So I went with my friend Cindy to the pre-arranged “viewing” she had helped organize of the herd of throwaway horses on Sunday afternoon (previously posted about HERE). Not because I was planning to take or wanted any of the horses, even though they were a beautiful lot and well bred. Besides, according to Cindy, there were more than enough applicants to ensure that all the horses would have good homes.
I went because, as I told her, “if there are any ‘leftovers,’ anybody no one wants to take, I will take them to my place until we can find them good homes.” I mean, we had all already agreed that certainly none of these beautiful equine specimens could be allowed to go to the auction, i.e. slaughter in Mexico.
So off we went. And a very successful afternoon it was, to be sure. There were, as anticipated, more than enough applicants to adopt the 10 horses that had been made available. There was even one group who had come all the way from Texas (who, in the end, were awarded 4 of the best of the lot, including the fabulous Arabian stallion).
The horses were beautiful! And of very, very good bloodlines. It was unimaginable that these fabulous equines were simply being given away. But apparently the owners/ranchers realized they had gotten way in over their heads in the last three years with letting the herd run free, so there were many babies on the ground and nothing to be done with them. Their business was cattle, after all, not breeding Arabian-Quarter Horses.
Cindy fell instantly in love with a dainty, but large and refined, year-and-a-half-old bay filly who will no doubt become one of the loves of her life. They bonded immediately, even though the filly had barely been handled and did not respond to any of the other lookers. Their match was a no-brainer. Cindy had no intentions of adopting one of these horses, but she and this filly belong together. Period. Done deal.
Other applicants filled out their forms, often requesting 3 or 4 horses each. Even all the wild-child weanlings were quickly spoken for.
At the end of the day we did a tally to see who had asked for which horses, to divvy up duplicate requests, and to make sure none were left over or not requested. And … uh oh … there was one, only one, who no one had spoken for. She was one of the three Quarter Horse brood mares, an 8-year-old bay. Being rather chunky and large and quiet, she was pretty much unnoticeable during the entire proceedings, and certainly did not stand out as a good prospect for a work horse or show horse. She had good bone, good color, and seemingly a very mellow disposition. She was, in fact, the mother of Cindy’s new heartthrob.
So, as we were leaving, someone in charge said to me, “Leta, please fill out one of the forms because we’ll be putting No. 2 in your name. The brand inspector who will be coming out will have to have the name of the new owner for each horse, and since you said you would take care of any leftovers, she’ll be in your name.”
Gulp.
I took a deep breath and dutifully filled out the form. I had promised this, hadn’t I? There are, hopefully, two different parties who could not attend today’s proceedings who might want this mare. Meanwhile, she will be coming home with me in one week to await her fate.
The catch is: When I heard about this herd that was up for grabs I had thought to myself: “I don’t want another horse — I already have three, but if I did I would only be interested in one of the 3 or 4 QH broodmares, one that is quiet and mature and is very ridable, so we might have a second riding horse at my place.” And, another thought, just a day or two ago: “I so wish I could have another Quarter Horse some day who is as wonderful and wise as my old man Copper.”
I wish I hadn’t even had those thoughts because it looks like they may have conjured up this mare. I guess it remains to be seen. But, for sure, being the odd man out today, and the non-looker, she surely would have wound up in the slaughter house, so I am still glad I made the offer to take the “leftovers.” And, since she’s in my name, I guess I have first dibs. If she does indeed live up to those dreamy thoughts I had, well then, maybe she has a permanent home here after all. …. to be continued ….
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