Simply Handsome

This is either Moonshine - an elderly gelding, or Indigo...  He is owned by James Cooler of Cooler Horsemanship.  

Still Waiting for Oberon

We are IMPATIENTLY awaiting our Oberon.   He is to arrive sometime early next week, we hope.  He is the Quarter Horse we purchased in Michigan while on vacation.  I was seriously considering purchasing another horse, but at this time have decided one horse will work quite well as my girls are beginner riders and will soon be back in school.  Next year, when they are competing for more riding time and better riders, I will plan to continue my search for another horse.  I will say, however, that Apelles and Riggens (in the post below), and Molly (aka Titania) are all very sweet... and still for sale.   If you are interested in any one of them, drop me a comment and I will put you in contact with more information.

The following was copied from Oklahoma State University's Animal Science Website.  Click HERE to read about numerous horse breeds from A-Z.

The Buckskin is thought to of originated from the Spanish Sorraia.  


No-the Buckskin horse is not a mere "color." Buckskins, Grulla and Duns are noted for many qualities that are not characteristic of other types of horses. Their color is an indication of the superior genetic heritage they possess. Buckskins have been long noted for their superior qualities and strength. They have more stamina, more determination, harder feet, better bone, and are generally hardier than other horses. A Buckskin with weak or spavined legs is a rarity. "Tough as wet leather" is a good description of the true Buckskin.

A Friesian/Fell Mare

Click HERE as I think it is Apelles as a baby.  I am trying to contact the owner of the stud to find out.  If so, she is not a Fell mix but a Welsh Cob/Haflinger mixed with Friesian.  (her ad says she is Freisan/Fell)

HERE is a photo of her daddy.

So, this is my third horse in a list of three I have narrowed it down to purchasing.  She is being offered at a new reduced price and is now within my price range.  Each have their pros/cons.  If only I could buy them all - the Palomino QH mare, the Paint gelding or this Friesian cross mare.  My mind is churning...

Riggens - A Paint Gelding

This is a sweet boy we are considering purchasing.  It looks like it will be a choice between the rescue mare and Riggens.  He is a 9 year old Paint gelding and has more "Whoa than Go" as they say.  In defense of Riggens, it was hovering around 100 degrees in Charleston, SC.  He has a personality very much like my 1/2 QH/Arab gelding I had when I was young.  My girls each rode him and he has a very slow (wonderful!) ultra-comfy jog and will stretch out for a nice trot - handy on those hill topping fox hunt rides I hope to do this fall.  I feel very confident that he has the experience and demeanor to take care of my girls as they are beginners and get me back into the saddle.

The owner has given me a week or so to decide on Riggens.  I am watching another horse Molly (aka Titania) and observing her training (I posted about her below).  She is a Palomino QH, green and sweet - a rescue mare I am donating my money to receive professional training from "Cooler Horsemanship".  I don't believe she has been ridden for at least a year or so and is 6 or 7 years old.  Her owners had an unfortunate ending (A murder and suicide) and she was left without a home.  Red Dog Farms rescued her.  She is sweet and very smart and very willing to please.  She loves people.  She is about 14.3.

We are awaiting the arrival of our Oberon, the gelding QH buckskin I highlighted a few posts back.

Searching for a horse is much tougher than I thought.  I have adored many, but am trying to keep a level head and think what is the best fit for all of us - I could handle a bit more of a "go" horse, I think, but my girls are far too new at horses and I do consider myself a cautious rider - not one to take on too much of a "go" horse.

The ONE thing Riggnes did that was kind of odd was when we first approached him in the stall he laid his ears all the way back.  The owner told me he would do this, that he was all "talk".  Riggens is "low-man-on-the-totem-pole" in a barn of 5 or so bigger or older geldings.  She said he just likes to play tough and seems to be saying that "this is MY space - I'm in charge".   As soon as we touched his neck his demeanor changed to ears forward and sweet  (never nipped or looked like he would bite). We got in his stall, brushed him and pushed him around, cleaned his feet, rode him, gave him a soapy, sudsy bath and touched his ears, under his belly...  He never did anything to make us afraid.  We spent about four hours with him.

If you have any words of advice or comments, I do appreciate them.

Titania to our Oberon?

Oberon is our horse now (see below) - I sent the wire transfer and he should arrive within two weeks.   We have renamed him and since we are a theatre family, we thought names from Shakespeare were appropriate:  Oberon & Titania are the King and Queen of the fairies in "Midsummer Night's Dream".

Murphy & Molly are their old names.  Molly is a rescue horse and I am paying for her training this month with James Cooler of Cooler Horsemanship.  I am also looking at a paint gelding that I had my eye on a couple of weeks ago and my girls and I are driving down to Charleston SC to ride him and see what we think.

Oberon is six years old and is a reining/cutting horse.  He is very responsive and sensitive to the rider.  Both of my girls rode in a too big saddle and their legs were flopping a bit.  Since he is pretty much a leg responsive horse, my daughter below (we won't comment on her posture :) ... cued him to canter by accident.  Oberon slowed down to a walk immediately when she signaled, but the look on her face was priceless!  "What was THAT?!" she had said.  LOL

Wordless Wednesday #5

Is HE our boy?

We found this sweetheart in Michigan.  He is a six year old gelding and very gentle.  He is trained as a reigning/cutting horse and is wonderful to ride.  He is leg responsive, rides with a loose rein and loves trail riding.  Waiting on the vet check today...

I am sponsoring a QH rescue mare's training this month and we will consider purchasing her at the end of the month.  I also am off to Charleston at the end of this week to take a look at a nine year old Paint gelding that caught my eye.  I will share photos of both horses here in a few days.