It’s been a lot of months since I’ve written regularly. First, Zelda died. Then I took on a horse, Finn, who didn’t really work out for me. It’s the first time I’ve taken on a project horse that was too much for me, but after I got him back to a good weight, he started to challenge me in ways that I no longer felt like I wanted to work through (namely, rearing and napping). I think my reluctance to blog was partially because I realized he wasn’t the right horse for me and writing about it wasn’t going to be fun.
One day, I looked in the mirror and decided I was too old for this horse (although I might have been bolder 15 years ago). The next day I saw an ad for a 12-year old draft-x mare who looked ideal and was less than two hours away from me.
When I rode her, at a nearby state park, I remembered how much I liked to ride, rather than fighting with a recalcitrant and very athletic horse that didn’t want to play along. I had such a grin on my face when I got off Rosie that the friend who came with me (always bring a friend when looking at horses — for two reasons: to talk you out of the ones who are unsuitable, and to drive you to the hospital if you have an accident! I’m not kidding about either of those reasons. I know too many people who have been hurt trying horses to take it lightly).
While riding Rosie, I told one of her owners about my issues with Finn. I ended by asking if he wanted him. Much to my surprise, he said yes. I showed the couple video of Finn misbehaving and explained my reluctance to challenge him. And they still said yes.
Rosie arrived two weeks later and Finn left with them. Win-win! (More on Finn later. He’s doing quite well with his new training regime, which just goes to show that you need to find the right rider/program for a horse).
I don’t know if I could have bought Rosie right after Zelda died. In many ways, I find them similar. They are smart, sassy mares with large personalities. Rosie is, perhaps, the most food-oriented horse I’ve ever owned, but it means she is always glad to see you.
While Curly and Finn got along fine, I think Curly is also relieved to have a companion who doesn’t want to play all the time! Their energy levels were quite mismatched. I have video of Finn literally running circles around Curly, then biting her in the butt to see if he can get her to engage. Rosie and Curly seem content to graze together and Rosie has become quite bonded to Curly. At 32, Curly deserves to have a friend who treats her with respect.
Rosie and I are still getting to know each other. I had some travel planned for this summer that took me away from the barn, but it was so hot and humid that I might not have done much. Currently, we’re trail riding. I plan to start trailering her to some of my favorite places and will try a hunter pace or two in the fall.
Rosie is most likely half Belgian and half Quarter Horse. She is big bodied with legs that are a bit shorter than I’m accustomed to. It’s actually quite nice to be a bit closer to the ground. She spent the last five years as a movie extra. Her previous owners train animals for TV shows, movies and advertising. As a result, Rosie has some skills I will likely never use. For example, you can shoot a gun off her back, land a helicopter nearby or fly a drone overhead. She has met move movie stars than I ever will — look for her in a 2025 movie with Matt Damon and Casey Affleck!
As for me, I’m still smiling. I have a horse I can ride and I found a safe landing for Finn. Two weeks after he left, I went down to watch a clinic where he was ridden. I was very pleased to see him moving forward under saddle. Sure, he had some naughty moments, but nothing his rider couldn’t handle. I’m relieved to think that my initial goal — get Finn healthy and into his next career — may well happen now.