, possibly the trees that kind of looks like caves, worried him, and he was pacing the fenceline there.  Once it got darker out, he seemed a bit calmer, and we all went to bed.  Luckily, he was still happily munching grass in his pasture when I woke up in the morning (having slept quite a bit better), though he'd worn a path next to the fenceline he'd clearly spent most of the night pacing.  He'd clearly rolled during the night, and now had grass stains all along his spine, on his hips, and even in his forelock.  Oh well.

All the humans and horse gear got packed and loaded, and then it was time to load Trigger.  He still wasn't thrilled about loading into the trailer, even without the distractions of the rest stop.  He blasted out the (closed but not latched) door at one point, when the lead rope was removed and I was trying to move the trailer tie from under his chin to the side of his face.  Oops!  K caught him, and luckily that happened at the house, not the rest stop.  We loaded and unloaded him a few times to show him it really wasn't that scary, and tied him up once he was standing quietly.  And once again, we were off, headed home to Central Oregon.

Trigger trailered just fine, but we noticed when we arrived that he hadn't pooped or peed the entire trip.  (Yay for not having to clean K's trailer out, potential boo for his health if it continued.)  We unloaded him at the barn, I signed the bare minimum of paperwork (I'd already paid the bill), we tossed some hay into Trigger's stall, then I rode with K back to her house to get my car.  Nathan and I went back to the barn, and I prepped his feed for the evening, finished the boarding paperwork, and checked the fit of Trigger's new blanket--what do you guys think?  It doesn't have a butt flap, but otherwise looks very warm and cozy.

He still hadn't pooped, but was eating his hay and drinking his water just fine.  I got him out, took him to the grass to graze for a while, and chatted with another boarder.  He nibbled at the grass, but wasn't very impressed with our desert grass after the lush pasture he'd been grazing in only hours before.  Still no poop.  I took him to the round pen, and lunged him each direction a few times.  Nathan noticed his tail was up a bit, and said maybe he had to poop.  I said no, it's just his breeding that makes him carry his tail that way.  He ended up pooping just a few minutes later, but still carried his tail that way afterward, so I think we were both right.  :-)  I took a photo to text to K.  :-)

I think Trigger is going to be a fastidious horse--he pooped in one corner of his pasture Saturday night, and when I lunged him a few more rounds while waiting for Nathan to bring the poop rake and wheelbarrow, he hopped over his little pile, not wanting to soil his feet, apparently.

I settled him back into his stall.  He seems to be making friends with his neighbor (he's on the end, so has just one neighbor), and I hung up his Jolly Ball.  Here he is, just before we left.

And lastly, here it is, in black and white:

You Shouldn't Have!

I'm leaving one department and joining another at work, which is bittersweet.  Today, the old department took me to a goodbye lunch, and brought a large fluffy-looking present into the restaurant.  There were jokes that it was a comforter to keep me warm through the sleepless nights as I adjust to my new job, or a pillow to be able to fall asleep at my new desk.  I honestly had no clue what it could be other than those two things, but figured they wouldn't joke about it if that's what it actually was, so I was truly baffled.

Well, the time came for me to open my gift, and lo and behold, it WAS a blanket after all.  And I must say, it will keep me very warm and cozy on sleepless nights.

What?  It's not for me?  (Or for Cookie, the lovely kitty who has already adorned it with her fur?

But it's so ergonomic--look, it has this shape to it, and these straps...why, I think it's better than a Snuggie!

Oh, it's a HORSE blanket.  Why didn't you tell me?

Seriously, though, co-workers, Trigger will love it, I'm sure.  :-)  I'll update with photos of the appropriate wear-er when I can.

THANK YOU!

T minus 6 days...

...Until Trigger is mine.  Seven days until he is home.

But preparations are continuing.  Today, I went to the barn again, paid the bill for May, and left most of his food and gear there.  I kept what will go with me on the pick-up trip--halter and rope, a day's worth of food, including some hay from the boarding barn, and some grooming stuff so we can love on him until we head home.  The seller will also bring both hay and feed that he's used to, so he can transition a bit.

