This tale begins in December of
2001 when Tommy, my beloved Quarter Horse, foundered
on 9/11 and nearly died. Even though he recovered,
I decided that he should not be ridden and the search
began for a new equine buddy. My efforts led me
to the Mountain Horse breed which appealed to me
because of their fabled disposition and people-friendly
nature.
After numerous e-mails and phone conversations with
trainer Terry Ames my daughter and I drove from
New York to visit the Fun-E-Farm in Pennsylvania.
I immediately felt confident with Terry and wanted
her to select a horse and teach me how to ride gaited
horses. The trail ride was enjoyable, however I
felt the horse I rode for me was too big for me
and I was not instantly in love. However, my daughter,
who has not ridden in nearly 20 years,
was wildly enthusiastic about the breed. Ironically,
I brought her along to prevent me from making the
rash mistake of buying a horse in one day ... however,
if it was at all possible, she would have bought
the whole herd if she could have!
Watching the herd in the fields we took notice of
a little black horse with a white blaze that was
following us all around the paddock and asking for
attention ...that was my introduction to Emerald
Blaze, aka Partner.
We saddled him for a ride and despite the fact that
the horse had not been ridden for months and we
were riding in a nasty, sleeting rain, Partner was
perfectly behaved. Immediately comfortable, I felt
that I belonged on him. Partner remained at the
farm for training and I traveled every two weeks
to ride him and work with Terry. The excitement
was tremendous and it was like being 12 years old
again.
In time, we excitedly brought Partner home to New
York...unfortunately, this is where my tale differs
from most of the happy horse and rider stories that
I have read. From the day Partner arrived he was
unhappy. He had lived with the herd for almost 5
years and was used to being outdoors all the time.
On Long Island, land is at a premium and farms with
large acreage are non-existent. The horses are turned
out individually for a few hours, and Partner was
the only one of his kind here and I think he felt
like a foreigner in a strange land. In his unhappiness,
the once friendly little fellow started to display
a bad attitude. He charged people when they went
to his stall, his ears would pin back and he nipped
me once when I went to brush him. He remained an
excellent riding horse on the trail, but my heart
wanted more. I have always had very loving relationships
with my horses and consider them my friends. Riding
is secondary to the relationship to me.
Several months went by and the
Fun-E-Farm held an Open House. I met so many people
who were just raving about their wonderful Mountain
Horses. Their stories left me saddened and jealous,
for Partner and I were not having a happy time.
Then, a week later, as I was mounting Partner for
a trail ride he grabbed the bit and dragged me into
his stall on his back. I was stunned as my head
hit the top of the stall and my shin hit the doorframe.
When I attempted to remount him a second time he
attempted a similar move. I contacted Terry and
told her I was sending him back.
Until he was sold, I needed to board him, so I planned
to come down every two weeks to keep tabs on him
and to attempt to conquer my fear of riding. The
second trip down, I asked to ride Partner again
..if only to prove that I could. Terry was wonderful
in reassuring me and, as an experiment, we discussed
enrolling Partner for a few additional months of
training. It seemed worthwhile because I truly liked
this horse and believed
he was right for me. Terry stressed
the importance of working on the basics: ground
work along with flexing and backing. And it is something
I continue to do religiously every time I ride.
This past September, with a nervous stomach, I brought
Partner back to New York, however this time he had
a buddy! A friend had gone to the Fun-E-Farm with
me and she also bought a Mountain Horse. Partner
now had one of his own breed to bond with and he
seemed more settled and happier and we were bonding
as well.
We started attending clinics which included lots
of groundwork and obstacle training. Partner is
very supple and can back through serpentines and
do circles backing up better than any horse in the
barn. He can flex like a pretzel...he loves it and
knows he is good.
One thing that melts my heart is when he is turned
out in the paddock, when I call his name and he
comes flying over to me to be petted. He is once
again the happy, adorable horse I initially fell
in love with. He has grown and matured and his coat
is a deep lustrous black. He is a beautiful mover,
who carries himself proudly and is afraid of nothing...dogs
don’t bother him and geese are to be played with
and chased. Recently, returning from a trail ride,
a friend and I heard a tremendous banging and clanging
from the road up ahead. We directed our horses back
up the trail and turned to see a huge derrick on
a flatbed, tearing along the street with the bucket
banging back and forth. I stopped Partner and turned
him to see what it was. He just stood there and
gave a huge yawn as the noisy thing went by. Moments
like this make me so proud of him, and make me aware
Mountain Horses are a very special breed. I am so
happy to have found him...even at my relatively
advanced age and wish that everyone could know how
special these Mountain Horses are.
Partner and I look are looking forward to many happy
adventures, and I am happy to have been able to
share our story with you. To me, we are proof that
even though a relationship has a rocky beginning,
with love and patience, it can turn into the happiest
of marriages.
