Our New Year overnight spa retreats have been replaced with our own homestead retreat. We still enjoy(ed) an early meal out at our favorite supper club. We always order the same thing, and foster laughs when we don't even look at the menu. Especially when what we order is not on the menu, but they make it for us every single time regardless. It is always delicious! No clue how they do it so consistently, especially when the place is swamped on holidays.
After feasting, we headed home to change into barn clothes and spent relaxing time with our horses. Pretty sure they thought we were nuts!! Koda & Harmony got their muddy tails washed, and they all got loved on and brushed before tucking them back into their stalls.
Brad has taken some extra days off of work over the new year. We've been talking horse, and thinking. Where should we put the outdoor arena? The location keeps changing. We've also been saving, and planning where to add an indoor arena. Someday. We would certainly spend more time with our horses with either of these valued additions.
It occurred to me, 2020 means Harmony is 20!! Wow! Where does the time go??!!
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| Harmony is as stoic as the trees, October, 2019 |
I've always felt sorry for Harmony. Altho she was loved by riders at her breeders barn, the owner thought of her as a "red headed step child" because she didn't fit into her riding/jumping program. After we bought her, she was shown a few more times at fun shows. Harmony has since lived at many different boarding stables. Some situations fit her better then others, she is first and foremost a pasture loving girl. She keeps finding barn buddies, and having to leave them. It has been hard on her.
She also lived with us at the family farm, and helped raise Cierra. Harmony has always been cared for, but not always ridden or more importantly visited with frequency while boarded. Some things are out of my control...
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| Harmony meandering over to me, December 2019 |
Harmony is a quiet middle of the pack girl these days. Brad has always loved her, and Koda & Nemo love her too. I have learned to love her for her many redeeming qualities, and set the intense part of her aside. She is home to stay. Brad promised me he won't let her be moved again. Altho she is our daughters horse, he technically owns her. I pick and choose my battles and should it come up again, I am going to hold him to that promise. For her sake.
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| Harmony is always observing, December 2019 |
Harmony is happy here, although I think she could use a female friend. Nemo and Koda are so close (they were born one day apart, and been together since day one) that I feel at times she is the third wheel. It is interesting to watch the trio pastured and see who they choose to be with, and when.
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| Harmony is a polite mare December, 2019 |
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| Harmony & Nemo (love the ears) October, 2019 |
As the year turns, our beautiful red-headed girl is getting up there in age. Although you would never know it when she chooses to leave the boys in her dust!!
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| Harmony is a powerhouse, October 2019 |
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| Sweet Harmony, December 2019 |
4 comments:
We don't usually go out on New Year's anymore either. Just a quiet night at home for us.
Harmony seems like a wonderful sweet girl. She has such a kind eye. I'm sure she loves being at the farm with you all. Maybe this year you could surprise her with a new mare friend. This way she's always have someone to keep her company if you took out the other two guys for a trail ride. Just kidding!
We have a few riding rings and to tell you the truth I like the indoor better in the summer and winter. It's just cooler or warmer depending on if the doors and windows are open or shut. I mainly use the little arena by the barn for lunging or a quick ride when the weather is good. The outdoor arenas are good when they're not frozen and can be dragged and I do like the one with some trees for shade on the outside of the fence. The one in the back with no shade is really hot in the summer. Hope you find the perfect place for your arena.
Harmony's dam is really well bred. I don't know what Harmony's issues are, but she sure seems like a good natured mare.
Oh how I would love to have my own arena again! Last time I had one, was 2002. We had an 80 acre farm with a huge outdoor arena. It's too bad we had to sell and move due to Ted's work.
Having a buddy for Harmony so Brad & I can ride together is a real thing!! We've thought about getting an older broke mare in the past. A beginner riding horse that we could offer others to ride with us. We frequently get asked...but it would have to be the right horse. It's such a crap shoot, you never know what you are really getting unless you know the horse/owners. I would much prefer Cierra to come home!! Although it doesn't sound like that is going to happen anytime soon.
Harmony's dam was purchased in foal, with Harmony who was born onsite at the riding stables. I incorrectly called her breeder shifty (now edited). It was the riding stable owner, not the dam's breeder that lacked character. The riding stable owner bred the dam one more time before she passing away at the stables, ironically the year before we bought Harmony. Her sister was sold young.
Harmony was a really good riding horse most of the time, except she has been known to dump (good) riders. Who knows if the dumping was pain related? She would refuse jumps, just stop, drop her shoulder and dump them. I can only imagine the rath she endured from the stable owner afterward. I saw Harmony do similar with my daughter when she was twelve, riding at a canter in an indoor arena. I was not amused. No the horse didn't trip, they were coming towards me when she dropped her shoulder way down. It was very intentional...grrr!! Our daughter was fine, got back on and ended up falling in love with Harmony. It never happened again. They enjoyed many 4H years together, including drill team. Our daughter has used Harmony for a lesson horse with young riders, and she takes good care of the littles. For me personally, Harmony was too much horse for me to ride at the time. In her defense, she was only four and pulled out of a pasture after sitting. I only rode her for several weeks, before asking to go back to my preferred lesson horse Dolly.
Happy new year! Harmony is beautiful and it sounds like she has a great life with you. It's so easy to feel guilty about things out of our control, but that looks like one happy horse, looking from the outside in!
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