I have to share some pics of me and Belle and more importantly my husband Joe and Belle....before we got together he was NOT a horseperson....today he trotted for the first time...Belle is so good with him!! It makes me teary eyed....

First....me and Belle before I put her outside again,


She can't be troubled to have the ears FORWARD of course LOL>

Excuse the badness of the photo, my husband is not really apt yet at horse and rider photos and the camera stinks lol

Me and Belle

The BEST pic however is my dear darling Arabian taking the BEST care of my very inexperienced husband...this is only his SECOND time ever riding by himself!




Share you why you love your horses photos too!


Robin

Well, This is a story that is not easy to explain. As some of you know we lost Lisa?s Park horse in 2004 U.S, He was put down, at the requests of our Vets, and it was for the best, That night I had given up, Elvis was actually my B-day present from my wife in 98?, He went on to win quite a few Championships in Park, Including Region 14 and Buckeye Res. Champion AOTR Park, He was my baby. He actually was the very first horse Bay ever sat on, and he with all his love wouldn?t move a muscle,. That night I couldn?t sleep, I asked the Lord where I went wrong, I couldn?t possibly have a right to own such an animal, only to loss him at an early age. I decide to put my future with Arabian horses in the Lords hands; I felt that if I had a right to be the caretaker of one his greatest gifts I needed some way to know it was ok to carry on, with my love for the Arabian Horse?

In a very, I Guess, selfish way I ask if he would give me another chance, That morning I told Lisa that if I was to ever have another Elvis, the Lord would find him for me, if not I am no Longer to have a Horse like Elvis? That morning we made it to the show and decided to go and have coffee, As we walked we ran into Mike Barnard of Bay Star Arabian, We actually had bought a ? Dutch filly earlier that spring, We actually went to look at a El Ghazi Colt, but I felt we were not ready to start with another colt, and Lisa just fell in love with the weanling filly. I asked Mike how the colt was doing, He said just wonderful, and he is still for sale?. Well that?s how Noble Ghazi became part of my family?. BTW, that was the exact amount open in the check book!!!

I pray everyday for the Lord?s guidance, and I am glad he is there when we need him most??

I'm not sure where to start with this story.

I was a child who knew she would have a horse some day. My parents did nothing to encourage my interest. In fact they did everything to discourage and prevent me from exploring my interest in the big, dumb, dirty creatures called horses. They had no clue as to "what [I] needed it for". I would sneak out to ride and be around horses at every opportunity. They finally sent me away for the summer "to learn to swim". Little did they know that there were horses on the property and a riding instructor who was a Col. in the Polish mounted army division... or so he said. Anyway, I spend the next 8 summers following him around and learning everything I could. (Promising my parents that "this summer I'll learn to swim".) I think they gave up, though I never did get a horse... and they continued to frown on my passion.

Well, then came high school, college, career, marriage, children and life in general. One day, one of my co-workers invited me to go riding with her. Even after confessing that I had not ridden in 30 years, she persisted. I went!

Several years later, my husband discovered that he had terminal cancer. He knew what the horses meant to me and insisted on paying off the mortgage and buying my first horse for me for my 51st birthday. My OTTB, Falcon was ewe-necked, sway-backed with seasonal colic issues. To me: he was my savior; the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. We fell in love. He was brought to our barn as a schoolie, but was to "hot" to be a school horse. The barn manager sold him to me for $1,000 with $75/month board. She wanted me to have him and knew we were good for each other. After we discovered his hypo-active thyroid and medicated him, he blossomed. He was no longer skinny ugly. He developed a topline and movement to match. My husband was right. I probably would not have survived his 24 year bout with cancer that led to his death without Falcon's love and support.

Well, in October of 2002 Falcon ruptured an aneurysm and collapsed as he was meant to: at a full gallop in his paddock. Each morning, it was my custom to go to the barn and check on him. That morning, I couldn't get out of bed. The world went black when I tried to stand. I went back to bed saying to myself that I'd go to the barn later. I found out later, when I got there, that was the time when Falcon died. I know that he wanted to save me from witnessing his death. We had said "good-bye" the night before.