So does this make me a "real" horse person yet?  I have hay in the trunk of my Camry.  No saddles or wet saddle blankets, though, so my car doesn't yet smell like a true horse person's car.  :-)

I met another boarder today--her mare is about to pop, so that'll be fun--to have a baby on the property.

This week, I need to get cash to pay the remainder of the purchase price, and I plan to stop by a tack store or two to see if they have any saddles that might fit him, though I might just end up waiting until he's here so I can actually try them on him.

Preparations Continue

Preparations are ongoing, but getting there.

A friend of mine has generously offered to help me pick up the horse, so if all goes according to plan, I'll leave with her Friday night, tag along for her visit with her parents, we'll pick Trigger up on Saturday at a meeting point still to be determined, swap gear, papers, money, and horse, and take him back to her parents' house, where we'll all spend the night.  Then Sunday, we'll bring him back over the pass and get him settled into his new digs.

Speaking of which, I spoke with the barn manager today, and they have a spot free for him.  It's a "stall," which isn't my first choice (either financially or for the horse's well-being), but their stalls are large and also have large runs with both shelter and sunshine in the outdoor portion, so it'll be fine until an outdoor spot opens up on the first of June.  But it's settled that he can live there, and I met someone today who will be a riding buddy, so it's coming together.

I also went to the feed store, bought a halter and lead rope, some feed, and a couple other miscellaneous items.  Still need to locate a saddle (though a couple friends have saddles they're willing to let me try/borrow) and bridle.

As for getting myself into better shape and losing weight, I've made a little progress toward that goal, too.  A friend (same friend who will help me haul Trigger) convinced me to try Bikram yoga (i.e. "hot" yoga).  I survived the experience, and am even a little bit sore (my sides and backs of my legs especially).  I will definitely do it again at least a couple more times during the 10-day trial included with my first visit.

I don't deal well with heat, especially exercising in heat, but told myself it would be like Thailand.  The air inside the yoga studio was at least as hot as the air in Thailand was, but not quite as humid, and honestly, I think I was more miserable (physically) while climbing Wat Arun in the smog in Bangkok than I was in the yoga class.

Wat Arun in Bangkok.  That first set of stairs is VERY steep.  The second set (above the people)?  WAY steeper.

However, the yoga class doesn't come with a view (other than the sweat dripping off yourself and the people around you).

One of the views from one of the balconies of Wat Arun.

I also bought some shoes today--I bought some athletic shoes I plan to try riding in once I have safe stirrups to do so, so that I can hop off and walk/jog alongside the horse on the trails to get a little extra exercise myself.  I also have a second pair on order that I will use as indoor-only shoes for using the Wii or working out at the gym down the street from my work (my company has a deal with them and if we attend specific classes, they're free, or of course we can pay to work out any time).  I also like swimming, and so does my son, so I'll probably try to work in a visit to the pool every once in a while once the weather warms up (and the waterslide opens).

So...things are progressing on the horse front.  Eight days until he's tucked into his new home.

Preparations

So, I've chosen a horse.  But that's all so far.

I still have to pay for him, sign the paperwork, and pick him up.  Paying won't be fun for my bank account, but is relatively easy.  But physically moving him from where he is to where I am is a little more difficult.

I've placed ads on Craigslist where he is, where I am, and halfway in between, where the seller is willing to meet me, PNER's Facebook page, PNER's Yahoo Group, and Endurance.net.  I'm also trying to spread the word among friends.  Ideally, I would be able to find someone who is traveling from there to here with a trailer with at least one empty spot in it, and can pay my share of their gas costs, but not have to pay a hauler to drive around with an empty trailer half of the entire round trip.

However, I have at least found a hauler willing to make a loop from their town to the halfway point to my town back to their place, for a hefty sum.  I'm willing to pay that sum to get my horse, but am still hoping something cheaper comes along.  But regardless, I have a way to get my horse, so that's good.  It wouldn't be until the 12th, though, so I have some time to bide.

While I wait, I need to get a saddle an bridle and so forth, if I want to be able to ride him once he arrives.  He's quite narrow, though, so I'm not quite sure what saddle to get.  A friend recommended an Abetta Endurance saddle, and they seem like they very well-reviewed for the price, so that works for me (unless someone has better suggestions?).  But I'm not sure which style to get--they don't have semi quarter horse bars.  Should I get regular quarter horse bars, or a gaited tree, which is narrower and flared in the shoulder?  Here are some photos the seller took, of Trigger "naked."

