This morning I packed a picnic and set off to the barn to go with the girls on a day trail. When I got there they were backing the truck up to the trailer. We had only planned to ride on our home trails, so I didn't know what was going on. When I got there, one of the ladies said she had found the perfect horse for my daughter. I told her I was going to get her one, but we haven't really been actively looking yet. The woman that found her is actually my daughters riding instructor, so I trust her judgment. The horse is a 25 year old mare, with a very sweet disposition. She has been a trail horse most of her life. Her last owner rode her all over the place, even the big public trail rides. He passed away and his wife didn't feed the horses so they ended up being seized. She is thin, but she has been getting fed good for the past couple of months...so hopefully she is back to her normal personality. We will have to work on her getting muscles again, but that shouldn't be to hard with a 13 year old kid who loves the trails as her owner. I love the fact that she is a been there done that seasoned trail horse. My daughter rode her for a little while bareback (with a pad) and a hackamore. She was perfect. She is peppy, has no signs of arthritis, is completely healthy and has been vaccinated (in the same month as our others, so she is already on the same schedule). My daughters riding instructor even bought her a new halter, lead rope, her own brushes, hoof pick and horse treats and gave her a helmet. I swear, I think her and her husband where every bit as excited as I was. My daughter will be paying her own board and feed, and I will pay in case of emergency, ferrier and yearly vaccinations.
*the surprise for my daughter (for anyone interested)*
I had to work today and normally I don't take my daughter to the barn when I have to work. So we had to think up an excuse. So when I picked her up from school, I asked her if she would help me spread fertilizer in the pasture...I told her we have to hurry and get it down before it rains :twisted::lol:. So being the great barn helper she is, she agreed. Her riding instructor got her a card and they put leis on the horses neck and everything and tucked her away in a stall. When we got there, her riding instructors husband handed her a card and said they found it on the ground for her.
The card said:
Hope you like your present!
Her name is "Hope"! For my bestest student. Keep doing good in school and she will be yours forever!
Love ya kid!
Her and her hubby signed it, and her horses signed it too and they enclosed Hopes coggins.
It was perfect! My daughter read the card...as the information was trying to sink in, we told her last stall on the left. She disappeared into the stall. I went to check on her and see what she thought (at this point she hadn't said a word) and she had tears in her eyes. Two minutes later she comes out leading Hope. BTW, we later found the coggins and the card on the ground in the stall :lol: My daughter was in shock. Just such a special moment I wanted to share.
I will try and get some pics of the horse tomorrow, but I won't be able to get pics of my daughter and Hope until Saturday.
*the surprise for my daughter (for anyone interested)*
I had to work today and normally I don't take my daughter to the barn when I have to work. So we had to think up an excuse. So when I picked her up from school, I asked her if she would help me spread fertilizer in the pasture...I told her we have to hurry and get it down before it rains :twisted::lol:. So being the great barn helper she is, she agreed. Her riding instructor got her a card and they put leis on the horses neck and everything and tucked her away in a stall. When we got there, her riding instructors husband handed her a card and said they found it on the ground for her.
The card said:
Hope you like your present!
Her name is "Hope"! For my bestest student. Keep doing good in school and she will be yours forever!
Love ya kid!
Her and her hubby signed it, and her horses signed it too and they enclosed Hopes coggins.
It was perfect! My daughter read the card...as the information was trying to sink in, we told her last stall on the left. She disappeared into the stall. I went to check on her and see what she thought (at this point she hadn't said a word) and she had tears in her eyes. Two minutes later she comes out leading Hope. BTW, we later found the coggins and the card on the ground in the stall :lol: My daughter was in shock. Just such a special moment I wanted to share.
I will try and get some pics of the horse tomorrow, but I won't be able to get pics of my daughter and Hope until Saturday.