A few days later a friend had been riding at a barn in the Bronx and saw a 2 year old Arabian colt who she said "needed" me. I didn't want another horse.. No one could replace Falcon, so I declined. My friends nagged and nagged until I went to see BFA Regality. Poor little thing was filthy, emaciated and sad. Our eyes met. To make a long story shorter, I had him vetted and purchased him just four years ago today.

I have his papers and started reseaching. I found his dam in GA and his sire in NE. Holly told me that his dam had died in September 2002. It is my thinking that she called Falcon saying that his job was over on earth; and that she had a son who despirately needed a home with me. Today, Mercury is happy, healthy, smart, mischieveous and my new best friend.

And.. just so y'all know, I never expected to have either an OTTB or an SE Arabian--both grays--both "crazy breeds". They just came to me.

My horses are my saving grace. They are my sanity. They are my retirement. They are my passion, just as my husband had wanted.

Thank you for sharing your wonderful stories Dean and Barbara, they both made me cry


Robin :wub

Wonderful stories y'all

Having multiple horses (5), and loving them all, each for innummerable and varied reasons specific to each of them, I'll share here just about some of why I love my "Dunn" (BA Well Dunn) so much...

Dunn is my now 13-1/2 year old gelding. He was gelded only 4 years ago. My nephew Tucker (11/92) was born smack between Khaysie (5/92; Dunn's full sister) and Dunn (6/93), so these "cousins", lol, have grown up together...

(Tucker, Khaysie (the bay) & Dunn; 11/93 photo)

Tucker loved the horses from the start (well, I admit I wasted NO time at all to make sure I "imprinted" him right, lol), and they him. I had Tucker on Dunn's back from time Dunn was only 5-1/2 months old/Tucker 1 year old. (excuse Dunn's skinniness in this pic---he was growing like a weed on Miracle-Gro, and I couldn't feed him enough/he couldn't EAT enough to keep up with it)

Those 2 have always been the greatest friends, and let me tell you, when I went to start Dunn under saddle, it was easy as pie---Tucker had pretty much already "broke" him for me, lol. Doesn't sound like such a big deal, but considering he was *intact* up until 4 years ago, I think it is pretty "special" all the things those 2 did "growing up together"...

Up to the time Dunn was 3-4 years old (and since, too), Tucker always "helped me" work/condition Dunn for showing halter. After his workout, Tucker would get up on him, bareback, loose in the roundpen (me in there with them though of course), and Dunn would either walk around with Tucker up there, or just contentedly munch on some hay with Tucker laying and hanging all over him...heck, he'd even stand up on him...ah, "my sweet boys"... (don't have any of the pics of Tuck & Dunn just 'hanging out chillin' in the roundpen' scanned; pic below Dunn was about 2 yrs old)).

Thanks to all of Tucker's "training" of Dunn in their early years of growing up & playing together, when I finally started Dunn under saddle (after pretty much all of his life to that point having had extensive groundwork, along with all the "miles" of having toted Tucker around),my job was a breeze...One day while working him, it hit me that it was TIME to get on him...I went into the house and "snuck" out my english saddle (and my helmet, lol---"snuck" it out as I knew my Mom would DIE if she knew what I was going to do!), and "changed Dunn's clothes", heehee...he couldn't have cared less even though it was the first time he'd even so much as SEEN a saddle....didn't care about me putting weight in the stirrup, proceeded to laying over him, no worries/ho-hum from him...finally went ahead and got all the way up.