Does this camera make my butt look big?

I'm planning to trail ride until he and I are fit enough to work our way up from fun rides to limited distance to real endurance rides.  Biothane (and beta) are the be-all-end-all for endurance tack, and is nearly indestructible, so that's what I'd like to get.  Though a friend recommended breakable leather until he and I know each other better, just in case, so I'll have to keep that in mind.  Anyone recommend a retailer for when I am ready to buy Biothane?

Any other recommendations for a soon-to-be horse owner?  Lay 'em on me.

Trigger

742 miles
$93 of gas
12+ hours of driving
$200 pre-purchase exam
$300 deposit toward purchase

and I think I have finally found a horse.  (Oh, and that's just THIS weekend, not total on all 14 horses.)

Now I have to find him a ride down here--more $$$ and more time on the road.

This is Trigger.  He'll be 6 years old on May 7th, but does NOT act his age--he is the sanest, quietest, smartest horse I've tried.  He's half Arabian, half Saddlebred, but unless I suck up to the sire's owner, won't be registered as a National Show horse, just as a Half-Arab.  He's about 15.2, and very narrow.  I'm hoping he'll fill out a little more as he matures, plus a little more than that with some nice muscling, but time will tell.  If not, I'll call it the endurance "radiator build" someone explained to me at Grizzly last weekend.

I also need to lose a ton of weight.  Don't worry, this won't be a weight loss blog.

Anyone have a trailer and want to take a road trip to Longview on May 12th, or Maple Valley some other time before or after that?

Number 14

I was going to hold off blogging any more about horse number 14 until after I'd met him, so as not to jinx it, or whatever, but hey, I'm not THAT superstitious.  Am I?  And I'm pretty excited about it, and I think my friends are tired of me chattering about it, so...

So yeah, horse #14 is half Arabian, half Saddlebred, technically its own breed (it has its own registry, anyway)--National Show Horse.  Most likely, any horse I buy will never see the inside of a show arena (well, not of a higher caliber than the local "Fat N Fuzzy" show anyway), but what's in a name, anyway, right?

He's six years old, which is quite a bit younger than the age range I'm really looking at, but he seems totally sane.  Like, maybe he's falling asleep while mylar balloons float and glint about him sane.   He wasn't started until he was 4 1/2, and it sounds like he was started slow and easy, which is great for a potential endurance horse--you don't want to strain their legs and joints while they're still growing and solidifying.  It seems like all the quarter horses, in my neck of the woods, anyway, were started at 2 or so.  Many Craigslist ads for three- and four-year-olds brag about how they've been out sorting cattle and leading trail rides and such.

He's on the shorter end of the height range I was considering, but there are benefits to shorter horses when you're trail riding.  Less height to heave yourself up onto when mounting, less height to fall FROM when you have the inevitable parting of the ways, and fewer cobwebs to glue themselves to your face.  (In my ideal world, I would be rich, and would have a horse for nearly every occasion, and one of those occasions would be when I want to feel petite, and I would have a huge GIANT Shire for those occasions.  I LOVE the drafties!  But unfortunately, they're not very practical for endurance.)

The biggest potential "issue," and the reason I really need to go see him in person even though he seems perfect in his videos, is he's pretty narrow.  I have LONG legs, and it's better to have a wider horse to fill out the space between them.  But we'll see how it goes.

He's the one I posted video of earlier, who is up in Washington.  And this weekend, I'm going to go check him out.  The plan is to ride him Saturday, both in the arena and on the trail.  Then I have a vet coming Sunday, but of course if the ride Saturday doesn't go well, I'll call him and cancel.  If all goes well with the ride AND the vet check, I may find myself making plans for horse hauling and figuring out how to work out the financial details when purchasing long-distance.  We'll see.  I'm pretty excited, but I've been excited before...

Everything But The Horse

Having been horse-hunting for nearly a year now, I own quite a bit of gear.  I figured I'd inventory it  here.  Is that pathetic?  Don't answer that!

