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Comment by Stacy Sull on March 14, 2012 at 11:53am

My husband asked me what I wanted to do for Valentine's Day...I said, as a joke, "I want to go look at some young warmblood horses in Idaho."  I was so surprised when he said, "Okay, we'll do that."  That was my first inkling that he was serious about buying a new dressage prospect.  Well, we went on Valentine's weekend to see the three young horses the owner brought from her ranch.  Although I really liked them, I just wasn't smitten.  Then my instructor at the time saw a 6yo Swedish mare up in Washington with super bloodlines, and she was hot to trot for me to go have a look.  So my husband, then 5-year-old daughter and I packed into the car and made the 13 hour trip from Montana to Auburn, Washington.  I saw the mare, and she was gorgeous.  I rode the mare, and although she felt like she had a lot of training holes, I felt that, with work and patience, I could bring her around.  Well, my husband offered a price, and they accepted, so the vetting was scheduled.  I flew up to Washington with high hopes a few weeks later for the vetting.  The mare was just as gorgeous as I had remembered, but just didn't seem right.  When she was put on the lunge, she was so very obviously lame, we didn't even go through with x-rays.  I was so disappointed.  I have a feeling, when I first went to look, they had given her something so her "training holes" could have actually been a glimpse of the soreness I saw on Vet Check Day. 

I came home with a heavy heart.  My husband was very supportive.  I had been looking at young horses on a website in South Dakota, and the horses were advertised as "not hothouse flowers -- raised OUTSIDE."  Well, coming from Montana, my husband thought that one of those horses would be much better suited for our place in Montana than the coddled mare from Washington anyway.  I requested their video, started watching.  I liked two geldings I saw very much.  Then I saw 3-year-old RF Latten.  I immediately fell in love.  He had excellent conformation, beautiful, floaty movement and a gorgeous head.  The final straw was when I watched him, at the end of the video, go to the corner and pick up a white splint boot in his mouth and carry it around the arena, not missing a beat, with a mischievous look in his eyes.  I immediately took the video to one of my riding buddy's house an hour away to see what she thought.  She too thought he was "The One." I immediately contacted the farm and made arrangements for a vetting. 

The rest is history, as he vetted clean.  We made the trip to South Dakota, took him home, and he ate and drank all the way home on the 1 1/2 day trip like a seasoned pro.  I had him started at the end of August and then back to the trainer's for a refresher course after winter.  I trail rode him for an entire year with the coaching of my colt trainer up and down the mountain.  That trail riding paid off, and now he is coming 6 in June, and we are preparing to show 1st level after a short (due to the EHV-1 scare), but very successful, show season last summer at Training Level. 

One of the neatest things is that I started taking dressage lessons on him from my trainer in Sandpoint, Idaho, last year and she liked him so much, she bought his yearling full brother, so now I get to watch his full (and look-alike) sibling come along under the training of my instructor.  Don't believe them when they tell you you can't buy a horse off a video.  I did it and have been so lucky! 

Comment by Nell Scannon on March 14, 2012 at 11:53am

Well, I was searching for my partner online.  You know, the usual way.  I'd hunted around, dated a few, but nothing 'clicked'.  I made an appointment with her breeder, but to see a different horse.  I got there, was graciously welcomed and shown around.  I saw a couple young geldings, one chestnut with a lovely snowflake on his rump, but it just didn't feel quite right.  We were standing around, kicking the dust, and she said offhand, "Would you like to see the filly that was born last night?" WELL WOULD I! 

I was led over to a stall, with my non-horsey friend in tow, and we peeked over the top of the door.  It was like little ANGELS had landed on my shoulders.  She was a leopard from head to toe, perfectly sized chestnut spots and slender ears that curled in at the tips. Her breeder walked in with her and her big, 16.3 hand mama and beckoned for me to pet her.  She was a little nervous, but so soft and like a little piece of heaven.

So, you can pretty much guess what happened after that! She's 7 this year and those chestnut spots have turned to a dark chocolaty brown, but she still has those curled ears and is big just like her mom.  I still have the pictures my friend took with her phone :)

 

Comment by Wendy Blough on March 14, 2012 at 11:52am

I was very lucky to get the horse I always wanted!! My husbands cousin and I were horse shopping and I saw a mare that I liked and she was pregnant so I bought her .She was all white but her mother was a palomino.I have always wanted a palomino and  to my surprise she had a beautiful  golden palomino colt with a big blaze and 4 white stockings. He is my pride and joy. Very smart and laid back. He is the perfect horse for me.

