Last month...
Well, okay, really this past August.
Or was it July?
Either way, this summer I was on a mission. A horse hunting mission. It was time to start finding my next little star. A new horse to try to bring up the ranks behind William. Sure there have been others. An Oldenburg mare with a horrendous arena attitude that made it not fun to even think about eventually showing, a draft/holsteiner mare who had the gorgeous movement and a sane brain but no drive what so ever to ever move off my leg and would occasionally rear up and strike at you in her stall and a QH mare who decided that anything more than going around the rail or giving small children lunge lessons was absolutely murder.
I was rather discourage. Would I ever find a horse that was within my budget, had fairly decent movement and has a brain in it's skull? I've been looking through the Facebook groups for months almost years now. Asking about a horse here or there but there was always something that made me walk away. There was almost an Lusitano gelding but he was petite and I'm a big girl (fat bottom ain't just for my ponies!). Then there was a 3 coming 4 year old Friesian/Belgian Draft cross who came up in my newsfeed. The ad was several months old in fact. I looked at the pictures and inquired about some video. Watched the video. Asked for info on the parents. Mother was 19.2, rescued from an auction pregenant with the little tyke, bred by a Frieisan stallion, Willem SF.
I was intrigued enough to fly to OH and meet him. He was personable, inquisitive and HUGE. He
stands at 17.3 hands high currently at (soon to be) 4 years old. The previous owner was a really wonderful lady who had spent her whole life rescuing and his whole life being a great horsey mom. It was hard for her to sell him but we've all been there. Trying to cull the herd. A bit of negotiations later he was going to be mine! I was so excited but as usual nothing really comes that easy for me. I had a bit of issues with getting him here but finally found a shipper that was in my budget AND had a trailer big enough for him. He did arrive, of course, after I had left for Regionals but my barn manager, Mariah was kind enough to take lots of pictures of the arrival and text them to me.
So, he's here, I'm here and its been really fun getting to know him. Spending a long time grooming him, and finding his favorite itchy spots. I am excited to see what the future holds for this dude. I'll be registering him with the DCBOA as soon as I get his paperwork and hopefully have another horse to work towards the USDF Year End All Breed Awards!
World... meet Hagrid.