Since I was riding pretty regularly in local riding membership program, I own a helmet, boots, and three riding bras.  (I am blessed/cursed enough to not only not be unable to ride braless, but I can't even ride in my normal everyday bras, either.  Not at a gait bouncier than a slow gentle walk, anyway.)  I usually rode in jeans, but I also own some regular (non-riding) stretch pants that worked fine when I anticipated a longer ride.  I also own an off-brand leatherman-type tool that I've had since I first started riding with my sister-in-law.

When I had the first horse vetted, I naively assumed I would soon own a horse, and bought a bunch of gear, so now I also own brushes, a curry comb, a hoof pick or two, fly spray, various first aid supplies, leather gloves, a lunge line, a tote for those supplies, a pommel bag, and a cantle bag.

Lately, I've decided that even though I'm horseless, I might as well round out my collection of gear, as long as what I buy doesn't depend on the horse for either size or color (yes, I plan to base the color tack I buy on what color my horse is--sue me).  So I am also now the proud owner of two pairs of Kerrits riding tights (purple and charcoal), a Garmin Dakota 20 GPS unit (as well as rubber guard, screen protector, and detailed add-on maps), a heart rate monitor that connects to the GPS, and I bought some half chaps, but they were too tall, so I think I'll just go without and see how it goes.

Still to buy:  Halter & rope, bridle & etc., saddle & etc., saddle pad, and a sheepskin saddle cover.

Other than that, and rounding out my first aid kid (and on-trail tack repair kit), I really think I'm set.

Oh wait, except for the horse.

Speaking of Crazy?

So, I've been horse-hunting for at least nine months, if not longer.  Seriously, you can make an entire PERSON from two tiny cells in that amount of time--why can't I find a horse?

I've been thinking, though.  Of the THIRTEEN horses I've looked at, there were only a very few that I wouldn't have bought.  The very first one, I didn't buy only because there wasn't really a way to try her on the trail.  The crow-hopping one I might've still bought (they were tiny little half-hearted hops), but it could've been a behavioral issue that would have escalated with a newbie like me, or worse--an issue of physical pain that a heavy rider like me would have only exacerbated.  The one with his head sky-high that I felt like I couldn't control was probably the biggest turn-off.  A couple were older than I should probably be looking at, but were otherwise fine horses.

But most of them?  I would have bought if the owners had been more cooperative OR they had passed their vet check.  I rule out the REALLY unlikely contenders before I even get there, but I guess I'm just not that picky once I meet a horse.  For as many horses as I rode in the local program with monthly membership, I guess I still don't have a very good sense about what I'm looking for, or not looking for, or I've just been lucky to look at semi-decent horses.

Some of my horsie advisers tell me I need to hold out for "the one," and how when I meet him or her, I'll "just know."  I don't know, but I doubt it.  Part of it is that I'm more analytical than emotional, when it comes to things like this, and part of it is between that membership program and my horse search, I've learned really well how to love on a horse but not fall IN love with it, you know?  I can meet a horse, give it scratches and rubs and tell it how awesome it is, and really really like it, but I just don't get butterflies.  Sorry, horse.  I hope I WILL come to love my own horse, but I'm pretty sure those feelings won't develop until the horse is well and truly mine.

Anyway, I'm rambling.  So, thinking about how I like nearly every horse I try, and there's currently a horse I really like on paper...er, electronic media (but I haven't met him in person), I'm wondering if it would be crazy to vet him sight-unseen.  I wouldn't buy him sight-unseen, don't worry--I'm not THAT crazy.  But I'm thinking about at least forking out the money for a vet check based solely on a sales video and conversations with the seller.

Here's his video, you tell me. 

He's a little younger than I originally planned on considering, but seems completely sane.  He was started later than some, which is a good thing, and has experience on trails, which is also a good thing.  The seller says he was meant for her husband, who probably isn't quite as heavy as me, but he IS used to packing a decent amount of weight, at least.  They rode him on a ten-mile ride and he trotted the whole way, and was ready for more.  Again, that's more than I myself can do, but it sounds like he's got a lot in him, for when I am ready to try a real endurance (well, Limited Distance) ride.

