Shopping around

One of the benefits and burdens of essentially being my own boss at this job is that I can divide my days up however I see fit. Generally, this time of year is a little slower for us and with my new assistant being incredibly efficient, I have quite a bit of extra time on my hands for Internet "research". Admittedly, I spend way too much time reading blogs and goofing around, but who cares?

I've been feeling a bit lackluster about the mare I tried out on Tuesday, and even with my flu set aside, I'm not sure she's the kind of horse I should be getting involved with. The owner seemed very emotionally attached to the mare after going through what sounds like a pretty traumatic experience with her mystery illness last year, and although she claims she'd like to make this horse her dressage mount, I'm not sure what the future holds for her. She wasn't unfit, per se, and I am certain that muscle and fitness will ultimately reveal what her limitations might be, but without solid exercise and a 'program' I can't see this horse being much to ride. If she were MY horse, it would be one thing (ie. Pia's Mom, you do anything and everything it takes to make the horse happy and sound), but she's not. There were just so many questions that came up while I was riding her and a haunting image of what felt like a hind end that was disengaged from the rest of the horses body. I've never really felt anything like that before, and I commented on it saying, her back end felt "jiggly". It was a strange sensation. Thinking about it, I didn't ask for more out of the mare because it was unclear if she was reacting out of pain -- her body language sure suggested as much. If the owner had implied the mare was just lazy or stubborn I would have really gotten after her, but I don't think that was the case at all. So, what would I really get out riding this horse? Frustration? Certainly. A sense of accomplishment? Well, maybe. Beyond her being difficult to catch, I'm not sure the situation at the farm is something I would enjoy and although it would be nice to have an indoor to myself, riding alone is boring and potentially dangerous. It's easy enough for the horse-crazy part of my personality to want to ride anything that comes my way, but I'm not a kid anymore and my standards have gotten higher. I can assume this mare would likely be a near free lease situation, perhaps paying for shoes in the summer, but the time and effort spent on a horse with uncertain soundness and ridability make me want to reconsider.

So, in the meantime, I am still looking. There is always the potential to lease a horse from my instructor, but I have been daydreaming about riding some place a bit closer. Living in Philadelphia limits where I can ride without a substantial commute. Luckily, it puts me close to South Jersey where there are numerous options of places to ride, though only a few of them are worth investigating. Like everything else in the horse industry, word of mouth is one of the best ways to find qualified instructors and/or horses so without completely stepping on my trainer's toes, I have to do some reconnaissance on my own. In Pennsylvania my options are limited, and without trekking out to Bucks County and entering into hunter/jumper vomit-inducing world, places to ride are few and far between. I can also go back to the therapy center to volunteer and exercise ride those horses -- there truly is nothing more fun than galloping a draft horse through the woods, but again, I want one horse to bond with.

I came across a lovely gelding last night and I emailed his owner (I think) about potentially leasing him. It's a reasonable amount (there are plenty of over-priced and very green prospects out there) and better yet, the farm is in Pennsylvania, 12 miles away and just on the outskirts of the city. I could potentially ride my bike there, and/or take public transportation if I needed to. He's currently available 2-3 times a week. The place is a 12 stall boarding facility that has lessons and a full time trainer. They have a lighted outdoor ring with brand new footing and it meets up to 56 miles of horse friendly trails (part of the trail system I used at Pegasus). After May he will be available 4-5 days a week. It sounds like a perfect scenario for me and potentially a great place for me to make new horse friends. I would love nothing more than to find someone to go hack out on a trail with. So, the owner has written me back and she sounds eager for me to meet him. She and I actually have quite a bit in common (we're both photographers)!

He's a 2001, 16.1hh, TB, not sure if he was raced...has done a little bit of everything and is just starting to pick up dressage. He apparently has good manners, knows Parelli tricks (ha) and does best in consistent training with a confident rider. He sounds like he has a terrific personality and I think he's put together pretty well. Hopefully I can go see him soon!

Stay tuned for more adventures in...A Girl Without a Horse!