The Call.

The first person that I called when I knew that I was going to get back into dressage riding was my trainer, Julie Harkness. I had tried, unsuccessfully, to get back into riding about 2 and a half years ago with out her help. Not that I didn't want it, but just that I knew that what she had access to was not what I could afford. I rode him a handful of times, but that horse definitely had some issues!

Well, I called her up, told her that I was beyond excited to start riding dressage again, and she excitedly told me that just a week ago she had decided to sell her horse Phaedra. You don't understand.... I have known Phaedra since her birth, and watched as Julie trained her, fell in love with her baby, and dreamed of riding the massive beauty. 

I actually had already been online horse shopping, mainly just for fun. I found a very pretty gray Hanoverian in Montana. To me, Montana doesn't feel far and foreign because my family lives there. When my parents told me to start looking in Texas, I realized that this is very much for real, and that a horse from Montana would tack on about $5000 in extra cost.... travel to test ride, trainer commission to also look at her, and horse travel expense back home. 

After I began searching near my hometown, I found a beautifully odd cremello horse about 45 minutes out of town. He was a golden Canadian Warmblood, and had unique tan/blue/gold eyes. Yes, they were very different.

I called my trainer, initially to get her opinion on this cremello horse, but also to ask her if she knew of any horses for sale that may work for me. She squealed and said that she had just decided to put Phaedra up for sale, and I immediately told her I would love to ride her! I hadn't even told her my price range yet... and if all the pieces to my puzzle were not already fitting magically into place.... she was IN my price range. I arranged to ride her Sunday, September 4th. I couldn't even sleep the night before... I know, deep inside I am like a 10 year old!

Here is some video of my first ride on Phaedra:

Next up, was the cremello gelding. I was surely NOT going to rush into buying a horse until I had looked at other options. I was set to ride him the next morning. More to come...... :)