Haha, I have been known to procrastinate on blogs...
Anyway, I have had a busy last couple of weeks!
I am done with my research park job until January 14. Spring semester of college starts January 7. But I still have some busy days during winter break!
Winter break has been wonderful so far! I have worked, gotten to spend more time with my horses, babysat, spent time with my boyfriend and also with a friend from school, saw my mom, dad, and German exchange student for Christmas Eve and Day, and started showing my 7 year old APHA gelding, Calliope, to people!
My horses are all three doing great. I had a wonderful ride on Goldie last Tuesday (I think?) when my friend Jenni came over to ride with me. She rode Calliope, and we rode in the neighbor's field, then down my road, along the busy road by my road, and down a dirt road nearby. Goldie and I were leading the ride and she was awesome about traffic and other things that I thought would have spooked her. I can't wait to ride her on the Lake Carl Blackwell trails! I most recently rode Goldie yesterday (Christmas Day) and Manuel (our German exchange student) rode Calliope in the neighbor's arena. I think it was his first time riding. It was super windy out (typical Oklahoma), but the horses behaved themselves anyway. Goldie was a little jittery at one end of the arena, but I was able to get her to walk through puddles, which she normally hates! Once I sell Calliope, I think I will be able to work with Goldie a lot and calm her down. She is an amazing ride when she is well seasoned.
The first interested buyers looked at Calliope Sunday. They loved him and the 12 year old son rode Calliope around the yard. He did really well with Calliope, but it was the mom who would be Calliope's "person." She didn't ride him but really loved him, too. Turns out the husband (who hadn't gone to look at Calliope with his wife and son) wouldn't offer me even close to the asking price of Calliope, so I turned their offer down. Nice woman and son, but Calliope is worth way more than what they offered. I don't think Calliope would have been terribly happy with them anyway. The woman is a beginner and is about my mom's age (my mom is 48 and the woman is 45?). She doesn't care about showing, gymkhana, trail riding, etc. She just wants to ride with her son. Calliope would do way better in a home where he could do what he does best - showing, 4-H, playday events, trail riding, etc. In short, I want to sell him to someone who is a lot like me.
Tomorrow, a 13-year-old girl is going to try Calliope out. She sounds like the PERFECT person for him from the e-mails we have been shooting back and forth for the past week or so. I REALLY hope she likes him and vice versa! She sounds like me when I was 13. ;) I also got a call from a man who wants to look at Calliope with his wife on Friday morning. So we have a busy week!
Twister is doing great, too! I am still in shock over this, but I am actually trading him for a 11-year-old broke buckskin National Show Horse gelding THIS SATURDAY!!!! I am really excited about this trade, though. Twister will be going to Illinois (we are meeting halfway in Missouri, though. So it's about 4 1/2 hours each way) in hopes he will become a barrel or cow horse. I am so happy Twister will be used to his full potential! He wouldn't get that with me. :( I will miss having him here so much. We bonded immediately after I bought him and he is one hell of a horse. He is so easy and fun to work with and he sure is a looker! I know I am doing the right thing, though. The new horse, Bucky (yah, bf wants to change the name, lol), is actually my Christmas present to my boyfriend. My boyfriend has wanted a horse to do endurance riding with and also loves Arabian crosses, so this will be great for him! I really want to experience a new breed and know that Bucky will be a fun learning experience. I am not used to the high spirited Arabian or the gaited Saddlebred! Anyway, Bucky is just GORGEOUS. I can't wait to ride him! Pat (bf) and I have been shopping on e-bay for him lately and I have also been trading horse tack on Horsecity's bulletin boards. So far I have gotten an English saddle (cheap, but brand new and ready to ride in), English saddle pad, English bridle (already have the bit), SMBs, neoprene girth for English saddle, stirrup leathers, irons, and pads for English saddle, etc. He will sure look flashy in his new stuff! :D I just got the health certificate done on Twister today and Bucky's will be done tomorrow, so the boys will be ready for the trade!
I am really excited about the changes in my life. I will miss my dear Calliope and Twister when they go to new homes, but at least I am finding them great homes where they will be loved on and used as much as they should be. I don't ever want to lose contact with their future owners, though. I want to hear about them as they get older and do bigger and better things. Those boys will ALWAYS be in my heart. They are oh-so-special.
Check out the pictures of my three current horses and my new horse! First horse is my AQHA mare, Goldie. Second is my APHA gelding, Calliope. Third is my APHA gelding, Twister. And fourth is my new NSH gelding, Bucky.