He was like "what took you so long?" Stood there a moment, and off he went, right on the rail no less, walk, trot, and he WANTED to canter too, but *I* wasn't ready for that that soon, lol! He was all business and knew exactly what to do, acted like he'd been ridden all his life---well, lol, I guess he HAD BEEN, lol! My Mom had seen us out the kitchen window, but she just "assumed" I was riding Nikk (all these danged black horses, from a distance she has trouble teling them apart, lol) and didn't believe me when I later got back in the house and let her know how *absolutely perfect & natural* he'd been...

I have learned so very much from Dunn, more than I can ever put down on paper/in words...He has always made me feel, idiot that I am, like I actually knew what the heck I was doing, lol! He's the first horse I actually trained all by myself---other than twice, later on in his "training", I sent him out to try to get some help with "fine tuning" stuff, and both of those times were utter disasters and I just had to bring him back home, give him time off to "mentally recover", and start over...amazing how wonderful he has always been for me, Tucker, and just a couple of friends of mine who've ridden him before as well, yet sending to a "real" trainer (first one was a legitimate trainer; 2nd was a friend of mine who, while quite & exceptionally talented, really wasn't quite up to par to be a "pro") turned him into a horse I didn't recognize & who fought them every step of the way---whereas all his life, before and since, he's always been one the most WILLING and cooperative, sweetest and safest horses I think I've ever known...I can't really say, even after all these years, that he is a "finished" horse yet by any means, but he is solid in all that he DOES know that I've been able to do with/teach him/what he's been able to figure out (due to my training-savvy limitations, nothing on his part).

So, Dunn has come from being a pretty successful Class A halter stallion, even made it to regionals, with me, his little backyard-ammie-breeder-owner-trainer training & showing him, we showed under saddle at only one Class A show when he was 4---we didn't win of course, but to have gotten there with him on my own and to have made it through the classes uneventfully was as good as winning to me (it was the first time he'd been ridden with other horses!) after that, he pretty much vegetated here, just getting more "ring work" here at home sporadically...Finally I decided that 3 stallions was 2 too many, and gelded him & his 1/2 brother 4 years ago. 3 years ago, Dunn became my trail horse and life has been a wonderful adventure...of course we've had some "obstacles" to overcome on the trail (still doesn't much care for the water hazzards, lol), but after only his first year (and we're not talking MANY rides at all in that year) on the trail, the second year of trail riding I put him The Bitless Bridle, and we've had great times ever since...whether it is just me & him, or if we go with friends or just meet some friends out on the trail...shoot, earlier this year, we had gone out and ran into my accountant, of all people, who was out on her mountain bike---and we rode back alongside WITH her (that was certainly a new one/one for the books, lol)...

I gave Tucker a couple of impromptu "lessons" on Dunn a couple years ago...as HE has grown up, he has grown away from the horses towards other interests, but he does at least still like them/loves "HIS Boy"...Still bareback, and just a halter and leadrope-for-reins, but it was a "riding lesson" (of sorts)nonetheless; they did great, and of course Dunn was still just as careful of his "precious cargo" as he's ALWAYS been from the time he was a weanling...

Here's the (poor quality pic, but still a cherished memory nonetheless---and I know, shame on me for the bare-feet, but at least I had a helmet on him, lol) pic of "Dunn the Lesson Horse" taken about 2 or more likely 3 years ago...

Sorry for my "incessant rambling" which probably hasn't even been on point... To sum it up: "How Do I Love Thee, dear horses of mine?--I CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO COUNT THE WAYS"....I've been truly blessed with wonderful & special horses, each with both similar and different things about them that make or made them special...I think as far as everyone else (family & friends) is concerned, *everyone* LOVES Dunn the best...my Mom says he's the only one I have (now) that's worth a dang, lol (and yes, she IS totally biased---Dunn is "HER" Boy)...come to think of it, I think they have ALL said the exact same that same exact thing about him...considering that, for the most part, my family really aren't "horse-folks", the simple fact that they have *all*, always ADORED Dunn, that in & of itself, is the simplest and most obvious, easiest reason to LOVE him as I do...I love and cherish each and every one of "my kids"...I have had my "Savior", my soulmate, and the love(s) of my life, ones that OWN my heart, etc...but when it comes right down to it, Dunn is really just truly, in every sense of the term, "My Best Friend"...my partner...he knows me inside & out, and he certainly reads my mind...no matter what we're doing, riding or not, he knows exactly what I want, without my having to say a word or offer even the slightest physical cue...I know that I will never in my life have another/another 'relationship/connection' *exactly* like/with him....

