First Love

It's here. The day that I knew would inevitably arrive. 

How was I to avoid it? With a beautiful, fun-loving, teenage girl it was bound to happen sooner or later. 

She has found love. 

A tall, dark, and handsome boy trotted on into her life and any sense that she might have had went flying right out the window. He is all she talks about anymore--at least when she's around to talk. She spends hours with him and when she's not with him, she dreams of being with him. 

What's a mother to do?? He is good-looking, I'll give her that. And they certainly have fun together, even though he's not much of a talker. Her younger siblings sure love him and he's so patient with them climbing all over him. But his appetite! He eats like a horse!!

Er....actually.....

   

Nicole has wanted a horse FOREVER. I actually think she might have talked about it to the delivery nurses the day she was born. She has saved every penny she's ever earned--birthday $, 4-H prizes, babysitting earnings--and she got serious this year and decided to show some maturity with her grades and household responsibilities.

So a couple of months ago we started the search. After many, many phone calls and inquiries and other horses, she saw an ad for this little 8-year old gelding and set up a time to meet him.

We had looked at horses who were so old and slow we thought about digging their grave and we had looked at others who were so nervous or feisty that they had us both shaking from fear the whole drive home. But when Nicole swung up into the saddle on this one for the first time she said, "He feels perfect. I feel like I totally trust him."

She's had riding lessons and ridden for pleasure a few times with friends and relatives, but is still very much a beginner rider, so she surprised me with this first ride around the arena.

The previous owner, Richard, brought him to us yesterday and we met him at the arena, just a five-minute walk from our home, so Nicole could run him a little bit again. Then, we put our own saddle on him, watched Richard say a teary good-bye, and then Nicole rode her horse home.

Nicole has named him Poco. Full name: Poco Cobre Bandido. 

It's quite a thing to watch someone's dream come true. 

I think that they are both pretty happy! 

The rest of the day, Poco really didn't get much rest. Nicole ditched the saddle pretty quickly and looked right at home on his back.

What is it about little girls and horses?

All the kids took turns having rides.

This was later in the evening. Nicole and Corinne both had babysitting jobs elsewhere and I came outside to find Claire and Poco having a conversation.

I am very grateful to this horse for his gentle nature and his patience. I hope it is endless, because it looks like it may need to be!