Thursday, September 16, 2010

What do I do?

I want that red horse. His asking price has come down since I tried him out. I have been tempted to make an offer and see if she accepts it. I did like what I felt when riding him. But I'm actually scared she will say, "yes".

Why? For one, he's in PA, not close by. It's not like I can try him once more before I commit to buy without a road trip and stay over. I don't know any vets in PA who could check him over for me and though I have a reliable friend who can put me in touch with someone who may be able to find one for me, I still may not get someone. He needs all his shots. He's only been wormed while being at this place. He has thrush in all four hooves. That's treatable and also not making him lame.

Does he load into a trailer? Good question. Does he stand for clippers? No clue. All I know is he stood on crossties, didn't freak out when my kids were petting him, walk/trot/cantered and swapped his leads with some coaxing and willingly jumped the crossrails without racing to them.

Do I close my eyes and just do this and let fate sort it out? I will admit I have a better feeling inside from the get-go about this guy than I did with Rugby. In one trial, I did more with this horse with no trouble than I did with Rugby in an entire year.

Yeah, I have bills from my last nightmare. But bills I would still have if Rugby had survived. My trainer will probably want to kill me but we've known each other long enough that he'll get over it. ;P

And I do like and appreciate this kind old horse I'm half boarding but this hole in my heart can only be filled with my own horse to love and become a partner with.

I may do something crazy... will let you know.

18 comments:

OnTheBit said...

Okay, so I feel like it says a lot that you have been keeping tabs on this ad. He is all legs and would make a great field hunter, which is what I feel like you are looking for. I am not sure where in Pa he is, but I do know at least 2 really good vets that go across the line on a regular basis. I know I was miss doom and gloom before, but I say go for it now. Clearly there is something special about this horse!

Cousin B said...

I wish I could give you advice worth taking, but all I can say is I understand how you feel...Only you know if it's the right time or not.

Mrs. Mom said...

Know what? If it is *supposed* to happen, It Will.

Fingers crossed that you can sort it out happily! ;)

Dreaming said...

Making decisions can be very, very difficult. This is surely a tough one. All I know is that once I've made a decision I usually feel a whole lot better!
Good luck!

Anonymous said...

In this market, can you ask for a 30-day trial period - you'd be able to learn a lot in that time.

C-ingspots said...

Trust your heart...you only live once and...it's only money, right?
I haven't been here in a long while, so please forgive me, but I've no idea what's happened to Rugby. Just let me say that we never know from one day to the next what may or may not happen. Again...trust that gut.

C-ingspots said...

I'm so sorry about Rugby. I've just been reading your past posts and I'm just so very sorry. If this big, red horse will help fill that hole in your heart, just go for it. WTF!! Life's too damned short and you just never know. God Bless you and may Rugby rest in peace.

English Rider said...

The fact that you posted this seems to answer your own question?

Unknown said...

Kate is right--before I committed to buying two of our horses, we took them on a two-week trial run to ensure that they would be everything we would need them to be. We paid half their price as a deposit and paid the other half at the end of the two weeks in exchange for their papers and a final bill of sale. We've done this with several and have not encountered resistance from anyone worth their salt.

Jean said...

He looks like a good boy from what I saw in the pics and read in your post. If the price is right, he might be just what you need.

I think you've got some connections right here for a vet check.

Could be fate at work??? What's his name? Did you tell us? Maybe there's a message there.

SolitaireMare said...

The Red horses' name is Billy. Supposedly his papered name is something like "Rebel Yell" so, you know, Billy Idol? I kind of laughed when I was told that 'cause when I was in my 20'S I LOVED Billy Idol!

Katie said...

Hmm its always a hard decision? What does your gut say? It seems that you know what you want to do, you just are worried about what other people think. I hope it works out for you :D

Jean said...

A horse with a "people name" somehow attached is always a good sign for me. Two of my best ones were named after people.

And "Billy" sounds so friendly, as if someone really wanted to capture his personality. Good sign.....

JennyB said...

What popped into my head while reading your post was it sounds like this is something you really want but you're afraid to be hurt so badly again. I say you can't live in fear and you must nourish that piece of your soul that needs a horse. If your emotions are too mixed for you to see a clear answer then it may help to consider it from a more logical standpoint. Write down what you want in a horse, check off any of these that this horse has. Write down any problems you've seen like the thrush, consider if the problems are correctable, how difficult they would be to correct, and are you willing and able to do these things to correct them? Then look at what you've got. Do his pros outweigh his cons?

~~JennyB, Horsefeathers

Net said...

I think once you have enough experience around horses, you can trust your gut, as well as that lingering in your mind which Billy seems to have.

There's a reason he has a hold on you, and there are plenty of horses out there. But something about him is hanging onto you so you keep thinking about him, and even if you haven't verbalized it, you know something about why he's right for you. I agree to go with your gut.

(I bought my horse 6 months after I first saw him, and he stuck in my mind the same way, so I speak from personal experience!)

Good luck, whatever you choose!

Leslie Sealey said...

I can't help it, I'm secretly hoping the big red horse will come home with you. : )
You look really good on him!

Once Upon an Equine said...

Did you make a decision? Still thinking? Do tell.

OTTB-Little Big Red said...

I love my big red horse. This is a picture from last year: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RuuHZNYX2lw/SjPyd7HI8UI/AAAAAAAAADU/aNms3jqn-ak/s1600-h/DSC01565_cropped.jpg and here he is last month at his first show: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_RuuHZNYX2lw/THra4I4vfDI/AAAAAAAAAMk/4rt7dB4Cvyc/s1600/August+2010+193.jpg