Where to begin?

Well, if I begin at the beginning we'll have thirty-mumble-mumble years of horse obsession to wade through.  So we'll start at more recent events.








I have always dreamed of owning a friesian horse.  This fall I decided it was time to put a big, ol' fat check mark by that item on my bucket list and I began horse shopping.  I'm pretty proud of the fact that I didn't fall in love and write a check for the first Friesian I met.

..well of course that may be because the first 'Friesian' I looked at was just a cleverly advertised Percheron.  I mean, FULL Percheron.  She may have walked by a Friesian.  Once.

 

The next horse I looked at was a Friesian yearling.  He was at least a real live Friesian; his stunning parents were even there to attest to it.  But there was no 'spark', no 'a-ha!' moment when I met him.  I didn't have that 'this is my horse' moment.  I did, however, have a very different moment with him.

 



There's nothing like getting a horse's hoof print on your thigh to drive the point home that you are not soulmates.  Not a great first impression... but a lasting one... for about 6 weeks.

Then I met a gorgeous 10 year old imported ster gelding.  Despite not being worked since April, we had a great ride.  He was stunning, tons of hair and a sweetheart personality.  His owner called me after I left and said we would be her choice for homes for her boy, despite the fact that a large Friesian barn wanted him for themselves.  But for reasons I still can't explain, I couldn't make the leap.  He seemed perfect in every way; easy-going, well trained and a gelding -everything I was looking for.  And yet, I passed.

For weeks I wondered if I had made the right choice.  And then I saw this picture...

...and knew I had.

I certainly wasn't looking for a foal!  All my own animals (and half my kids) came to me post-baby stage, and I liked that.  Also, I'm a gelding girl!  Got the membership card, t-shirt and bumper sticker.  Go geldings!

And yet my heart leaped the moment I saw Isabell's picture.  A filly!  A baby!  What?!

I spent the next few days waiting to return to my senses, but I just became more sure she was the one.  And on Sunday, September 23 I contacted her owner and said we wanted Isabell to join our family.

Let the adventure begin!