# Groovy doom journal



## Cheshire (Oct 17, 2009)

Well, I've never been good about remaining loyal to a journal but perhaps since this is something I am passionate about, it will stick. Like others I find writing things down helps clear m'mind, so it's worth a shot.

As I've mentioned a few times already, my mother and I are FINALLY looking into getting a horse. It will be shared between us, so hopefully that will be fine...I know it will, actually. It has just been me and her since I was eight and we could never afford such an expense. But finally, FINALLY...we are serious about it. Or at least she is.  I've always been serious about it, myself. Every now and then in the past she would say or do something that would get my hopes up...

_One day, rather spontaneously after coming home from work: _Sparky, we are going to get a horse.

Me: Yayyyyyyyyyyeeeeeee!

But then nothing would happen.

Or we'd have close calls. There was an arab mare that needed a home and for a while we were in close cahoots with this girl who works at her store about buying the horse together and sharing the expense as co-owners. But that fell through, for whatever reason. We put a "looking to lease" add out in the paper once. No response! We almost adopted a lovely steel-grey tb(?) mare from a rescue we used to volunteer at. She could open gates! lol, but that didn't work out. Almost became co-owners of the arabian gelding with the bad back, but decided against it.

Man, all these "almosts". So many lost opportunities. But maybe it was all for the better.

I'm twenty now and soon leaving to attend a music conservatory on the west coast. For those who are confused, a conservatory is your standard university only with an emphasis on music...performing, learning how to handle paperwork/contracts/etc, that sort of jazz. It's fairly close to home, so I wouldn't feel so bad about going if we had the horse.

There are two we are looking at, currently. One is a 7 yo 15.3 hh Friesian gelding and the other an 8 yo 16 hh Friesian/Paint cross (one of the _nice _and responsibly-bred crosses, at that), a gelding as well. We will, fairly soon, be seeing both horses in person. The owners tell us they are friendly and trained, have nice manners for the farrier, vet checked and so on and so forth. But sometimes people will tell you *anything*. :wink:

Why Friesians, you ask? Personally, I love the breed. But I also love drafts PERIOD and I have a fondness for mutts and mustangs as well. But my mum has fallen in love with the idea of owning a Friesian or even a cross, which I don't have a problem with. She's also been wanting to adopt a pmu mare or mustang for a while. You see, mum has extensive horse experience. She was raised on this massive ranch and grew up riding OTTBs and other horses of every colour. I know she misses having a horse of her own as much as I've always yearned to have one. 

It'll be interesting to see how this all works out! I'll be updating here until something definitive happens...

Chesire aka Sparky over and out


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## Cheshire (Oct 17, 2009)

Something serendipitous happened today. 

My mum mentioned to her two good friends that we needed a place to board, a voila! They know just the spot...right across the street from them!

So we went and checked her out today and I must say, I really, really, really like this woman and what she does. It's just a simple backyard set up but everything was clean and planned out. She has four other horses, two of which are hers. One is 36 years old...can you believe that! And the stunning thing is, she doesn't look a day over 18! ALL the horses look happy and well looked-after. And our boy when he comes home will get 6000 square feet of firm dry ground plus a roomy shelter. To top it all off, we will have access to an excellent travelling vet and the property is a gateway to miles upon miles of trails. All this for a totally affordable price. I can't say enough good things about her and I am so stoked right now.


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## ChingazMyBoy (Apr 16, 2009)

Awsome! By the way two posts, that beats my journal.


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## Cheshire (Oct 17, 2009)

I was just so excited about it I had to put it out there, but it doesn't warrant it's own thread, ha.

The Friesian cross we were looking at has been sold to someone who suddenly offered to pay a higher sum. :-| A few days before we were supposed to go look at him, too.

That's alright, though. There are tons of local horses that need homes around here and I'm sure we'll come across the one that's meant to be.


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## Cheshire (Oct 17, 2009)

We're looking at two horses tomorrow.


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## bubblegum (Oct 6, 2009)

best of luck hope you find your horse


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## Cheshire (Oct 17, 2009)

Thank you much!

Today we went out and looked at a tri-colour saddlebred stallion (he'd be gelded if he came home with us!) You know those studs who aren't even aware they're intact? He was one of those...one of the most gentle, curious and people-oriented horses I've met. He was beautiful, a slender 15.2 hands and we fell in love with him. He's comfy to ride (like a gaited should be  ), doesn't take advantage of riders he doesn't know or who aren't up to the skill level he's familiar with. The arena we rode him around in was right next to a mare's pen, and he would only glance at her...none of that squealy insane manly stuff stals usually display. 

We were originally looking at a few mares at this barn but it as turns out, they are broodmares and although exquisite my mother doesn't really want to train her horse from the ground-up if he/she is not living in our back yard (our boarders are nearby, but could be closer...)

