Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2006 13:46:26 GMT -5
Just like I thought it would happen, as soon as we quit looking, one dropped right into our laps. Rich and I had talked about this horse problem for quite a while and we both decided we were trying too hard, and when it was time for us to get another horse, the Universe would provide.
This is such a strange sequence of events, I have to share it with you all. Yesterday we went on our monthly shopping trip to Rapid City. On the way there, we stopped in Sturgis at a ranch supply place to pick up some things that were on sale, one of which was some Ivermectin. I picked up a few tubes ($4.99 each!), and we got a bunch more stuff for the chicken house and barn and other little repairs that need to be done.
There were two checkout lanes open and I went into the first one, then realized the other line was shorter. I was going to move over, then thought, what the heck? I'll just stay here. So we get up to the cashier and she rang up the Ivermectin and asked if we had horses (duh!). We said we only had one left, and had lost our two geldings this last year. She cut us a glance and said "Are you looking for another one?" We said "YESSS!!!!" and she asked if we would be interested in a mare. I hesitated and explained Aiesha's temperement and reaction to other mares in the past, and she then told us that she had a yearling stud colt that we could have cheap. He's 1/2 Quarter, 1/4 Appy and 1/4 Palomino (isn't that a Quarterhorse also?). I got her phone number and we said we'd call her after discussing it. I didn't really want to get into that whole yearling mess again, after our last experience, but at least she said this one was gentle and could be handled.
So we went on to Rapid City, did our shopping, stopped and got something to eat, and on our way back through Sturgis on the way home, Rich thought maybe we should call her and see if we could look at the horse on our way home, to save us a trip back to Sturgis before next month. We stopped at a gas station and I called her (it was her cell number) and she was just getting off work (what a coincidence, huh?), so we met her in front of the ranch supply store and followed her out the highway to where her horses were. We just stopped on the side of the highway and about a mile away, we could see a small group of horses, way up on a ridge. She started hollering and clapping and whistling, and damned if that bunch didn't come down off the ridge, cross two creeks, and canter right up to us. OK, she's right, they're all gentle. She showed us the mom and dad (now gelded) and we scritched the baby and looked him over, but while we were, she said she really thought we'd be better off with his sister, April, who's 4 years old.
To make a long story short, Rich and April fell instantly in love with each other. She's not as tall as he wanted (she's only about 15 hands), but she's good and sturdy, and just about as calm and gentle as I could wish for! She's never been ridden, though, because she was intended for a broodmare (her first foaling was a nightmare - the foal died and she can never be bred again, but we don't care). She let me pick up all four of her feet, and I touched her everywhere. She has no head-shyness, doesn't mind her ears being touched, and looks perfectly sound. She trailers and bathes (of course I couldn't test this first-hand, but I believe her owner), and doesn't seem to have any bad habits. I considered the pros and cons of starting a frisky yearling or a nice, stable 4-year old, and I voted for April. Rich likes her better, too, and her coloring is really interesting. She's the same breeding as the colt, but her color is almost strawberry roan across her back and rump, darker legs (not quite bay) with 2 white stockings in the back, and a gold sheen on her neck, chest and shoulders. Her mane and tail are kind of sandy colored. She has the Appy tail, though, and the striped hooves, but that seems to be all the Appy she inherited. She's totally calm and sweet, and likes to lick.
The owner, Wanda, told me while we were out with the horses, that she instantly decided we would be good for April. She needs to reduce her herd a bit, and really doesn't want to part with her, but she said if she had to go anywhere, she thought going home with us would be the best.
We don't have her yet, because she wants $800.00 for her, and we don't have that much right now, after the stuff we just had to buy and the insurance premiums that were due this month, but Wanda's just going to keep her there until we have it. Rich thinks we'll be able to have the whole amount by the middle of June, and Wanda said that was cool, she wasn't going to sell her to anybody else.
So, now the only question is, how will Aiesha react to having another mare in the pasture? I'm hoping since it will just be the two of them, with no boy to fight over, they'll be able to get along. Besides, I think she's lonesome enough now to accept another mare. I think when April gets here, we'll take Aiesha with her for a walk around the perimeter (so April knows where the fencelines are), both on leadropes, but separated enough so Aiesha can't strike at her, then turn them both loose in the middle of the pasture and get out of the way. Neither of them have shoes, so there should be no serious injuries, but sooner or later, they'll have to work out their pecking order. Since Aiesha's the elder of the two, she'll probably assume dominance, given that April has such an easygoing personality, but we'll see.
