Meet Pearl, New Horse

[sumi]

I love that alligator saying. Hope things calm down a bit for you soon! I can't wait to hear how Pearl is under the saddle.

 

[baymule]

Today was my first ride! Pearl is awesome. She is spirited and wants to go. And yes, she will”hit a lick”. She glides in that famous Tennessee Walker gait. She has a good stop, VERY responsive to neck reining. I only rode her up and down the driveway, we’ll go down the pipeline on our next ride, then out the front gate. We are so proud of her. I am thrilled with her.

Our oldest granddaughter and a friend are spending the weekend, so they rode while I led Pearl.

My husband took some great pictures. Do I look happy or what?

Isn’t Pearl beautiful?

She has gained a LOT of weight, still has some to go.

I love this picture. Mt husband captured the wind in my face, hair blowing, Pearl's mane lifted, and a big grin on my face.

 

[sumi]

I was wondering when you are going to ride her! Those are great pics and you both look so happy! That last pic is awesome! You did great with her, baymule. Rescuing her and fattening her up and making her feel loved and secure and happy

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yay!!

 

[baymule]

@sumi she was so far down, so skinny, I couldn’t bring myself to saddle her up. She and I have talked about it, but her only job was to eat well and come back to health. In a few more days she will come out of quarantine. I’ll open the gate and let her run in the pasture next to the other horses to get acquainted before joining the herd.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

WooHoo! Nothing better than a happy ending all around. She looks like she's having as much fun as you are!! Agree that the last picture is definitely frame-worthy!

 

[Mini Horses]

The last picture makes me want to buy another and ride!!!! My minis just aren't ride size and still have 12.

Have a friend who does a lot of group riding, like joining up at weekend rides, etc. She's been asking me to go -- even has the horse for me to ride.

Then there's the other animals to care for while gone, etc....
Feed and water no problem. Milking goats is. Actually many places close to ride and her farm (inherited) is almost 200 acres -- wooded & leased to crop. So, even at her farm, lots of trails. This summer I may get "back in the saddle", if time.

Always loved to ride and once horses gone, things in life changed and riding wasn't there. In some ways I hate to go ride with her because -- there it is -- I may want my own horse again. Of course, I may NOT

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Awesome story in progress. Beautiful horse. Good job rehabbing her. Glad you kept her out of the glue factory.

 

[baymule]

@Mini Horses you should go ride with your friend. It is good for your soul.

 

[baymule]

I had to go back to page one and get the picture of her at the slaughter kill pen. She was so skinny, look at that scrawny neck. She didn't know where she was going, but I did. hmmmm…...it was love at first sight.

Then I had to get a picture from a few days ago to compare the difference.

Today we went for our second ride. I am pleased. We rode about 6 or 7 miles, through the woods on the property next door, down a dead end road, back to the county road, down another dead end road, then to the corner. At the corner, I stopped her, she was fidgetedy, wanting to GO. I turned her around and we paced the 2 1/2 miles back. During our ride, she passed several tests. Pearl is not afraid of flapping plastic bags. Pearl is unafraid of culverts and the horse eating troll monsters that lurk within. She went past with barely a glance at the dark interior. We went over a narrow one car width culvert that spanned a 20 foot deep gulley with running water at the bottom. It was a steep drop off. She never broke stride, didn't look over the edge and shy, snort, or even flick an ear. Pearl is unfazed by barking dogs.

On the county road, here came a neighbor in his John Deere cab tractor. Not knowing if she would turn inside out and go to pieces, I stopped her and spoke calmly to her. Our neighbor is a old cowboy, he knows and trains horses, one of his sons makes his living being a cowboy, the other son cowboys on weekends. He saw me and slowed way down and got over to the other side of the road. We waved at each other as he went by. Pearl was perfectly ok with the tractor. A neighbor drove by and stopped to admire Pearl. The only problem Pearl had with that is she wanted to GO.

She enjoyed getting out and going for a ride and so did I. She's no spring chicken, but neither am I. There's a lot of life in both of these ol' gals and down the road we go!