30 June 2011

The Mare Backstory - Part Two

Standing there, looking at this horrible creature, my mind whirled with the promise I had made to my husband - that I would not bring home another disaster. This mare was way beyond disaster. Then the hunter confirmation judge piped up and said the mare had wonderful confirmation. "Just look at her bone structure!"

29 June 2011

The Mare Backstory - Part One

Erin was a fancy tomato soup colored chestnut Holsteiner mare. I raised her from a weanling, started her as a late two year old and rode her until she was four. She was a delight, a real character who adored flat work and dressage, but looked down her nose in distain at anything higher than two inches off the ground. When faced with any height, Erin chose demolition. She crushed cavaletti, snapped ground poles and crashed through jumps, scattering flower boxes, roll tops and standards all over the arena. I got the hint pretty quick.

28 June 2011

The Mare

In the pre-dawn stillness of that Wednesday morning, I hitched the rig and drove to Denver. I had to get to the sale barn before the killer truck arrived. The slaughter house drivers were notorious for showing up early.

16 June 2011