How’d I pick my new horse?

As Cre aged I’d spent time thinking about what kind of horse I’d want if I ever got another.  I really love Arabians.  Their beauty, grace and fire are unequalled.  However I’d also spent a number of trail rides in “parade mode” (short, choppy, trotting strides – entertaining myself by doing the “wave” – Queen, Rodeo Queen, Parade, you get the idea, right?) on my Arabian.   It wasn’t something I wanted again, if possible.

Yet I wanted to be able to compete in the Arabian circuit with Sharon.  So I wanted a Half Arabian. 

And to ride Western Pleasure.  Looks so easy.  (ha!) And it was so different than the Hunter Pleasure I’d been riding for years.  That’s what I wanted.  But Western Pleasure is deceiving.  Done right, it looks easy, but it truly takes a lot of work.  But that’s for another day.

So I knew I wanted a Half Arabian, Western Pleasure horse.  And I thought I wanted a 6 to 12 year old horse.  One that had already been well broke to ride, had some show experience but wasn’t “over the hill.”

I thought it would be easy from there.  I was wrong.