Mischief Making in Saddleworth : 24.04.14

My search for a new 4 legged friend has taken me around the country over the last month or two.  Having had 2 bad falls in 3 months (last October I fractured my shoulder blade by literally wobbling off my 16.3h warmblood and within 3 weeks of being allowed back on, I fell off during a thunder storm and severely bruised my coccyx), it was with a heavy heart that I had to face the fact had I had over-horsed myself and a new friend was needed.  Whilst none of it was her fault – I really did just wobble off and land badly – my confidence took a bit of a nosedive and when I got back on in February, it was clear for all to see that we didn’t really gel anymore and my nerves were getting the better of me.

I am thrilled with the new home that Jodie Amos found her and so set about the exhausting task of finding a more user-friendly sized horse.  My children are all on 12.2s and 13.2s and being way up high on a 16.3 just wasn’t practical but I had fallen in love with her lightness and clockwork flying changes.  The new horse had a strict brief to fill…but was I looking for the impossible ?  Friends kept telling me it could take a year to find what I wanted if I was to stick to my wish list.  Being a Sagittarian, I am not known for my patience but I trawled through all the ads and nipped off after morning drop off to try as many as possible and be back for school pick-up.  I was pipped at the post on one I liked very much, disappointed by more who weren’t what they said they were and pleasantly surprised by a handful but for whatever reason they had something that wasn’t on my wish list.

Three weeks ago, I saw an ad that seemed too good to be true.  It ticked every single box, could provide references and had a brilliant track record that could be traced back to its birth.  I had a good feeling but then there’s always a but I had to keep reminding myself.  One very wet Saturday, my 9 year old daughter acting as chief videographer, and I set off up to Oldham in the fog.

The family were delightful and the horse was lovely too.  It wasn’t my finest trial as I always get self conscious and wooden !  The rain was coming in sideways and the view of the Pennines soon disappeared into a grey mass.  My videographer managed to record most of the arena surface but there were a few snippets to show my friend who confirmed what I had felt – this was the one !  And so once the vetting and x-rays had been done and everything was sorted, money had changed hands, transport booked, we had the exciting wait for the arrival of Mischief Maker.

We have now had our first week together – it was quite a heated introduction to the ponies and a very sad goodbye for the family, but everyone seems to have settled down and I am enjoying getting to know her and starting a new partnership, which hopefully isn’t too mischievous !