Pinch Me

Noah is amazing.  He is everything that I would have wanted in my next mount.  In my forever mount.  He is sassy when he wants to be, never disrespectful though.  Energentic but doesn't rush me.  He's patient, loving, affectionate and sweet.  He has been a challenge to fit though!  I have gone through 4 different saddles before finding a perfect (and I mean truly perfect) fit.  But it took most of the summer to find it.  Sadly.  There were a couple times I tried to ride him in ill-fitting saddles..but he's sensitive and expressed discomfort through the whole ride.  I felt I HAD to stop riding him.  Our relationship was so new, I did not want it tarnished with him associating me with a painful saddle fit...and so, for almost 5 weeks..we did not ride..in the heart of a gorgeous Kootenay summer.  Now, that was tough. lol!

And then there was NOAH!

Taken just a few days ago

One Day old!

He comes to me next Saturday.  He is part bred Arabian, and Appendix (Thoroughbred X Quarter Horse).  He is just 5 years old!  He is a regular old Sorrel with a brilliant little star on his forehead as the only white on his body.  He is 15HH.  He's been started nicely and in no hurry.  Has a great Whoa..but likes to go.  Responsive and energetic.  He's (I pray!) my forever guy.  Will let you know how it goes!!!!

Onto the Next Phase

So with Buddy and Pro still Fresh on my mind...My sister bound and determined to find me a better ride....  We tore apart local classifieds, Kijiji, forums you name it.  Lookin for a horse to restore my confidence and re-energize my belief that a life with horses was something I did deserve and was capable of.  That even though we did not grow up around horses we were entitled to be apart of their clubs, niches and even the industry.  We had about a dozen horses we liked..not one we could really put a finger on.  My sister, Robyn bent over backwards to help me.  She went out to look at horses, talked to owners and offered to pick my horse up, board it through the winter and then bring out to me in the spring (Remember she's in Calgary..I am in Yahk!) She went out to see a 7 year old, 15.2 HH overweight, putzy little pally paint mare named Candy.  She was stubborn, just coming off her last foal from the summer..and still abit green.  The current owner had been working with her for a few weeks and she was coming around.  She had great ground manners, super easy going, loveable, could groom her all day.  Didn't ever want to run, was accepting and consistent in her actions.  She was a perfect "get back on the horse" horse.



Riding on the Mountain Range

I renamed her China because she was bald faced and had black eyeliner.  She reminded me of a China doll.  She was complacent, kind, forgiving and very solid.  She was perfect for what I needed to get back into the saddle and bump up my self esteem.  We spent 3 years together.  She enjoyed spending time with me..she was always first to the gate.  We did lots of mountain riding, some arena work.  Took her up to the Yahk Cattle Range and did a Posse Run.  Climbing a mountainside in a team, looking for "bad guys"..we took 2nd place! 



Portrait by my sister Dee


There came a time....I just started getting abit tired of her laziness.  She just wanted to putz around.  She never wanted to "GO"..Her responses were always sluggish..she preferred walking to get anywhere.  I loved her dearly..but our relationship was not optimal.  She deserved a better life, more suited to what she wanted..and I deserved an upgrade!  We were not growing together anymore.  So I put her up for sale and she found a fantastic new home in Nelson with a lady who needs exactly what China has to offer.  They were made for each other

Find the right one.

My sister and I, although growing up in Cowtown..did not grow up with horses.  Our wild fascination started in our teenage years.  My grandparents owed a small hobby farm in Strathmore AB..just outside of Calgary..but never a horse.  Our neighbour has one..Jessie.  Crazy old guy who you just hopped on and hoped he didn't go to far.  When I was 19, and coming into abit of money, I scoured the local Bargin finder and found an ad for a 9 year old Registered Arabian Mare..She was a bay, 14.2HH..well broke..Her name was Burtha.  When I got her..I named her Belle.  She was lovely.  Well trained, taught me and my sister everything we needed to know.  My boyfriend and I would take her to the gymkhana's and register her twice..me at the top of the list and him at the bottom..Belle would be easy going for me and burn like hell for him.  She usually placed in the top three for all events.  And she did them twice, while all other horses did them once..that's the arab stamina.  When we decided to move, I sold her.  A decision I regret.

After years of living in Abbotsford ~  A place that I financially could not fanthom the idea of owning a horse.  (the occasional lease opportunity came and went) I found myself living in a teeny, tiny, hamlet of a place called Yahk BC.  I thought this would be it!  My place to own a horse.  My sister, who is a trainer, Equine therapist and took courses through NAIT in horsemanship helped me find a APHA Gelding locally.  His name was Buddy.  He was a night mare.  Bucked from the second ride on him..and one of the worst I have ever had...ever.  I sold him (took 3 months!) to a knowledgeable gal in Falkland..who kept in touch with me about Buddy's progress and he never got out of his attitude.  Despite everyone trying everything. 

Buddy was a stunner

2 months later and a loss of alot of $$..I found Tara at Hayburner Haven, who kindly allowed me to take on my dream horse.  QA Provocativ was a Bask Bred Arabian gelding.  He was a dark bay..15.2HH..Could jump and was a gorgeous mover!  But super underweight.  He dealt with stress badly, was severly herd bound, almost unmanagemable and his teeth were ah! Terrible.  Oh, and he was 18 years old.  But he was free!  I got him on a Wednesday...found out I was pregnant on Saturday.  That ended that.  I never, ever got to ride him.  And he got so upset when separated, he scared me..bad combo!  But I fattened him up, fixed his teeth, then shipped him off to my sister in Alberta..who found him a great home with a teenage girl in training for jumping.  A fantastic relationship.



Pro doing his thing

To be continued.

Saying Something Intelligent

I have had the blog up now for months.  With no posts.  No words of wisdom. Nothing whimsical, illuminating or life altering.  I have been afraid to post my first post.  What can I say?  What is clever and satirical?  I have decided that I am just going to let the words roll out of my mind and through my fingers...to find the keys on the keyboard..and let it come out.  however I want.  This is for me.  A journal of my life, that I can peruse at my disposal.  If I have a few others read it..that would be great.  But this is just an expression of me and my life.  Here in the Kootenays of BC..with my family, friends and horses.