A Horse For Rachel

A few weeks ago, we had some visitors from the Southwestern corner of our state.  They are in love with wild mustangs, and wanted to meet a few gentle ones.  They were looking to add a horse to their life, and eagerly made the eight hour round trip drive from their home to Rick's barn.  Rachel and her husband, Matt, are newlyweds.  Rachel owned an Icelandic gelding for many years, but recently made the decision to donate him to a therapeutic riding center.  Her dilemma was, should she replace her gelding with another Icelandic, or should she follow her heart and adopt a mustang?  Well, since she asked me, I gave her some input....mustangs are the stuff dreams are made of.

Rachel wasn't sure if she was looking to buy a titled, well-broke mustang, or adopt a newly-gentled and just-started under saddle one.  A friend of mine, a fellow mustang trainer, had a gelding for sale, so she hauled him here and Rachel rode enjoyed a ride on him.  She also rode River, my big McCullough Peaks mustang mare.  Rachel liked both of them, even though they are very different types of horses.  Rachel and Matt also wanted to meet Capri, to get a feel for what a horse at her training level was like, so they brushed her and Rachel played with her a bit in the round pen.

Rick and I enjoyed the visit very much, and were excited to have met wonderful people who were considering joining the mustang community.  We chatted for a long time about Rachel's wants and needs in a horse, and what kind of home she would provide.  It was clear to us that any horse who went home with them would be lucky indeed.

Rachel and I stayed in touch, and pretty soon she decided that adopting a TIP horse gentled by me was the way to go.  She was ready to choose a fresh one from the corrals in Oregon, but I had to be honest and tell her that having two wild ones at the same time in addition to the other horses that I train and care for would be too much for me right now.  I like to be able to really focus on a wild horse, so that I can put my whole heart into gentling it and giving it a firm foundation.

Rachel understood that, and wondered if maybe Capri would be available for reassignment.  Hmmm...well...I suppose we could consider that.  After all, it was the original intention to find her a wonderful home where she would receive continued training and be treasured forever, right?  Rick was critical to the decision-making process, since at this point he was her official adopter.  Reassignment can take place in the first year of adoption, before the title is issued, and is subject to the same paperwork and process as other BLM adoptions.

Our initial response was yes, contingent on more visits here with Capri, to be sure that they were a good fit.  At this point, I hadn't put the first ride on Capri yet, so we set an open-ended timetable for reassignment, thinking that sometime early next spring would work well for everyone.  Obviously, we didn't know Rachel very well yet.  She's a go-getter, and tenacious, and she wanted a certain chocolate pony.  One with three white socks, a star, and a melt-your-heart expression on her perfectly chiseled face.  Who am I to stand in the way of a woman on a mustang mission?

By the time I had put three rides on Capri, Rachel was wondering if we could shoot for the first of January for a reassignment date.  After the fourth ride, she was wondering if the first week of December would work.  Her previous trainer and good friend, a wonderful gal from Iceland, had a rare opening in her barn, and would we please consider letting Capri go now?  Well, we'd consider it, but Rachel still needed to have a second visit with Capri.  So, the newlyweds made the long trek again.  We had another good visit, and Rachel rode Capri.  She felt calm and relaxed on her, even though it was only Capri's fifth ride and Rachel hasn't had much experience on barely-green-broke horses.  They even enjoyed a nice trot together.

So, Rick and I agreed it would work out fine, and Rachel put her paperwork into the Oregon BLM.  She was approved, and she made arrangements for her trainer to pick up Capri on Sunday, December fourth.  Rachel and Matt would be out of state on a family vacation, and Capri would have a week to bond with her new trainer before Rachel returned.

What could be harder than saying goodbye to Capri?  Having to say goodbye to her twice.  That sweet, beautiful mare found a special place in my heart and soul.  I guess the flip side is that I got to say hello to her twice, too.  What a blessing it was to first gentle her, then train her to ride.  I am very proud of her accomplishments, and I'll be excited to hear news of her future progress.

Capri handled the four hour drive to her new home with no problem.  She is settling in happily, and her new trainer is already impressed with her calm demeanor, her beauty, her curious nature, and her kind eye.  One day soon, when Capri is ready, Rick and I will haul a couple of horses down there and we can all go for a trail ride together.

Capri is the horse of new beginnings.  She's had a handful of them this year, and she's taken each one in stride.  Cheers to Rachel and Capri.  May all of Rachel's dreams come true, with a lifetime of mustang love and adventures.