Anyway, I'm so happy that a horse has finally found us. Soon Love Acres will have another furry resident! ;D
~Lannie
This is such a strange sequence of events, I have to share it with you all. Yesterday we went on our monthly shopping trip to Rapid City. On the way there, we stopped in Sturgis at a ranch supply place to pick up some things that were on sale, one of which was some Ivermectin. I picked up a few tubes ($4.99 each!), and we got a bunch more stuff for the chicken house and barn and other little repairs that need to be done.
There were two checkout lanes open and I went into the first one, then realized the other line was shorter. I was going to move over, then thought, what the heck? I'll just stay here. So we get up to the cashier and she rang up the Ivermectin and asked if we had horses (duh!). We said we only had one left, and had lost our two geldings this last year. She cut us a glance and said "Are you looking for another one?" We said "YESSS!!!!" and she asked if we would be interested in a mare. I hesitated and explained Aiesha's temperement and reaction to other mares in the past, and she then told us that she had a yearling stud colt that we could have cheap. He's 1/2 Quarter, 1/4 Appy and 1/4 Palomino (isn't that a Quarterhorse also?). I got her phone number and we said we'd call her after discussing it. I didn't really want to get into that whole yearling mess again, after our last experience, but at least she said this one was gentle and could be handled.
So we went on to Rapid City, did our shopping, stopped and got something to eat, and on our way back through Sturgis on the way home, Rich thought maybe we should call her and see if we could look at the horse on our way home, to save us a trip back to Sturgis before next month. We stopped at a gas station and I called her (it was her cell number) and she was just getting off work (what a coincidence, huh?), so we met her in front of the ranch supply store and followed her out the highway to where her horses were. We just stopped on the side of the highway and about a mile away, we could see a small group of horses, way up on a ridge. She started hollering and clapping and whistling, and damned if that bunch didn't come down off the ridge, cross two creeks, and canter right up to us. OK, she's right, they're all gentle. She showed us the mom and dad (now gelded) and we scritched the baby and looked him over, but while we were, she said she really thought we'd be better off with his sister, April, who's 4 years old.
To make a long story short, Rich and April fell instantly in love with each other. She's not as tall as he wanted (she's only about 15 hands), but she's good and sturdy, and just about as calm and gentle as I could wish for! She's never been ridden, though, because she was intended for a broodmare (her first foaling was a nightmare - the foal died and she can never be bred again, but we don't care). She let me pick up all four of her feet, and I touched her everywhere. She has no head-shyness, doesn't mind her ears being touched, and looks perfectly sound. She trailers and bathes (of course I couldn't test this first-hand, but I believe her owner), and doesn't seem to have any bad habits. I considered the pros and cons of starting a frisky yearling or a nice, stable 4-year old, and I voted for April. Rich likes her better, too, and her coloring is really interesting. She's the same breeding as the colt, but her color is almost strawberry roan across her back and rump, darker legs (not quite bay) with 2 white stockings in the back, and a gold sheen on her neck, chest and shoulders. Her mane and tail are kind of sandy colored. She has the Appy tail, though, and the striped hooves, but that seems to be all the Appy she inherited. She's totally calm and sweet, and likes to lick.
The owner, Wanda, told me while we were out with the horses, that she instantly decided we would be good for April. She needs to reduce her herd a bit, and really doesn't want to part with her, but she said if she had to go anywhere, she thought going home with us would be the best.
We don't have her yet, because she wants $800.00 for her, and we don't have that much right now, after the stuff we just had to buy and the insurance premiums that were due this month, but Wanda's just going to keep her there until we have it. Rich thinks we'll be able to have the whole amount by the middle of June, and Wanda said that was cool, she wasn't going to sell her to anybody else.
So, now the only question is, how will Aiesha react to having another mare in the pasture? I'm hoping since it will just be the two of them, with no boy to fight over, they'll be able to get along. Besides, I think she's lonesome enough now to accept another mare. I think when April gets here, we'll take Aiesha with her for a walk around the perimeter (so April knows where the fencelines are), both on leadropes, but separated enough so Aiesha can't strike at her, then turn them both loose in the middle of the pasture and get out of the way. Neither of them have shoes, so there should be no serious injuries, but sooner or later, they'll have to work out their pecking order. Since Aiesha's the elder of the two, she'll probably assume dominance, given that April has such an easygoing personality, but we'll see.
Anyway, I'm so happy that a horse has finally found us. Soon Love Acres will have another furry resident! ;D
~Lannie
