It's never easy to say good-bye to a beloved partner, no matter what the circumstances. I had to say good-bye to Junior over the holiday weekend as he set out for his 30 day trial for purchase in Midland.
Junior has been my good little egg for the last two years. In a lot of ways I trusted him more than Chance. In 2 years of owning him, he had never bucked, spooked or even so much as snorted under saddle. I did make one bad choice for him that ended me up in the dirt (and because of my condition, the ER) but aside from that, Junior was rock solid.
Junior was the reason why I started #reasonableredheads. He was quiet, polite, easy, had a work ethic like no other and always wanted to do his best. When I got him, through one of the strangest transactions of all time, I knew he was a special kid. I debated keeping him, I debated selling him. I moved with him a few times and finally landed at a good place we were all happy with. As time wore on though it became increasingly more obvious to me that if Junior was going to become whatever it was the Junior was meant to become, it wouldn't be with me.
I did have a great trainer riding him for me (Rene Mathews, she's AWESOME) because I was just tired of having to be out there to ride two. The responsibility of having two was just wearing me out. Two sets of shoes, two sets of wormings, two sets of brushings, two sets of mane pulls, two sets of riding, etc.... The list goes on. In the meantime I could tell Junior wanted a career.
Now mind you I don't think Junior was out there journaling about how mistreated he was. Day #348 - this lady just doesn't understand I'm meant to show and do some eventing. I feel my talented is being wasted and I'm being left to rot in this field. However, as an educated horse woman, I knew that he had something special inside him and I wasn't the one to bring it out.
People always ask me how I 'make' these nice and quiet horses. I've been asked that for probably the entire time I've been riding. I don't 'make' anything. I honor what's already inside of them as a horse. It's my job to develop that and make them feel confident in their job. I can't 'make' another Junior anymore than I can 'make' another Chance. (And God help us all if I did make another Monkey....dear Lord.....)
I sold Junior to basically the first person who came and tried him that was serious about getting a horse. I sold Mavs to the first person who came to look at him. Is it good luck? Or just good horses? Or just only allowing someone who is truly a fit to try them? I'm not sure. What I do know is that selling Mavs was easy (I had him 45 days) and selling Junior was not.
What softens the blow is to know that one time, years ago, a nice lady sold me a big chestnut horse beyond their means because they fell in love. I feel I've repaid the favor in kind with Junior (who is now Hamilton) to another lady who fell in love with him. And he with her. He was a good sort, and he worked for everyone, but he didn't TRUST everyone. He trusted her within a few minutes and gave her his heart on their trial ride.
While he's not officially sold as he's on trial, I can't see anything that would prevent this from being a done deal. In the meantime I know he's in great hands with Olivia Cliver at On The Mark as his trainer for his new owner. I can keep tabs. I can know how he's doing. Something I wouldn't get as much of with anyone else. I'm also not sure I would've trusted anyone else with him for so long.
While this chapter closes, another continues. I'll have more time to spend with Chance and Chance only. Maybe we'll go to a horse show or two (stop laughing people, I go to one per year!), go do some trail riding and start taking lessons again. In the meantime I've been offered rides on some young horses not far away that need help being honored along their journey to their next homes and satisfying my need to do that job as long as I can.
So see you around Junior/Hamilton. You were my good little egg and now you're someone else's good little egg too. I'll see you in about a year when I have to go back to judge the HIPEC year-end show!
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