So I meant to get a donkey...

As Hollywood was preparing to go home, and we were knee deep into show season with Sunny and Diva, I made the arrangements to pickup a few TIP horses, before I got swamped with colts to start again this fall.

I took a common vote among my clients, family and friends and the consensus was to pick one mustang, and one burro. I was looking forward to picking a friendlier mustang with a good temperament that would train up quickly, as I had spent a lot of time and resources on more challenging horses over the past few months, and I needed to get caught up, time and financially.

I hitched up, and we headed out. The trip down to Ewing was my first time in the drivers seat on the interstate with the trailer, so I was looking forward to it. Unfortunately we got caught in some frightening weather that left absolutely zero visibility, and low traction on the hills of southern Indiana while traveling unknown roads at highway speed, but, muttering a breath prayer, I continued to press forward and each storm passed in due time. There is nothing like the relief of blue sky after straining to see the road even a foot ahead of you, sweet relief!

Eventually, Siri got us to our destination, and I focused in on the job I came to do. I checked in and Marty handed me a writeup of the horses that were in the pen. I circled all the 2 year old geldings, then went to try and identify them. Immediately a big red horse in the back of the pen caught my attention, with his presence and his expression, but really his being. He was shy and kept back, but kept making eye contact with me. I tried to read his tag number so I could identify him, but he’d run and jump out of range every time I got close enough to distinguish it. Finally, Mom got it, #3511. I checked the paper, he was 4 years old. I decided to try and identify the other two year olds. I do not need the challenge of a big wild redheaded 4 year old right now.

 A creamy colored horse marked “other” hovered near the front, nicely sized and put together, but I veered away. I have worked with so many horribly matched horses that were chosen only for their color not any other reason, that I hesitate to pick the colorful horse simply because I want to make sure I don’t let it bias me (which is silly, because I am reverse biased by doing so! There is no such thing as a good horse in a bad color!). I moved on and spotted a petite but nicely put together buckskin filly that had a middle of the range temperament I could appreciate. I worked around to some other pens, then back again, and I saw a red horse I really liked… Then I realized it was 3511 again. I circled a super skittish dark brown that I really liked, he had the traditional Nevada mustang carriage and look, and I thought he might be fun. Then I caught the red horses eye again, over the backs of all the others, and said something along the lines of “I just really like him, I feel like he’s speaking to me”. I know better than to pick a horse because of that, so I decided to go over and pick out my burro.

We worked our way over to the burro pen, and they were very cute, but I wanted to go look at the horses again to help me decide which horse would make the cut. Then I’d come back to the burros. We walked over to the horse pen. The  other trainer’s horse was getting sorted out and the horses were rapidly galloping all around, scattering this way and that. I couldn’t find my circled two year olds after the scramble, except a certain big red horse that made eye contact with me again, until I moved closer and he spun away rapidly.

I knew I needed a younger horse, and the horse that was smacking into the walls and watching me pensively from a very, very safe distance would not be the horse. But I couldn’t deny the (fatal?) attraction. Whether I need it or not.

I decided to get TWO horses. Skip the donkey. I couldn’t decide, and I needed a two year old but I wanted the big red horse.

I chose the skitzy bay that had reminded me of Sunny when he was wild, and of course the big red horse. I filled out my contracts, then backed my trailer to the chute, watched as the panels were secured, then the horses were patiently sorted, as they dramatically bolted this way and that.

They were successfully cut from the herd, and pushed into the sorting chutes within the building. Then I heard a huge crash and a holler that they don’t seem to know what gates were. Great, just what I need… Another gate smashing horse. More Vet bills and fence repairs here I come. As if I didn’t have enough of that right now. I readied myself to shut the door, and the big one came crashing through. We shut the back door, then held on to the shaking trailer, ready to jump for an opportunity to swing the divider shut within the trailer.

Once the red horse was secured, the bay was pushed through, and I heard an exclamation of uh oh he’s bloody. He blasted onto the trailer, and we quickly secured the trailer door, before getting a chance to examine him. At first glance, it looked like a minor bloody laceration incurred from smashing full speed into walls. Then as he spun around in the trailer, whipping his head this way and that, he came into focus and I realized the extent of the injury, and realized that I was not going to be able to treat this horse, not to mention halterbreak him. We discussed options, and decided to leave him at the facility, where they have the appropriate facility to treat an injured wild horse. I had to make a split second decision on a different horse, and since we had vetoed the little buckskin mare because she was just going to be too small to rehome easily, all that was left meeting my “2 year old gelding” requirement was the creamy “other” horse. I took another look at his confirmation and pointed him out. He was loaded on, we made a quick adjustment to my paperwork, and we were on our way home!

We got home and everyone instantly fell in love with the creamy unicorn looking baby! Red horse was struggling to adjust from the stress of the stormy, hard trip home, and was beginning to look drawn so we decided to let him be, as our watching was not helping him at all.

I am happy with my choices, and am excited to watch them progress. Maybe next time I will get one of those fuzzy long ears. That will be fun!

Training will be fun, and my guess is each will vary significantly! Stay tuned for updates!!