We Own Horses -- Again.

     Just like the move, I hope that this horse, the one I now own, is my last horse. I hope this is my last move. I hope this is my last job. I hope the Rapture comes, but yes, if it doesn't, I still hope this is my last horse! One of the nicest things about being able to say I'm a horse owner again, is that I really like the horse I bought. I don't think of her as a flip-horse, one I can buy, work, and sell for more money. I see her as my new friend. I hope she'll agree; and think I'm pretty cool too. 

    Jace is what I'm calling her. She's a sorrel and white Paint mare, and is probably in her mid-teens. We'll have to take her home to examine her mouth and teeth before we can be certain about her age. She's about 14.2 or 14.3HH tall, which is a good size, and she's pregnant. She'll foal sometime in the spring to early summer of 2026, and that baby will stay with us too. We're not selling it. Whether it's a boy or a girl, the baby's name is Harper. (Laura named it)

    Harper was going to be the name of Laura's new horse, a full-blooded Arabian mare whom we picked up at the same kill pen where Jace was. They were housed and/or brought in simultaneously. When I saw Jace, I wasn't immediately smitten. She was pretty, she was nice, she was dainty, and she was a good-looking horse, but I didn't say "Oh, wow!" We did that when we saw Laura's mare. You can't help yourself. The instant you see her, your mouth drops and your eyes bug out. Jace has a really kind eye, and she'll make an amazing horse. We're hoping the same is true with the Arabian mare.

    I don't know what Laura's going to call her. It was Harper, but that was before she thought harder about it. She wants to give her a name that she feels will live up to the grace and beauty of the animal. You'll see the pictures -- I'll post one here, and you can get an idea. But when we get her home and dress her up a little, she will shine! Bay Arabian mares can be so pretty in and of themselves with their high-held tails and dished faces; this one has the long tail and thick mane as well. She holds her head high and prances even when being ridden. She, too, is around 14.2 or 14.3HH, so she's a bit taller for her breed.

    I was gobsmacked that no one had paid her bail. She was only $875. No one was stepping up, and we couldn't figure that one out. Laura said, "OK, there has to be something really wrong with her," and we looked. Her knees are fine, her back is straight; she isn't injured, lazy, or dragging a foot. She's truly a perfect find; so why wasn't anyone jumping at the chance? We have no idea. When we realized that she was going to be shipped out today (11/12) if her bail wasn't paid, Laura gave me that look -- it's a familiar one. I'm not gonna lie and pretend I didn't know exactly what she wanted.

    Paying for the mare meant we'd have to sacrifice a couple of other smaller plans for the house, but if Laura is willing to put up the fence for the horse herself, that alone would save $1000, and that's the price of the horse and the transport to the QT. She sold a few things on Marketplace to cover the horse's transport to our house, and now all we have to do is hope I get paid a little extra between now and then to cover the board for both horses while they're up in Kansas waiting to come to our place. (It happened. I made Employee of the Month, and believe it or not, there was a little bonus that goes with that honor!) Jesus is just toooooo good to us.

    We own horses again! I gave up Ava in 2021. I think I can't remember. She was my last horse. She was a Foxtrotter. I think Laura's last horse was a Thoroughbred she could barely scale to get up on top of, and when she did, the thing tried to run her into things. No more nonsense! We're settling for two good broke and rideable horses, and a little newborn baby that I'm more than sure will come out spotted, but you never know. At least we know these horses will be spoiled completely rotten, and having them at our place means no one can judge us.

    If you don't know what I mean by that last statement, you haven't been around horse people. I like to say the best thing about horse people is their dogs! I mean that. Horse people can be so rude; we simply don't want anything to do with most of them anymore. At our place, it is OUR place. We don't have to wait to ride in the arena. We don't have to put up with barn drama. No one will steal our feed, our tack, or take our spot at the wash rack. No one will be there to tell us how we ride, or that our farrier doesn't know what he's doing. I could go on, but I've decided to smile, inhale, exhale, and thank God for our new place—and the horses. 

    Laura will be whole again. I know it.

Laura's mare: (not Laura on her, that's her at Peabody Kill Pen in Kansas)