Meeting my “Perfect” horse.

Red White N Blu

Driving to a new location I’m always thinking about what’s proper, and how to act when I get there.  Meeting strangers is not my favorite thing.  But I’ve been doing it my whole life, so here was one more.  Nicole Peacher, of Nicole Peacher Show Horses was one of the few owners I hadn’t exchanged countless emails with.  And I barely knew anything about the horse, other than what I’d read in his ad:

“Red White N Blu (Robby x Ginger) 2007 Half Arabian Gelding.  Big 16 hands, gentle, started under saddle.  This gelding WILL BE SEEN!  Lots of talent.  **Sweepstakes**“

About the only other info I got was in an email “Blu is green broke he walk trots and canters in the round pen.  he would be a great show and or trail horse.”  Looking back I have to wonder what was different this time around because I wasn’t asking her a million questions through email.

Even the “green broke” didn’t scare me.  And somehow the fact that he was only 3 (4 in April) didn’t scare me.  (So much for looking for a 6 to 12 year old horse)  It must be because I knew I had a great trainer in Todd Azevedo.  I know I never would have looked at a horse that young if I didn’t know the horse would be going straight to a great trainer.

So I walked across the courtyard of the ranch to shake Nicole’s hand.  She had me sign release papers since I was going to ride.  Then we walked to her barn to meet him. “Blu” was standing in the cross ties and had to be 100 feet tall!  Holy Moly!  And those eyes!

I was already getting excited!

Nicole brought Blu to their indoor arena (Spring Valley Ranch is really nice, by the way) and lunged him.  Then she got on and rode him.  I took video and enjoyed watching her work Blu.

Nicole was very nice and answered all my questions and then it was time for me to get on.  It wasn’t until later that I truly realized how young he is.  I just grabbed my helmet and mounted.  Of course that sounds easier than it was.  Remember that I thought he was 100 feet tall?  Imagine me trying to get up there without a mounting block.  I didn’t think to ask for one, I just figured I’d hop on.  HA!  I couldn’t even reach the stirrup.  I had to grab my foot and guide it into the stirrup.  Then grab the reins and the cantle and do a couple hops and get on.  Luckily I made it.  It wasn’t graceful, and the video was off (thank you!).  But I did it, and Blu didn’t have any issues with my “style” of mounting or my nylon jacket (again, not thinking how young he was).

There I was, on his back.  And something clicked.  How did I know he was perfect?  I don’t honestly know.  I just know that when I sat on him I felt an immediate connection like none I’d had before and felt that we just “fit.” 

It was amazing.