Hard Decision

I got an urgent call from my horse teacher, Beanie, last night. "Are ya sitting down?" she asked. Uh-oh.

She tells me that the horse I've been riding lately, Copper - the horse I have 'graduated' to - is up for sale because the owner is moving up to Fort Collins. It has taken quite awhile to find me a good 'school horse' that will challenge me in the right ways.

Copper is not a lazy hunk of horseflesh, he is an Arab and has his own ideas about things. Every lesson is a test and we still argue over who is boss. Though he has bucked off many and terrorized a few, I've managed to stay on his back, albeit, with a few close calls. I am still learning the language and he gets impatient sometimes.

I kind of like this about him. His feistiness is making me a better rider - more aware, more bossy. It actually takes awhile to move beyond the "But he's so cute!" phase before you realize that if the horse doesn't respect you, he won't listen to you. If he won't listen to you, you've lost control and then, you are in serious danger. This is why I call my teacher, "Beanie the Meanie."

She's not mean to the horses but she doesn't put up with shit and lets them (and me) know it. You should see these giant beasts stand at attention when she walks by. The woman can smell attitude and won't stand for it. I need to get to this place but I've got a long road ahead. "You need hours," she'll say, "hours and hours on the back of a horse."

What I need is a horse of my own. So, the understanding has been that I will buy Copper in a year or so, after I've saved up the money, paid off my truck and have more experience. Well, this sudden turn of events means I might have to make a quick decision. I should also mention that Copper is selling for $2500 which includes all the tack (saddle, halter, reins, brushes, etc.) This is a steal! If Copper leaves, I will have to go back to finding the right school horse on the ranch property - not as easy as it sounds.

Of course, my personal financial adviser, Ginsberg, is somewhere in China this week and cannot help me decide. It's a huge commitment - boarding, vet bills, hay, etc. - am I ready for it?

I'd said to Beanie, "I'm not ready."
She countered, "You're ready."

I've got less than a week to decide.