(edited to remove attachments for needed space!)

You guys make me feel great about being owned by Arabians.

this so reminded me of helping grandpa with the old work mare, as a 5 yr old who was basically as tall as the mares leg up to her knee lol except I never out grew my horse craziness Lol

" An out side of a horse is good for the inside of the man" i don't remember who said that however this quote has stuck in my mind forever. BARB

When I first got into owning Arabians, I was only interested in mares. In fact, the first foal we bred, from a mare we leased, was a colt and we sold him at 29 days old because I simply didn't want to deal with any male horses.

So of course our first broodmare, Secret, delivered her first foal on the morning of April 18, 2003 and it was a colt, who has turned out to be such a blessing, I can't imagine life without him in it.

My dear hubby worked the overnight shift at the time and we were boarding at a self-care facility so when he would get off work at 8 am he would kindly go and feed Secret. I had been staying overnight at the farm to wait for the birth in hopes of getting to see so when he came to feed, he picked me up and took me home so I could take a nap. As soon as we got home that morning, the phone rang....it was the farm owner! She'd given birth right after we left, sneaky mare!

My poor husband agreed that we should hurry back to the farm and see the new foal, even though he hadn't had any sleep yet. When we got there, the little colt was laying in a sandy spot and had clearly been struggling to get on his feet. Secret was standing far away, just looking and not sure about this little critter. I quickly haltered her up and held her while the colt struggled to his feet again. He just couldn't get his footing in the sand so I asked my hubby to come help him stand up. Immediately he was like, "No, I don't know what to do" but I insisted!

The little colt started struggling to get up again and my husband put his arms around him to support him and steady him....and he said, "Oooh, he's all sticky!" The mare hadn't cleaned him yet so he was still pretty gooey from the birth process. I hadn't thought of that and my hubby had on his nice grey suede jacket, which was now enhanced with sticky foal goo. But as soon as he said it, the little colt turned and looked up at him, gave him a little nicker, and started taking little steps toward his mom. Hubby was distracted with helping him keep his balance.

Hours later, we were still at the farm, still looking at the colt and his mom. I was complaining about her having a colt and hoping we could sell him early so I wouldn't have to deal with him too long. My husband said, "You're not really going to sell this one, are you? He's perfect. I think we should keep him."

I almost fell over with shock. My hubby, up to that point, was a very reluctant participant in anything to do with horses, and now he was telling me we should keep this new colt?? What?????

So we made a deal...we'd keep the colt provided hubby helped me teach him good manners early on and that the first time he acted difficult or unmanageable or too studly, he would be gelded and/or sold. He agreed.

Long story short, that colt, who goes by the barn name "Sticky" but is registered as LHA Pandemonium, is now almost four years old and is so easy to handle, it's as if he's a gelding but no, he's still a stallion. For both of us (hubby and I), he is like our best buddy and we call him our "son" and we dote on him like proud parents. He has always been a good boy, very easy to handle, very sweet and loving, probably because of all the handling and exposure to new things that he got as a baby. And best of all, my husband is much more interested in the horses than he was pre-Sticky. I would have to say this little colt brought us closer together than ever! Now we are expecting Sticky's first foal in April 2007 and my hubby is just as excited as I am about it....it will be out of our mare Vera and he calls it our grandbaby
Hubby feeding "Sticky" some Foal-Lac. Because this was her first foal, his dam didn't have much milk to start off with so we supplemented him with Foal-Lac feedings.

Here he is at one day old, on his first outing to the big pasture!