May 2015 I got a text from a friend saying a contact of hers had a couple TB mares that needed a home. One she thought I would really like. She described her as a 5 y/o, roughly 16.3 mare, that was BIG. She had track trained as a yearling, but due to owner finances, never made it to the track. She came to this breeding farm, where she had a colt as a 4 y/o, but then didn't catch that year, or the spring of her 5 y/o year, so she needed to go. My friend said I needed to see this horse, that I wouldn't regret it. The picture she sent me wasn't the greatest, but she had yet to steer me wrong.
So off I went with my dad and my trailer, figuring I could restart this mare and sell her for decent money, if she was as nice as my friend said she was. We got to this farm, and it was huge. There were easily 100 horses there, including several really nice stallions. I was lead into a field of 30+ mares and introduced to this big, brown mare, with a long, tangled mane and horrible feet. I looked at her and thought, what's the worst that can happen? She's big boned, huge for a TB actually, and had such a kind eye on her. I handed the man some money, and lead the mare to my trailer. She hadn't been on a trailer in who knows how long, but up she got, no issues, and she didn't make a peep the whole way home.
She sat in the field for a month or so before I found the time to begin working with her. It didn't take long before I was on her back, and her lovely attitude never changed. We worked away for the summer, and come Thanksgiving weekend I took her to her first show, where she pinned very well in the hacks against good company, and went around like she had done this her whole life.
By that time, I had decided Lily would not be a resale, that I would keep her. I sold another gelding that I had planned on keeping instead.
Lily has come a long way since 2015. Last year, she completed her first season eventing at pre-entry level. This mare is so brave, she will jump anything I ask her to, but she likes to look at her surroundings on cross country, so we have really taken our time getting her confident in her job. This year, she upgraded to entry in August at Glenarden, and finished in fifth, despite half our division being eliminated because of horrible footing in show jumping and a very difficult cross country course. She won the Pre-Entry Open division at Championships in September at Caledon, my first ever win eventing, finishing on her dressage score. Then she put in two more amazing event at entry level.
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| Lily kicking ass in 40 degree weather in September |
It is so amazing bringing a horse from the start; the difference in Lily's confidence is unreal, and I love knowing that I have been such a huge part of that. I don't think I've ever had such an enjoyable horse; she is wonderful to handle and be around, and she tries her heart out under saddle. She is not marish, she gives me 100% every time out, no matter the conditions. Our last event at Will O'Wind was very trying with the weather conditions, including huge wind and rain storms throughout the day, resulting in half the competitors calling it quits and going home, yet Lily came out and tried her best for me, jumping through puddles in show jumping and galloping through some high winds on cross country.
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| Cross country in a wind storm |
I have had several coaches tell me this is a horse of a lifetime, and I am so excited to see where we might go. I am in no rush though; I want a horse that I trust to get us out of sticky situations on cross country, and one that knows her job inside and out. So if it takes us 5 years to get to Training level, I'm fine with that. Hell, I'm fine if it takes us 10 years. I'm enjoying the ride and the company of this wonderful mare.
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