So instead, let's visit Imaginary Land. There, I have endless time and I build card towers out my $100 bills because I have soooo many extras.
Someone else visits Imaginary Land too. Meet Roxy (she's the one that makes you go OMG SQUEEE!!!!).
About one month old this past July |
Roxy has, I believe, been given to the BO as a companion for a SSH (Spotted Saddle Horse, or to me, a paint TWH) filly he bred who is only a month older. He will keep her until they (now best of friends) are about 2.5 years old, at which point he will start his filly and sell Roxy.
Cool story, bro. Right?
This is where Imaginary Me enters. See, I've been watching Roxy. She's at the ugly seven-month-old-yak stage right now, but this summer -- well, you know how they say you see what a young horse will be at 3 days, 3 months, and 3 years? I saw. And I WANT.
What the heck are you going to do with a Walking Horse filly? you ask, quite sensibly. For the sellers of her dam don't know who the sire is, yet "swear" that he was also a purebred TWH. You don't even want a mare within ten feet of you! This is true.
Well, if Roxy is a purebred TWH, then I am the second coming of Tinkerbell. Because even as an ugly yak, this is how she moves (the painted filly is her BFF, Callie):
Why yes, that is a perfectly balanced canter that takes almost no effort to envision circling a course of 5' jumps! With a lovely trot with just enough suspension to not be overkill. At 3 months old, she was a dead ringer for an Oldenburg, with a broad chest, straight, well-boned legs, and skeletal structure that is pretty close to perfect. She has never gaited a day of her life. She is also very intelligent and will be a brave, but sensitive horse. Even Encore is in love with her; the filly pasture is across the lane from my pasture and he hangs out near them when Solo is out and always stops to say hello when we ride by the fenceline, where Roxy does that adorable baby mouth thing (I need to upload that video).
BO has even offered to give Roxy to me. Cruel and unusual torture. Yes, she is a girl, by which I am pretty much never tempted. But she has the look. That look in her eye which made my decision for me when I met Solo and Encore both. That look which says if you want, I could be your partner and we could be great together. OMG$#*$&#^!
Sadly, I am unable to find a bridge between Imaginary Land and Reality, so I am forced to tell BO I will be happy to take her...the day she starts pooping money. He has given me free rein to go in the pasture and play with her, although for now, her dam's owner spends a little time getting her used to being touched and handled and both Roxy and her BFF are friendly and inquisitive. Maybe when she is a little older, in my Imaginary Free Time, I can teach her some round pen work and ground driving and hope that someone in the sport horse world discovers her because someday, she will be amazing.
What a story! She's a very nice mover. Somehow I hope owning her moves from imaginary to reality.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the right mare can change your opinion of them as a whole ;) She's adorable -- what a mover!
ReplyDeleteHahahah, Carol, I think I would have to sell everything I have, live in a dumpster and never eat again. Two is plenty!!!!
ReplyDeletePromise, I think of her as the exception instead. ;-P She is a sweetie though and always comes to the fence for scratches.
She is a cutie...aybe the stars wil align some day!
ReplyDeleteWow, she's adorable! It really is too bad money doesn't grow on trees sometimes...
ReplyDeleteLet me know when she starts leaving piles of money in your pasture... I will be down to help clean up! Then, I, too, can live part of the dream.
ReplyDeleteHahahah, if only I knew how to grow that tree! It's the alchemy of horse poo....
ReplyDeleteI swore I would never own a mare...and then I fell in love with one lol
ReplyDeleteEven on her worst day, I wouldn't have traded her for the world.
LOL, Promise, that is awesome. I have ridden some VERY nice mares. Just none that I wanted to own. I am moody and opinionated enough on my own ROFL. I think there are just mare people and gelding people. And in the big picture, each horse really is an individual!
ReplyDeletelol, I agree about individuality. I've ridden great horses of both genders, and known a couple of amazing studs that would pass easily for geldings - hell, I grew up with an OTTB stallion that was so much like an overgrown puppy, I used to hand graze him in my yard at 4 years old. He never put a foot or brain cell wrong. He was quite the saint!
ReplyDeleteAfter Promise, I'm not sure I'd want anything but a mare (depending on the horse, of course) because, even remembering some of the most amazing relationships I've had with horses I've ridden/leased over the years, I never quite had a bond with any of the geldings like I did with her. Maybe it was just her ;)
I love an opinionated horse (and especially a good pony LOL), but my caveat is, s/he has to be willing and able to put that attitude to work FOR you, more often than against you.
Ha, that would be an important trait! Both the studs that are at the farm are very well mannered and laid back. TWH are generally good minded horses so I don't know if that helps, but they behave just the same as the geldings and are lovely horses.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE non-gaited TWH's, saddlebreds, etc. They are meant to be horses that you can ride all day on, and do anything you want to do with them. My first horse was a black pinto TWH filly. She had issues because they tried to make her gaited before I got her, however she had a normal w/t/c to die for. If she hadn't have been so terrified of life, she would have made a killer 3-day horse. One of the nicest moving 3-gaited horses I had run across until I got my current two.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I am a mare person in general. I love the sass and pizazz! I was always told that if you want the "stallion sparkle" without having to deal with a stallion, get a nice mare. So far that is VERY true. When people see me walk in with my 12.2hh welsh pony mare, I get snickered at. When I start to work her, they want her, lol! (She did manage to buck me off the other day... yep, proud moment getting bucked off of a small/medium pony!)
LOL, Stephanie! Want another one??? I do love the brains on TWH & Saddlebreds. They are the most tolerant and generous horses I think I've ever met.
ReplyDeleteI would never be opposed to another non-gaited TWH - unfortunately my husband is opposed to any more equines on the budget right now... totally understandable, but I think I'm personally a 2 horse kind of girl... I will be on the look out for a good kid and beginner safe mount soon, but nothing else for me to ride and exercise.
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to figure out the money/poop thing also. Promise if I get a good alchemy recipe and share if I do!
ReplyDeleteOne of the nicest horses I ever worked with, was a TWH mare, who despised gaiting. She'd been forced into it (not exactly sure how?) at some time. I had to learn how to cue her to gait . (I hated it too, go figure, even though it's just as comfy as advertised.) Sensible, kind, not a whole lot of moody, full of spark, but wanted to hang with you. Oh, I hope you win the lottery.
Time AND money!
Hhhmmm, somehow I thought the Forbidden Love title was going to lead to a different kind of post. ;-)
ReplyDeleteBut, yeah, that is one nice-moving little horse--and I am totally prejudiced against its breed AND sex, so that says a lot, lol.
If I find a money tree, I will send you a clipping so you can plant your own!
Awesome, Frizz. Sorry to disappoint, though.
ReplyDeleteI have learned a lot about the TWH world that I did not know -- most of it has been great, positive stuff, to my pleased surprise. Even though it doesn't resemble KHP and we are definitely the misfits, I just about couldn't be happier to be where we are now. I am all picky and judgey, but after working my way slowly into the circle, it's a group of good people who just enjoy their horses and both are kindly and thoughtfully cared for by two excellent BOs.
I'm glad you're fitting in now with the crowd at your new barn. That would be a difficult transition for me, I would think, having never been around ANYBODY but H/J peeps.
ReplyDeleteI am firmly convinced that I'm a Gelding Person. Don't ask me why, but if you list my three favorite animals I like boy horses, boy guinea pigs and girl dogs. That's just the way it always has been... I have had one mare that I liked in my life, but when I finally get my own equine I'm pretty sure it's going to need sheath cleaning! :)