The reason I'm considering the sight-unseen proposition at all is that he's a six-hour drive away.  That's a lot of gas money, and a lot of time investment for a horse I will most likely like enough to do a vet check.  So I'm considering either scheduling a vet check for a time when I could go, and trying him out relatively simultaneously, or even scheduling the vet check for a weekday, and then if he passes, going there the following weekend to meet him and try him in person, and possibly buy him on the spot.  Is that crazy?  I don't know what they cost up there, but vet checks here cost $250-300.  That's a pretty big chunk of change to just throw away, but would I really be throwing it away?  I don't really want to have to make TWO trips that far...  Of course, I would also have to fork out money to get him back here if I do buy him, whether that's a round-trip with a friend with a trailer, or buying my share of a one-way trailer ride at someone else's convenience.

Anyway, dear readers, all three of you...WWYD?  Is it just desperation talking, or is this a somewhat sensible plan?

Crazy Lady is Crazy

So, I was trying to decide between two grey geldings--one a grade QH and the other a registered Arabian.  One of my trusted horsie advisors came out and rode the QH, and while the fat and cresty thing is concerning (has he foundered or had other health issues?), she also detected a bit of lameness, so I’m gonna pass on him.  Now I can focus solely on the Arab.  Yay!

The same horsie friend trailered her horse out to where the Arab is (in cold weather, spitting snow) to see me riding him on the trail for the first time.  He did great.  The owner also seemed to be coming around to a more reasonable stance on things—I would buy the horse BEFORE the training she insisted upon, instead of after, which is what she originally made it sound like, and made me nervous that she could change her mind at the end of it.  So all systems were go.

The seller had asked me earlier in the week to set up a vet check appointment for after the trail ride but as soon as possible after so we could seal the deal.  That appointment was already set up for Saturday afternoon, so I confirmed with the vet that we were still on.  The seller also wanted to see the place I’d be boarding, and approve it, so I set up an appointment with the barn manager for Saturday morning.

Friday morning, I received an e-mail from the seller that Saturday no longer works for her, and can I move the vet appointment to Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon?  SHE was the one who wanted it so soon in the first place, but I didn’t complain about doing it Saturday because hey, the sooner the better for me, plus it was on a weekend so I didn’t have to miss work.   But on a weekday, a vet appointment 30 minutes away means missing half a day of work once all is said and done.  But I have plenty of PTO, and I wanted the horse, so I started re-arranging things.  Sunday worked for the barn tour, for both the seller and the barn manager, so that was settled, but it took some doing to find a vet that didn’t charge twice as much as the one I was originally going to use AND could do it on Tuesday or Wednesday.  Whew.  All settled again.

Saturday morning, I decided to drive around to local tack stores to see if I could try out a certain model of saddle a friend recommended, or any saddle at all, really, to start getting an idea of what I liked.  Didn’t really find much, but it was fun to browse the horse stuff.  (I’d already purchased most of the stuff I would need that can be bought without a horse when the FIRST vet check failed, so I’m good on things like brushes and riding gear for ME, but will still need halter, bridle, and saddle, once I have a horse to fit them to.  And I know, halters are relatively standard, but I don’t want to pick a color until I have a horse.  Red on a chestnut?  Black on a black horse?  No.  I don’t care what I wear, but I don’t want my horse to look silly!)

I arrived home to an e-mail from the seller.  She appears to think that my eventual endurance goals mean that I would hop on the horse, gallop him for 50 miles up steep rock inclines, and break him down, even though I clearly told her that I myself am not in shape for even a 10-mile ride at this point, and hope to work my way up to a 25 by the end of the season.  She claims to have sources (but wouldn’t name them or give details) that state that my goal of a 25-mile ride by the end of the season is going to harm the horse.  Odd, because both AERC and anyone I’ve spoken to about it (friend or stranger) seems to think that nearly any horse that’s fit to ride can do a 25.  Win?  No.  But finish.  Is it the best idea to do one tomorrow with a horse that’s been sitting in the pasture?  Again, no.  But that isn’t what I said I wanted to do, anyway.

Whatever.  So.  Back to square one.  What’s the definition of insanity, again?

Decisions, Decisions...

Let's see, we left off with me having visited and test-ridden TEN horses already.  