So the trainer suggested we take a look at "Guy", who was also being sold and was rideable (he's charming both on the ground _and_ in the saddle, btw), so out we came. He has been started in dressage and has had some good shows but the trainer told us that as he's aged he gaits quite a lot...which isn't desirable in the discipline? Or something to that effect. And for the last six months he's basically just been sitting around. They're a dressage-oriented facility...

As I've said, we are in love. He's absolutely perfect...only one problem: out of our price range. ): $4,000 smackers and worth every penny I might add, but we only have, like, $1,000-1,500 ish to spend on a purchase price right now. We are fervently hoping that in the next few weeks they might lower his price a bit more (they are in desperate need of selling around 30 horses right now and the downsized staff is stretched to the absolute limit). However, the owner (whom we havent had a chance to talk with much) apparently is having second thoughts about selling Guy, as he was her first colt foaled on the property...but he's still up for sale on the site...

There are some communication issues, but I don't blame them, being so busy and working with a skeleton crew and all. We're keeping our fingers crossed and hoping that somehow we will be able to save up enough money to buy him around December if he's still there, and continue searching in the meantime.

I have been scouring every horse classified site out there but now that it seems we're actually in the market, I'm having no luck finding what we want. Guess word of mouth will have to suffice for now.


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## Cheshire (Oct 17, 2009)

Hello journal nobody reads (lest of all me! :0 )

Long story short -- our arabian is home and settling in nicely at M's place. She is perfect...I know everyone tends to think the same of their own ponies but honestly, I would not trade this stout little tank for any other horse in the world...not even a warmblood! And that's saying something. I've only known her for a very short time, but she's already stolen my heart, and I hope the year I have with her before going to college (not that attending college in another state will keep me away for any length of time  ) will be long and joyous.

I spent a lot of time with her today and just out at the Place, talking with the people and our friends who live right across the way. Lil is doing well for not having been there very long. She's pooping and eating and drinking, and has even used her shelter, which is good to know. She's worked out her issues with the other mares over the fence and made friends with two of them already. We've being keeping a rug on her at night as she does not have a winter coat, and M -- who has been extremely kind -- is willing to take it off her in the mornings and put it on in the evening. Everyone there is so nice and I completely trust them. Lilly is just surrounded by good, wholsome people, and delightful horses.

I will help our friends who are on the other side of the street clean out their own roundpen, as they have offered to let us use it! 

Today I lunged her...she tested me a bit, but moved out well enough. She even started that chewing thing with the mouth which I was very happy about. She got groomed and had plenty of luvin'. I took her out for her first walk, which was pretty short, but I wanted to start slow. She did well! She's not bombproof, but she's level about things. If she spooks she only tends to do a little sidestep or stomp her front hoof. We had cars drive past, dirtbikes, dogs running around barking, weird looking buildings...some terrifying ducks had a commotion and that was her worst spook, but like I said, it was really nothing bad. She leads nicely, if a bit clumsily (if she's not paying attention she'll run into you a bit), but I suspect a lot of that was just her busy looking at the new sights. Oh, and Lils is _excellent_ walking over woobly wooden planks and through tight spaces without running you over, and she'll walk through small ditches rather than jump over them, which I've known some horses to do.  

I really believed we picked a good one here!!!

She calls quite a bit, which might be for the horses she used to know at her old pasture. When we left, the gang at M's started carrying on...I thought it was cute that they have already taken such an interest in her. She would do it periodically as we walked, and at one point she got the whole neighborhood started -- other horses, chickens, ducks, donkeys -- I lol'd. As we got closer back to the house, she was a smidge excited and was jogging in place a bit...not pulling me, but obviously wanting to go faster. I walked her in a circle and she calmed down. All in all a great first outing.

In her paddock, if there's no food in front of her, she'll just follow you anywhere without a halter on, the widdle Lillybean.

Man, I am not used to standing so much, not since my last job! I spent 7 hours out there and it went by soooo fast. In the car ride home, I was incredibly relaxed...felt like I had left a spa. Completely calm and at one with myself and the world. That's what horses do to me. I attribute it having to lower my energy level to keep them calm and happy...it's good stuff. I can't remember ever feeling so relaxed.

Gave her her first peppermint! (Loved it, of course), and her evening hay. The rest of the gang got what was left in my carrot bag. The animals are no longer weary of me...the goat and the chickens beg, the dogs willingly greet me without barking and the smallest will sit in my lap for pets. The whole place has wonderful vibes, I will sleep well tonight...looking forward to when I next get to go out, which will likely be Tuesday, with our silly schedule.

I need a car!

Cheshire, over and out.


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