She anxiously dialed the phone number, anticipating the response, fearing it might be, "Oh sorry the horse has already been given away." What would she do then? She'd heard that response too many times already. One more let down might be the last straw that put her dreams of owning a horse finally to rest.
It wasn't that there was a lack of ads saying things like, "Horse for free to good home," "Pasture buddy free to a good home," or some other such heading. It was just that - never having had a horse - she was unprepared for the usual horse that she found once she'd responded to those ads. While what she envisioned was an older, gentle, quiet horse, she would find an untrained, pushy, biting and kicking version. So she'd politely thank the owner and walk away; another bite taken out of her dream of owning a horse.
She never thought what she wanted would be so difficult to find. She had loved horses all her life and, now finding herself a widow, this was what she believed to be her last chance at horse ownership. She didn't have the need to have one to ride. She simply loved the smell of horses, the sound of their whinnies and nickers, the sound of their hooves plodding along the ground, the warmth of their bodies and the swish of their tails. This was the point in her life where she longed more than ever for the opportunity to cart hay and feed out to a horse. It would be something to fill her days and give her pleasure. Something so simple, she thought. How could it be so difficult to achieve?
The widow had gone out and talked to horse owners where ever and whenever she found them. She'd pick their brains for all sorts of information. By now she'd learned so much about how to care for a horse she felt confident in answering "yes" to the question she'd asked herself for years, "Should I buy a horse?" She never, however, would have thought it would be so hard to find the right horse. The horse didn't need to be good under saddle, it didn't matter if it was lame, and it didn't have to have papers. It didn't even have to be pretty. It just had to be a gentle horse.
"Hello?"
There was a pause when she realized she had a live voice on the other end of the phone. "Oh yes I'm sorry. I was calling about your ad, 'Horse free to a good home' or something like that. Is the horse still available?" The widow braced herself for the answer.
"Oh yes Lucky is still here. I'm afraid he's not able to be ridden anymore. He's very old - we don't know how old since he's not registered. But he's a good boy and is gentle as a kitten."
Having heard all this before she found herself skeptical but still hopeful. "May I ask why you are getting rid of Lucky?" The owner told her the gelding had been her daughter's horse. The daughter was now gone off to college and other than providing food, water, and the occasional farrier care no one paid any attention to the horse. The owner seemed genuine and expressed a real concern about finding the horse a good new owner. She reiterated he would only be allowed to go to a good home.
The widow explained her situation to the owner in detail, assuring her that Lucky would be well cared for and loved.
They met later that same day. Lucky was everything the widow dreamed he would be. He was just as the owner had described and it was evident he had been well cared for. Lucky obviously loved people and seemed to connect with the widow immediately.
A week later, allowing for ample hay and feed to be purchased, Lucky arrived at his new home. The widow's long-standing dream of owning a horse was fulfilled and Lucky had found himself once again in the midst of lots of attention and treats. Widow and retired horse would now enjoy each other and their retirements.
If you find yourself in the same situation as the woman in this story - wanting a horse to care for and not needing a horse to ride - opportunities are out there everywhere for you to own a horse.
I'm amazed at the number of unwanted horses there are, whether they are rescue horses, horses too old to be used anymore, or horses left behind by children who have grown up and gone off to college. You can provide a great home for such horses and I applaud your willingness to do so. So, here's to your success and the new-found bond you will ultimately find with your horse.
Here are only a few sites you should check out:
http://horserescue.whitty.org/
www.horsenethorserescue.org/
www.2ndchancehorserescue.org/
www.savethehorses.org/
www.beautysequinerescue.org/
www.habitatforhorses.org/
www.heavencanwaitequinerescue.org/
Please feel free to comment and add sites for others to check out if you are aware of them.
It wasn't that there was a lack of ads saying things like, "Horse for free to good home," "Pasture buddy free to a good home," or some other such heading. It was just that - never having had a horse - she was unprepared for the usual horse that she found once she'd responded to those ads. While what she envisioned was an older, gentle, quiet horse, she would find an untrained, pushy, biting and kicking version. So she'd politely thank the owner and walk away; another bite taken out of her dream of owning a horse.
She never thought what she wanted would be so difficult to find. She had loved horses all her life and, now finding herself a widow, this was what she believed to be her last chance at horse ownership. She didn't have the need to have one to ride. She simply loved the smell of horses, the sound of their whinnies and nickers, the sound of their hooves plodding along the ground, the warmth of their bodies and the swish of their tails. This was the point in her life where she longed more than ever for the opportunity to cart hay and feed out to a horse. It would be something to fill her days and give her pleasure. Something so simple, she thought. How could it be so difficult to achieve?
The widow had gone out and talked to horse owners where ever and whenever she found them. She'd pick their brains for all sorts of information. By now she'd learned so much about how to care for a horse she felt confident in answering "yes" to the question she'd asked herself for years, "Should I buy a horse?" She never, however, would have thought it would be so hard to find the right horse. The horse didn't need to be good under saddle, it didn't matter if it was lame, and it didn't have to have papers. It didn't even have to be pretty. It just had to be a gentle horse.
"Hello?"
There was a pause when she realized she had a live voice on the other end of the phone. "Oh yes I'm sorry. I was calling about your ad, 'Horse free to a good home' or something like that. Is the horse still available?" The widow braced herself for the answer.
"Oh yes Lucky is still here. I'm afraid he's not able to be ridden anymore. He's very old - we don't know how old since he's not registered. But he's a good boy and is gentle as a kitten."
Having heard all this before she found herself skeptical but still hopeful. "May I ask why you are getting rid of Lucky?" The owner told her the gelding had been her daughter's horse. The daughter was now gone off to college and other than providing food, water, and the occasional farrier care no one paid any attention to the horse. The owner seemed genuine and expressed a real concern about finding the horse a good new owner. She reiterated he would only be allowed to go to a good home.
The widow explained her situation to the owner in detail, assuring her that Lucky would be well cared for and loved.
They met later that same day. Lucky was everything the widow dreamed he would be. He was just as the owner had described and it was evident he had been well cared for. Lucky obviously loved people and seemed to connect with the widow immediately.
A week later, allowing for ample hay and feed to be purchased, Lucky arrived at his new home. The widow's long-standing dream of owning a horse was fulfilled and Lucky had found himself once again in the midst of lots of attention and treats. Widow and retired horse would now enjoy each other and their retirements.
If you find yourself in the same situation as the woman in this story - wanting a horse to care for and not needing a horse to ride - opportunities are out there everywhere for you to own a horse.
I'm amazed at the number of unwanted horses there are, whether they are rescue horses, horses too old to be used anymore, or horses left behind by children who have grown up and gone off to college. You can provide a great home for such horses and I applaud your willingness to do so. So, here's to your success and the new-found bond you will ultimately find with your horse.
Here are only a few sites you should check out:
http://horserescue.whitty.org/
www.horsenethorserescue.org/
www.2ndchancehorserescue.org/
www.savethehorses.org/
www.beautysequinerescue.org/
www.habitatforhorses.org/
www.heavencanwaitequinerescue.org/
Please feel free to comment and add sites for others to check out if you are aware of them.
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