Comment by Karen Neal on March 14, 2012 at 11:51am

I am an adult re-rider and was searching for the perfect horse. Tried several - one being a retired Mexican race horse who proceeded to almost throw me off. I decided at that moment to find a good trainer and lesson while she & I searched far & wide for the perfect horse in my price range. Saw many over months without one being "the horse". Finally drove to another state to look at a TB who seemed right. Nope. Owner was anxious to sell something I guess as she kept bringing out more & more for me to try. Finally I found the one! He nuzzled me while we were tacking up and I knew he was the one. Trainer rode and when she passed him over to me to try she said the magical words "He is the one!" He was perfect for me! I am the proud owner of a gorgeous palomino QH - my heart horse!

Comment by Cheryl F on March 14, 2012 at 11:45am

It was the pure luck of the Irish that Kahlua and I meet. My son, the baby had been my riding partner, we had spent the majority of the past 6 years, since his sister left for college and a career, consumed with our horse things. The summer prior to his leaving for college, his long time equine partner passed away, when the scramble to find a new horse to fulfill the slot on the college equestrian team failed my son asked to borrow my horse. My kids had been my everything for so long their leaving was going to be hard on me and everyone knew that. My husband knew me without a horse or kids, was going to be a bad thing. So the search changed from a fully trained horse for our son to a project for me. Kahlua was found 400 miles away from our home. Word came to me about her through 4-H. The horse had been left living in a field all alone for over 6 years. Nothing had been done except hoof trims and yearly shots. She did not know how to lead stand for brushing, never been under saddle NOTHING. The moment I saw her scared eyes I knew she need me as much as needed her.   

Comment by Sherry Cassetori on March 14, 2012 at 11:44am

I was looking for a horse of my own for quite a while, I must have taken 100 or so videos to my instructor, There were a few she liked , but I never had gotten the feeling any of them would be the perfect one for me.  One day I shoved a flyer of a horse in with the videos. When I came for my lesson that week she asked for the video of Moe. I told her I could get it if she really wanted it.  So I did. she called the seller and they told me someone was coming to look at the horse on Sunday.  We asked did they put a deposit on him and would it be ok to come and check him out, she said yes.My trainer went with me and said I really think this boy might be the one.  He was such a kind big guy , so I bought him .  And guess what he and I fit like a glove.

Comment by Christa Myers on March 14, 2012 at 11:43am

I met my mare -Ashira- from a horse ad on Kijiji. It was a spur of the moment and a - Dad me and mom are just looking- I was so happy and excited so we hightailed it to where the mare was with my BO alongside, turns out the owners left 10 minutes prior to me getting there because of the storm, to only have to turn back around because i arrived. She was four years old, quiet personality, little training but I could manage with that. . Least to say we brought Dad out with us the next day. The owners showed us Ashira, lunged her, layed on her back and Dad turned to my mom and I heard " I guess she's finally getting a horse" and told the owners we would be there tomorrow with our truck to trailer her... Ashira being true to her personality, was stubborn as hell. Didn't get on the trailer the first day... second day and finally we got a different trailer and person and she hopped on. And that is the story of how I met my now, five year old mare.

Comment by Megan Wharin on March 14, 2012 at 11:43am

When I first met my equine partner, I wasnt even in the market for a horse really. I found him in a kijiji ad, this scrawny chesnut baby. At the age of 3 it was pretty difficult to tell how he would turn out but I went and tried him out anyways because I just had a good feeling about him! Turns out we were a perfect match. Even though he was clumsier than a baby giraffe and he looked like one too, I knew me and him would go places together. Today he is excelling at his eventing dicsipline you would swear he was bred for it! Him and I hope to one day make it to the top! I know he has the heart for it. Sometimes we find the best of oppurtunities when we arent even looking for one :)

Comment by Ellin McGinley Daum on March 14, 2012 at 11:42am

After watching videos of gorgeous Andalusian horses for many years I finally decided that was the breed that needed to be mine.  I was scouring the horse sale websites, just by chance I came across the most breathtaking picture of Pavon and knew he had to be mine.  A beautiful gray stallion, he was everything I had envisioned.  Many calls, e-mails, international vets and shippers later he arrived at my farm in 2006 and we have been happily entertaining each other ever since.

Comment by Stacy Bromley Cheetham on March 14, 2012 at 11:38am

Luck absolutely did! It was a lucky year actually, as I married my best friend too <3

But in any case, I had sold my project horse two weeks before we left to get married, and I was sad to see him go. In a strange turn of events, my trainer left the barn we were at while we were on our honeymoon, and when I got back I had no idea where I was going to ride (or what horse!) As luck would have it, my trainer found a beautiful new place to train. A few days later, she called me to say that she had found my next horse, and he was my "perfect horse" - a young, handsome grey gelding with a great personality! And so, through a strange and lucky turn of events, I ended up with my handsome boy!

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