* Sundance *

After I lost Spider in July I decided that I never wanted to go through that loss again. I NEVER wanted to have another horse EVER....

At the end of September I saw an ad about the local horse auction at the end of the month. I asked my parents if they wanted to go and look so we did. It was so hard walking through and looking at all of the horses especially the older ones that should be retired with their families. Not sold through auction. Every horse I saw made me think of Spider and I was about to bawl my eyes out.

As I was walking past one pen a black muzzle poked out through the pannels and brushed my jacket. I stopped dead in my tracks and was captivated by a black BLM mustang mare. This girl was so sweet and I stood and pet on her and loved her the whole time. Other people would stop by her pen and she just stood there with her nose resting on my hand while I scratched her with my other one. I knew this was the girl for me.

My dad had written down some numbers on a couple of other horses that he liked then we went and listened to the auction start. A palomino Missouri Fox Trotter came in calm as can be following his owner and no one was bidding on him except for a meat buyer. My dad raised his bidding number a couple of times and we hear sold for $425. He was ours! My mom and I were not expecting that! We sat there in shock for a moment or two. I then went with my dad to meet our new horse and his previous owner. They guy told us his name and some basic info about him. He said that if we had questions that we could call him and that his number was on the paperwork. We said goodbye and went back to the arena to wait for the little mare.

The black mustang mare came in and it was time to bid on her. We raise our bidding number then someone else raised theirs. It went back and forth and needless to say it ended up as a bidding war. I wanted her so bad! I looked over to see who was trying to get her and it was a family with kids. The price was up to about $900 and they looked like a good family so I told my dad, "Let her go." At least she would have a good home and wouldn't be sold to a meat buyer. Besides we already had another horse that we just bought and we weren't planning on getting any let alone two!

We paid for everything and made arrangements to pick up Sundance the next morning.

On October 1, 2006 we got up bright and early and grabbed the trailer to go pick up Sundance. We parked in the lot by the "barn" and while dad was getting everything ready I decided to see if that little mare was still inside and try to talk to her new owners. She was already gone. I walked back to Sundance. He was very aloof and standoffish. We gave him some water then put his halter on. I got to lead him towards the truck and waited in the aisle for my dad. Sundance was intimidating because he was huge! He was high headed and acted kind of excited but not like he was going to take off... just alert. The cowboy who was going to be feeding the horses walked by and Sundance tried to kick him so I was a little worried.

We got him on the trailer and headed home. He did great in the trailer and just looked around a lot. When we got Sundance home and unloaded him, my dad just walked him off the trailer. Sundance was quiet and unconcerned about the whole event. We put him in the roundpen and let him graze. I ran and got my camera and took some shots of the new horse. The next thing I noticed (besides that he was so tall!) was that he was VERY skinny. His hip bones were very prominent and you could count his ribs. It's amazing what you can see in daylight... We saddled him up and took him for a ride and he did great. I had a hard time because I hadn't ridden since Spider got sick and I felt like I was betraying him in some way.

Above: Sundance October 1st 2006 first day home. Note

how skinny he is.

Above: Sundance October 1st 2006 first day
home. Note his ribs and hip bone.

We had the vet out to the house a couple of days later and he informed us that our new horse is Lame in his back leg. I was crushed. Not only had I said I never wanted another horse, but when I change my mind I get one that has issues that he could have to be put down for? I didn't know how to react and decided that we should find him a new home because I did NOT want to go through that again! We called the man that we had bought him from and spoke with at the auction and he played dumb about the lameness issue. He wanted to come out and see him so we gave him directions and he never showed up... Our farrier came out and when he took the shoes off Sundance he pointed out how they had built that shoe up on one side for his lame foot.

I talked to a few people that I knew that could have horses and none were interested at that time. I guess we were stuck with him until we found someone to take him... I started spending time with him and trying to work with him a little and he started to grow on me. I decided to keep him. : )

I have had this horse for a little over a year now and am glad I kept him. He and I still have lots of work to do to over come some spookiness issues but he has come a long way. He has gone from aloof to a shadow. He will come up to you and he loves to be scratched and rubbed on. He is always doing something silly like splashing in the water trough or playing with the jolly balls and is a character!!! He is like a big brother to the younger horses and is always teaching them to get into stuff! Lol



Above: Sundance less then a year after having him. A little groceries
filled him out nicely! He is such a ham! : )

If anyone has any suggestions about despooking a horse and teaching him to think instead of react please leave me a comment! I love to hear other perspectives and ideas... : )

Above: Sundance enjoying a nice run.