Beginning My New Horse Search!

School is out and the summer homework for this teacher is beginning my new horse search! Unlike a stack of tests to grade or a pile of essays to assess, this is homework I do not want to delay getting a start on! But alas, I must as I am traveling for the next few weeks, getting to spend quality time with my family in the Midwest and Florida. I’m even attending a seminar in Charleston, SC for people in the equine publishing world.

These days of family roadtripping (first stop: Kentucky Horse Park!) undoubtedly will be the highlight of my year, but my thoughts keep drifting to stall 159 at the “ranch” 10 miles from my home in suburban Orange County. I wrote a check last Sunday to hold the stall. I am soooo curious to know who the future tenant will be.

It’s a humble stall and that’s okay. I asked for the 24 x 24 foot version but those are all filled right now, so I got the 12 x 24. Actually, there might be one 24 x 24 open but it’s located right across from the manure pile. Manure mountain. I’ve been warned about the flies.

In addition to every person I’ve met so far at this stable being small-town friendly, I am impressed that the manure actually gets processed into garden compost. One of these days I’ll have to bring a few bags home for my lovely, yet under-attended roses.

Culture shock set in when I moved from Illinois to California over a decade ago. The traditional box stall in an enclosed barn, some with even a pretty painted Dutch door is not really what exists out here in the Wild West. Aesthetically, the temporary show stalls in Illinois seem a little more upscale than what I have just claimed for my new gelding? mare?

My trainer said the horses on both sides of the stall were good neighbors and that’s important. My future horse will have a slightly obstructed view of the arena. So there will be interesting things to see.

Before I met my husband I dared not daydream too much about what he would be like. There’s nothing worse than having high hopes and having them dashed. I was never one of those girls who fantasized about wedding gowns and receptions. Planning out details without a partner in mind seemed to be a tad presumptuous. Due to my string of miserable dating failures and odd would-be suitors, I dared not allow myself to “go there” emotionally because there was no guarantee that a Mr. Right would come along.

Today I feel like I’m a in similar position as I begin this new horse search. Although historically my horse matching experiences in life have been much less emotionally draining than my husband hunt.

My first horse, a Quarter Horse, I sought out and he was not a great match, but I did learn tenacity as a rider and as a person. My second horse came into my life in an unusual fashion–I wrote an essay in 4-H and won an Appaloosa weanling! My third horse (and all-time favorite–he’s the one I still cry over because 16 years wasn’t enough time together) happened upon me at a horse show.

Now I’m being strategic again and looking for my next equine partner. I have high expectations, yet I’m trying to keep my hopes low. If
you don’t dream, you don’t get hurt.

I posted on Facebook last week.

I emailed a lengthy list to my trainer of the qualities I’m looking for. Instead of thinking I was crazy for my list, she said it was really helpful. I’m almost too embarrassed to share this, but I’ve been told good writing is when you share your “uncomfortable truth.” Here’s the excerpt with a few notes in parentheses and non bold for you readers).

So this is how I’m spending my summer vacation.

What are your summer horse plans? Do you have any horse “hunting” advice?

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