The next prospect I visited was with a local lady who trains horses.  She’s also somewhat of a horse trader, taking horses in payment from people who can’t afford to pay for their training and re-selling them, finding homes for clients’ horses, etc.  She advertised an appy on Craigslist, and I went to go see her.  She was a little squirrely in the arena, and also felt VERY small under me, but I tried her out a second time on the trails.  She was great on the trails, still very sensitive to leg, but not nearly as squirrely as in the arena.  I really liked her, but still felt she was TINY.  She and a friend of mine both swore she didn’t look disproportionate with me, and didn’t look like she was straining under my weight, but I just felt like my leg didn’t have any contact with her, and that I could probably touch my toes under her belly if I tried hard enough—just no substance to her barrel. 

This same trainer had a couple other horses that were more my size, but she had JUST gotten them in and hadn’t had time to evaluate them yet.  I asked her to keep me posted, and also replied to an ad on Craigslist for a purebred Arab.  The trainer got back to me saying she had a horse I needed to come see, so I made tentative plans to see them both in the same day.  I don’t like to have two horses in the running at the same time, as I’m horrible at making decisions, and more horrible about making either/or decisions than yes/no decisions, but what can you do, right?

It was really windy when I showed up to see the Arab, so the owner and trainer didn’t want me to ride him, but the trainer lunged and rode him for me.  He didn’t seem perturbed by the wind, but I was fine with waiting to ride him another time.  They lunged him in side reins, and rode him in a German martingale, which was a bit off-putting, but claimed it was just because they were training him to round up, and that he didn’t need them.  Seeing the conditions and how calm he was, I wasn’t too concerned. 

From there, I went to go check out the other trainer’s horse, a grade horse, probably QH.  She let me ride him even though it was now spitting snow pellets, windier than before, and also nearing sundown.  He wasn’t THRILLED about being ridden in that weather, but didn’t act out at all.  He'd had some training, apparently, because he kept offering to lower his head and such.  I'm not sure how well he was actually CARRYING himself under all that blubber--he was very overweight and out of shape.

A few days later, I rode the grade QH on the trails.  He was pretty amped up and ready to go, prancing a little at the outset, and VERY forward and aware.  He never actually spooked or felt out of control, but definitely needed to be actively ridden and not just sat on.  This is a good sign to me, since I’m looking for a horse that can ride 50+ miles in a day once we are BOTH in good shape.

The next day (and sore from the prior day’s ride), I went and rode the Arab on a calm sunny morning.  He was calm as can be, to the point of being lazy.  Which can also be a red flag—maybe the trainer worked him to death the day before.

Now I had some tough decisions to make.  I still hadn’t tried the Arab on the trails, but would need to decide between them soon (the fat QH's seller was pressuring me because she had other parties interested) and schedule a vet check on the one I’m most interested in.

Here were my ramblings in my head as I tried to decide:

They are priced the same.  One is a registered Arab (the best breed for endurance, but any breed can compete at the levels I’ll be at for the next couple of years, and can theoretically even be competitive in the toughest races—obviously it depends on the individual horse, but more Arab individuals are suitable than individuals of other breeds), the other is unregistered, and therefore of undeterminable breed or age.  The Arab is 8, the unregistered one is presumed to be around 12, both suitable ages, but of course younger is better to a certain point, as it has more years left for competing after a couple of years of building up conditioning.  The Arab is ready to go for the rides I myself am in shape for, but the grade QH would need to ramp up a little slower than that.  But it’s appealing to have a “diamond in the rough” situation, and take photos of him all chubby and then later all sleek and fit.  The Arab is better trained, better trained than I am for sure, but then how much training do you need for what will be essentially a trail horse?  The Arab’s owner wants to know how he’ll be kept, and have right of first refusal (at the same purchase price), and otherwise seems to “baby” him.  The grade QH would be sold without any strings attached, and I COULD potentially profit on the sale someday, or could lose a bunch because he’s not registered and we don’t know breed, age, or history.  However, the Arab would probably work out for me longer-term, and not need to be sold, while the grade QH might top out at 25-mile rides while I want to move on to 50s, and I would need to sell and upgrade.

Decisions, decisions…