Follow Your Arrow...

I'm not exactly sure what it is about my life right now, but I guess this "going with the flow" is really working for me.  I'd been wondering about the Katy thing pretty hardcore since the start of July and now with her latest issues its become more of a concern to which I had little to answer with.

On Facebook, I used to follow TONS of horses for sale groups.  I realized after getting Jade that I had no interest in that anymore and needed to focus on my guys so I unfollowed anything that came up with horses for sale.  Yes, even CANTER Texas (although that made me rather sad).  I did it though!

So it was a bit odd (fortuitous?) that when I woke up early on Sunday AM to head to herding with the dogs that I just happen to log in long enough to see an ad for a Beginner Novice horse for sale.  I checked it out real fast (the price was reasonable I thought) and I watched a snippet of the flat work video and though wow, what a nice fellow!  I closed my phone real fast and bolted out the door.

The drive to herding is about 45 minutes but that was enough for my stupid brain to get to thinking.  He WAS a nice horse.  Calm, happy, a little short in the rear but basically a touch more advanced than Katy was and much younger (without being a young horse).  At a stoplight, I pulled the ad up again and he'd qualified for the AECs this year and I thought wow, I could hit the ground running if I swapped Katy's spot for him... hmm.

I headed to herding.

While there (the lady I work with has had cutting horses FOREVER), I worked my dogs and the idea grew on me.  I could get him, sell Katy (maybe Mango too??) and come out ahead.  This boy wouldn't take me to Rolex (nor do I want to go as a competitor!) but he'll be fun, safe, and I won't be starting over from scratch.   Which, when I realized that, that's my biggest fear with getting yet another horse.  Retraining AGAIN.  I always feel like I'm in the same place, training the basics and letting them go once they're going.  When do I get to have the fun?

We watched his videos and she said I needed to get him.  I agreed (hard to argue with that lol).  I made the call and had my list of things that would rule him out of my desire at the ready for the call back.  Along the way home, the trainer called my back and we had a nice chat.  He doesn't crib, he's a good boy, he's been shown by a 15 year old that's lost interest, and I can't really find much wrong with him even with the trainer talking (good and bad) about him.  Honestly, there wasn't anything I would find bad about him and he sounded like a nice step up from Katy that I'd really enjoy.

I got home and debated telling the Hubs.  Its hard to say how he's going to take these things (he's mostly given up at this point).  I decided to just tell him and explained the Katy issue, plus that I would sell Katy ASAP after getting a replacement, and he was like "Do it." and that was how it was.  I got the call back from the trainer (I'd offered a lower amount than the asking and wanted to know if we're in the same ballpark as the owners) and we made arrangements for me to come try him this upcoming Friday (after we discussed his Xcountry faults on USEA).   I have a dog show in north Dallas, so this is on the way.  I'm taking the horse trailer with me so if it works out, I'll grab him on my way back home Sunday.  If it doesn't, I'll keep my eyes out for something similar but honestly, I haven't' seen anything like him in a really, really, really long time.  I think this may be the start of something really fun.  Fingers crossed!

For Katy, we'll work on selling her ASAP once I have a replacement.  I think she's too valuable to some awesome kiddo that wants to learn to ride or for some lesson program that would love a horse that can do lunge line lessons and teach people to jump up to 2'6" here and there.  For me though, she's not what I need nor was she ever.  I'm grateful for how tolerant she's been of everything and look forward to working her until we get this all sorted out in everyone's best interests.

Meanwhile I'm brushing up on my USEA rules and upcoming shows.  A girl can dream in fast forward, right?  (I'll be happy to just go schooling lol)