I will never forget the first horse I "almost" owned. It was "1970 something." I was 13 years
old. My best friend lived on a farm. We were both horse crazy and luckily for me her parents
owned thirty acres and several horses so I spent most of my weekends at her place.
Her name was Kirstin and she remains to this day one of the best friends I ever had in my
life. The local farmer down the road had a dark bay/brown four year old mare for sale. He
told me I could ride her anytime I liked and I jumped at the chance! I had to carry the saddle
and bridle about 2 miles to reach her from where I stayed but it was worth it! Sometimes
when I didn't feel like carrying the saddle I would just take a bridle and ride her back to
Kirstin's bareback. My Dad had taken me to his house to see if I could buy the mare and he
said yes. I was in school and saving like crazy, so Dad told him it would take me a while to
save the money and the old farmer told me to pay him whenever I saved it all. He would not
take a deposit, but said he would hold the mare for me.
I named that young mare "Velvet" and she was my dream come true. We bonded so close I
could do anything on her. She would rear on command for me but never unless I told her to.
Once she shied slightly when we were galloping down the road bareback and a rabbit
jumped out under her feet. I went flying off and landed on the gravel road. Before I could
even get to my feet, a soft warm nose was nuzzling my face, and blowing hot air onto me as if
to say "Are you okay? And why are you down there anyway?" I wasn't hurt so I climbed back
on and off we went. I could catch her in the middle of a huge twenty acre field. She would
see me and come running.
After several months I had over half the money saved. One day I went to get her and she
was gone. I ran home and we went to see the farmer. It seems he had decided not to honor
our verbal agreement and had sold the mare to another woman. I was heartbroken. I heard
later that Velvet had thrown the new owner and was no longer the sweet mare I had loved
so much. That made it even harder to bear but life goes on and there was nothing I could do.
The first horse I actually bought was a far cry from my beautiful mare with hard to catch, bad
riding habits such as tongue over the bit, but he too probably had his own stories to tell.
So this page is going to be a collection of photos and stories about some of the wonderful
horses we have owned. I thank dear sweet "Velvet" who has no doubt crossed the Rainbow
Bridge long ago now and hope she had a good life. She deserved one.
old. My best friend lived on a farm. We were both horse crazy and luckily for me her parents
owned thirty acres and several horses so I spent most of my weekends at her place.
Her name was Kirstin and she remains to this day one of the best friends I ever had in my
life. The local farmer down the road had a dark bay/brown four year old mare for sale. He
told me I could ride her anytime I liked and I jumped at the chance! I had to carry the saddle
and bridle about 2 miles to reach her from where I stayed but it was worth it! Sometimes
when I didn't feel like carrying the saddle I would just take a bridle and ride her back to
Kirstin's bareback. My Dad had taken me to his house to see if I could buy the mare and he
said yes. I was in school and saving like crazy, so Dad told him it would take me a while to
save the money and the old farmer told me to pay him whenever I saved it all. He would not
take a deposit, but said he would hold the mare for me.
I named that young mare "Velvet" and she was my dream come true. We bonded so close I
could do anything on her. She would rear on command for me but never unless I told her to.
Once she shied slightly when we were galloping down the road bareback and a rabbit
jumped out under her feet. I went flying off and landed on the gravel road. Before I could
even get to my feet, a soft warm nose was nuzzling my face, and blowing hot air onto me as if
to say "Are you okay? And why are you down there anyway?" I wasn't hurt so I climbed back
on and off we went. I could catch her in the middle of a huge twenty acre field. She would
see me and come running.
After several months I had over half the money saved. One day I went to get her and she
was gone. I ran home and we went to see the farmer. It seems he had decided not to honor
our verbal agreement and had sold the mare to another woman. I was heartbroken. I heard
later that Velvet had thrown the new owner and was no longer the sweet mare I had loved
so much. That made it even harder to bear but life goes on and there was nothing I could do.
The first horse I actually bought was a far cry from my beautiful mare with hard to catch, bad
riding habits such as tongue over the bit, but he too probably had his own stories to tell.
So this page is going to be a collection of photos and stories about some of the wonderful
horses we have owned. I thank dear sweet "Velvet" who has no doubt crossed the Rainbow
Bridge long ago now and hope she had a good life. She deserved one.
The closest I ever came to having a mare like Velvet again
was when I bought Gaila in 1997. We kept her for seven
years, and she gave us some beautiful foals and
wonderful rides. Gaila had "cruise control" - the perfect
ride.
This year she came up open and in the meantime a very
nice lady by the name of Nancy had told me she was
looking for a horse to replace her longtime companion
gelding. She really wanted a gelding rather than a mare
and NOT an Arab. But I knew right away from her
description of what she was looking for that Gaila would
be just perfect for her. Gaila loved to be in a stable, and
was shy in a larger group, so I knew Nancy could give her
a far better home than I could anymore and one that
would suit Gaila, and give Nancy her companion back. So
Gaila went off to live with Nancy in Arizona and as we
hoped, they are having a wonderful time together! I will
always miss her but it was meant to be.
was when I bought Gaila in 1997. We kept her for seven
years, and she gave us some beautiful foals and
wonderful rides. Gaila had "cruise control" - the perfect
ride.
This year she came up open and in the meantime a very
nice lady by the name of Nancy had told me she was
looking for a horse to replace her longtime companion
gelding. She really wanted a gelding rather than a mare
and NOT an Arab. But I knew right away from her
description of what she was looking for that Gaila would
be just perfect for her. Gaila loved to be in a stable, and
was shy in a larger group, so I knew Nancy could give her
a far better home than I could anymore and one that
would suit Gaila, and give Nancy her companion back. So
Gaila went off to live with Nancy in Arizona and as we
hoped, they are having a wonderful time together! I will
always miss her but it was meant to be.
| YTWOKBUSTERBARCANDEE~AQHA cremello stallion |
| I love this photograph of "Buster" the cremello stallion and first 'double dilute' we owned! It quite clearly shows that "double dilutes" such as Buster are NOT white but cream in color! We have sold Buster to Hilltop Paints but he will remain in our hearts. What a beautiful disposition this stallion had. |
Do you have a preconceived idea of what
Arabs are like that usually begins with
the word "crazy" or "spooky"?
Not Makayla and her half-sister, Surita.
Beautiful, sweet natured, dedicated and
intelligent is how I described these
mares. In this picture here all I did was
call Makayla and from way out in the
pasture she came running to see what I
wanted.
Makayla went to Nevada to live with
Chris.
Arabs are like that usually begins with
the word "crazy" or "spooky"?
Not Makayla and her half-sister, Surita.
Beautiful, sweet natured, dedicated and
intelligent is how I described these
mares. In this picture here all I did was
call Makayla and from way out in the
pasture she came running to see what I
wanted.
Makayla went to Nevada to live with
Chris.
| Makayla ~ purebred black Arabian mare and her purebred daughter Makayla's Annie ~spring of 2003 |
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