A Wild Card

On the agenda for Saturday is an 11 yo (a hair older than I would prefer) 14.1-14.3 (depending on who you talk to) bay Arabian mare.  For an Arabian, 11 is about the age of "good sense" if they've had exposure to things.   She is registered papers in order.   I had called about a little Quarab she had, and alas...it sold YESTERDAY and he would have been a good find, right age, trail savvy.  She informed me she had this mare.



However....she has not been ridden in the past year and a half, and was previously ridden by a prior owner, but current owner (a woman my age who has battled cancer the past few years) can't remember, but thinks the mare was used for trail, but she is no longer sure.  The owner is in Texas on vacation.   She put me in touch with a friend of her's that can show me the mare on Saturday.  If I like her, I have the option of scribbling my name & address down on a piece of paper (so she knows who has her and where) and I can take her home, put her in the round pen, and see what I've got.  I'm not obligated to take her.  I know I have thought NO PROJECT HORSE, but alas...I am intrigued.  It maybe be a case of Cosmic intervention on my behalf that I've stumbled blindly upon her.  Then again, maybe not! I've managed to say no and drive away twice in a row already, so I will approach this one pretty face and registration papers no different.  I'm going to take a longe line and rope halter, and see how much stink she has in her that way.  If that goes well I'm going to tie her up and saddle her, and longe some more.  If all of that is highly and I mean extremely lacking in acrobatics, farting, squealing, rearing, and kicking, and she shows some measure of good sense and forward purpose, then I'll consider hauling her home.  The price is highly negotiable (have no idea what that actually means).  The owner is liquidating her horses, and planning a move south that will not include her equine friends.  She is hoping to get them into good hands and keep them out of the killer market.  I'll only consider her if she is really calm and sensible.

IF

You notice if is a big thing. 


There is also a gaited mare that is downright sensible that I could look at, and I might.  I'm just not sure about taking a shod KMH horse and transitioning it to bare/booted.   That could take a while...it could never transpire at all.  Sad isn't it that a potentially wild barefooted arab is less daunting to me than a shod horse.  Maybe I have indeed fallen off onto my head one to many times, and permanently altered my good sense?


  I was kindly offered the use of another awesomely nice horse belonging to a sweet little lady who frequents this blog.  To all of you nice folks who have offered me a ride...it isn't about participating in the ride for me.  It is about making a horse, and knowing that "I" did the thing.  It is the uphill climb, the miles, the bonding, and seeing me and my horse inch ever closer to the goal that matters so very much to me.  It is something that I have to do myself, for myself.   But I am sure blessed that I have had three offers to use or even be entrusted with some really nice horses.  Thank you, each and every one of you.
♥{hugs}♥
~E.G.