Remember last week I looked at this horse:
And I said: "She's not exactly for sale, but I have a feeling that might change...."? Sometimes I think I live an extraordinarily serendipitous life. Maybe it's just simple intuition, which I believe is nothing more than extreme confidence in one's "gut feeling". It just seems like whenever I decide I should "do" something, it's not really me deciding it at all! That "something" is already out there, and I'm powerless against it's pull. Sometimes I don't even know why I'm doing what I'm doing...driving somewhere, looking for something...my intellectual brain shuts off, I get really emotional and kind of "scatterred and focused" at the same time, and I find myself being navigated by "something else". Has that ever happened to any of you? It's really weird and kind of freaky. Anyway - it seems as if the stars align, something powerful is set in motion, and I just roll on to something wonderful. This horse is one of those "something wonderful"s.
My friend Linda and I were looking at a few boarding stables together, checking out some horses, etc. I saw three or so horses, and I had about three or so more that I wanted to see over the course of the next week. One day, on a lark, (or whatever you want to call it), I randomly drove up to the Rocking S Ranch, which is just a few miles from my house, but not a place I was considering boarding my "future horse". I asked the owner if she knew of any horses for sale or lease. She said there might be one, (Maddie), and I could go take a look while she called the owner. She pointed me in the right direction and off I went.
As I approached the pasture, I heard a soft nicker, and Maddie came ambling over to say hello. She was so sweet. She had a fly mask on and I wanted to see her eyes, so I lifted one corner....and then I fell in love. I actually had tears in my eyes. It's hard to explain. But there was an instant connection, like magic.
I walked back up and waited for Maddie's owner to arrive. His name is Cris, a super nice guy who clearly loves his horses. "She's not for sale." he told me. "But I might consider a lease." He invited me out on a trail ride. Between him and his partner, they have 8 horses together. Quite a lot for two people to handle, hence the possibility of a lease (I would pay him a fee and take care of his horse. In return...I get to take care of his horse.)
Maddie was exquisite on the trail. Only 6 years old and still in a bosal (a very light bridle, just a nose band, no bit in her mouth). She was responsive, engaged, and absolutely enjoying the ride. Cris told me that she had a few behaviors to watch out for: she may kick a horse if it's too close behind her, she may try to "turn short" or too quickly on some of the trail branches because she thinks she knows the way, she may try to run up the hill at the end of the trail, etc. I kept hearing him behind me say "Huh." as she failed to exhibit any of these behaviors. And it's a good thing she didn't, because our partnership out on the trail must have impressed Cris in some way. He told me he might consider selling her. Whooo hoooo! One step closer.
We parted ways with the understanding that I still had a few horses I was going to look at, I wanted to make sure I wasn't falling for the first pretty girl I see. Cris was going to consider things. We would touch base in a week. I told him - "I want to be completely honest with you. I love this horse and I know you do too. You need to know that if you ever do decide to sell her to me, I will probably move her to another boarding facility." I worried a little bit that I might be blowing my chances, he would have a hard time saying good bye to this horse, but I also realized that, of course I wasn't blowing anything. And I owed him the courtesy of full disclosure.
By that evening, Maddie was my screen saver. She was my Facebook profile picture, I couldn't stop looking at her pictures, I couldn't stop talking about her. I was emotional and in awe. I tried to look at other horses the next day and my car broke down and had to be towed. I had a dream that night that I was walking Maddie into an arena, I saw a piece of paper fluttering around on the ground and bent over to pick it up. It had Cris' phone number on it and in bold print, it said "CALL".
So I called the next day. Do you know what Cris said? "I thought it over, and I decided to lease her to you for 60 days, and if it's really a match, which I already know it is, I will sell her to you." He said that what convinced him was how I responded to her, and she to me. That, and how he thought it was just "too weird" that he hadn't been planning on leasing or selling her, but he just happened to get this phone call one day that there was a lady at the ranch who wanted his horse......Yes, Cris. It's weird. That's how the magic happens!
I signed the lease last night.
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