We just bought our first horse!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Well, at this actual moment, we’re about to buy uor first horse…we’re paying for her the trailering service is delivering her today!

A while back, I started asking advice on horse care and horse shopping, and Hello Again linked me to a horse message board forum that I’ve been spending waaaay too much time at (sorry, SDMB!). They’ve walked me through everything, from what to ask when I horse shop, to giving opinions on horses I’ve checked out, to helping me with supply lists I’ll need for the first horse, to helping the new horse adjust to her new home.

Well! Wanna know all about her? :smiley: Her name is “Ferrana Moniet,” and she’s a 14yro registered Arabian mare. (14 is middle age–Arabs regularly make it to 25-30.) Although Arabs are known for being spirited, she is very sweet, patient, and obedient–precisely what we’ve been looking for. She passed every test we gave her…her physical check-up, lounging, riding at walk-trot-canter in both directions in a ring, walking and trotting on the trail with a hotter-headed horse, trailering (going into a trailer), clipping (electric clippers on the nose, mouth, ears, etc), grooming, tacking up, hoof picking, catching, feeding, releasing…well, you get the idea. We visited her twice, taking digital still pics the first time and videotaping the 2nd time for repeated viewing, and all in all, my trainer was impressed by her and said she’s an excellent First Horse candidate–and that we should buy her. :slight_smile: She’s also very fairly priced.

I have the Bill of Sale all prepared (where the sellers will sign that yes, they are her legal owners, and that she’s not under any medication, among other things), and we pick her up today! I’m excited–but at the same time weirded out. This is a life-long dream, and it’s strange to consider I’ll be on the other side of the glass I spent most of my life fogging up while I peered anxiously through it.

I’ll post more info later, but for now, I need to start getting ready. We’ve bought her a new halter, lead, grooming tools, and of course–treats! I’ll come back in a few, though, with a link or two of pics of her.

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Wow–apparently I am excited–look at all those typos!

Anyway, here’s a pic of Ferrana, taken the first time we visited her:

http://chronicleforums.com/6/ubb.x/,s,6656094911,a,ga,ul,6266079251,ic,Y/Pa270015.jpg

(Hope that link works)

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Well, you’ve joined the horsey set!

That is it, isn’t it? You’re not planning to… eat it?

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Cool Ruffian! She looks really nice. ::looks again at horse:: I hope she is good at baths, because with a grey horse like that, she’s gonna need a lot of them. :smiley:

I have known many Arabs (my own horse is 3/4 Arab) who are very level headed. I’m so happy for you, I know you’ve wanted one for a long time.

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Thanks, Bryan and Boscibo!

Oh, and FWIW, that’s not me in the pic with her…but that is 1/2 of DeathLlama in the background. :slight_smile:

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You know, I misread the title as “We just bought our first house.” And I was going to give you all sorts of advice about checking for termites and stuff.

But since it’s actually about a horse, don’t worry about termites.

Unless your horse has a wooden leg.

Congratulations, ruff.

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Happy trails to you, Ruffian! Your new mare looks like a sweetie. Here’s hoping that the two of you have many happy years together.

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She’s lovely!! Hope all works out well with her.

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[former horse-crazy little girl perishes of retroactive envy]

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It’s cold, wet, and yucky, but she’s home…and all things considered, doing very well. Some pictures:

Nice lighting gives you a good view of that pretty little head of hers

Rubbing her chin

I like this pic…despite the stress, she still really enjoyed getting her face rubbed and getting a treat or two

Just rubbing out a little mud, and loving every moment of it

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CONGRATULATIONS!!! 14 is a great age - she’s outgrown the sillies but still has lots of great years left. How tall is she?

I’m going to try to link pics of my horse. He’s a 16.1 hh bay TB gelding. His registered name is Donnybrook Lad, but I call him Irish.

StG
Irish and StG
Irish trotting
Headshot

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Oh, Ruffian, I’m so jealous!

I was one of those horse-mad little girls, but gave up riding when I was about 11. I did a little bit of riding last year, and I’ve just recently started lessons again. Horseys are wonderful, and riding is one of the things I’ve discovered that always makes me happy - even when I fall off, I’m still in a good mood after my lesson! I haven’t quite given up my little girl pony-dream of owning a horse some day…

Your mare looks beautiful!

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She does have a pretty head. Speaking of pretty little heads - with Arabs, normal horse-sized stuff is often too big, and Arab-sized stuff is sometimes hard to find. If you are riding hunt seat, the “cob” size fits Arab heads.

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I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! It’s not FAIR!!!
WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! :frowning: :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

Congratulations, Ruffian. She’s a beautiful mare, with a beautiful name to go with her! But if you ever get sick of her, pass her on my way…I’ll take good care of her!

mnemosyne runs to her SO to ask when can SHE get a horse too?!?!?

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Ah, horses are fun. Watch out though, they are smarter than they let on. And they lie. Boy, do they lie. You’ll know what that means later.
I don’t think I put my horse through that many tests when we bought him, or my mare either. I just rode him around, up a hill and checked him out myself for lameness and conformity, (I’m a rather good judge of conformity for QH standards) and took him home. For Jessie I didn’t even ride her, she was greenbroke but sweet, so I just spent some time with her to see what her temperment was like. Plus she’s got excellent bloodlines, and she was a steal at $1,000.
Now is a good time to buy a horse, but not a good time to sell one. Because of the droughts here in the west, hay prices are going up, and horse values are plumetting. If you can find hay under $3 a bale, buy as much as you can get your hands on.
Wanna know what my horse’s name is? :smiley:
Bordeaux Intimidator. Ain’t that pretty. He’s Cisco for short, and Jessie’s full name is something like Clarein Jessity. Nobody said they were the most attractive of names.

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She’s gorgeous, Ruffian! Such beautiful eyes! Congratulations and happy riding!
More horsey pics. I don’t have a horse, but this is my brother’s thoroughbred, Marseille Ballet. She never ran a race (tendon :frowning: ) but she’s at Harris Farms, in foal to Flying Continental. The dream lives on!

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oh congrats.

i’m from horsey family (my dad’s people are big in the irish racing scene) and she looks lovely.

i’m so jealous , i can’t ride anymore, since a bad fall wrecked my lumbar discs (damn pony walked over and kicked me in the back when i was down) and i miss all that stuff.

hope you have a long and happy relationship!

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Hey Foxy, It would really help if you would put a space between your paragraphs so your thoughts were easier to read.

Like this.

And Irishgirl, lets use capital letters , ok?

just kidding!!!

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Hey Foxy, It would really help if you would put a space between your paragraphs so your thoughts were easier to read.

Like this.

And Irishgirl, lets use capital letters , ok?

just kidding!!!

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Duck Duck Goose, tritone, mnemosyne, I feel your pain! For years it just ached when I’d see someone around horses/buy a horse/talk about their horse/etc. It’s surreal to actually be one of those people.

The other day, before she was delivered to us, I was talking with a super-helpful lady in a tack store. I was explaining how all my life, I’ve been on the other side of the glass, peering in, hands and nose pressed against it, fogging it up. It’s strange, surreal, but in a delightful way, to suddenly be in that world I so once wanted to be a part of.

We walked her around today, and finally found one of the turnouts that was usable (the others were horribly muddy–ankle deep!). She walked, trotted, snorted, whinnied, tossed her head, and then most fun–played tag with us! She’d follow me from one end to another (with me safely on the other side of the rail), trotting after me when I’d run–and with Brian, cantering past him! She kicked her heels and actually worked up a sweat burning off all that nervous energy. When the time with her was over, she whinnied after me as I left. Ah…a bond is already forming…I think! :smiley: