05/23/2025
The perfect horse (story time and long read)
In the equine community we all have different expectations for our horses. Some may be performers, competitors, pasture pets etc. When a person decides they want a horse and they go on the search. Usually when searching they start with breed, gender, performance level, health status etc. There are times that in that purchase the horse will cost five figures and they bring that horse home and find it has some unmanageable habit that becomes a burden to them. Then they decide to sell that horse and find a new one that fits their needs being careful that the new horse doesn’t have that issue. Thus the journey of buy and sell begins.
I’ve owned quite a few horses and the only reason I’ve ever sold a personal is because of life circumstances. What I could and could not do. But I’ve always managed to keep one special horse and that’s Haze. I was fifteen when Daniel and I irrationally decided that the Mustang my farrier was offering us was something we needed! He came out to trim my mare that was also a $150 nag that was skin and bones when I picked her up. The conversation started because of a 90’s hatchback Mustang we were driving around and he said “you need to get a real Mustang”. We responded “yes we do!” Lol! We bought him that day for $350.
Back in 2009 BLM paperwork was done by mail and tracing mustangs wasn’t as secure as it is today. Lots of mustangs got lost. Haze was still a stud when when purchased him and he was also illegally sold to us. That all got worked out later opening my journey with the blm. A Story for another time.
When we purchased Haze he was halter broke, could send out on a line, but had never been started under saddle. He was a good first Mustang for the novice. I was much more reckless back then and my first ride on him was little to no prep at all in a field with a halter. Went pretty good lol!! We did eventually did get him gelded and moved him to a hunter barn where the head trainer hated him and thought he was a menace. I was young and she wouldn’t allow him to be handled without a stud chain. But he behaved for me and Daniel just no one else. Very mustang of him. The facility was beautiful, incredible barn, holistic care, nice pastures but he was just miserable there.
We did learn to be organized in our ground work and had training on hunter jumping. It really helped us both. We eventually moved him to our back yard and had animal control called on us a bunch because people thought it was too small. But he was actually rode everyday in mountains and very well fed and cared for. So they stopped responding. We eventually kept him at a neighbors with beautiful pasture land.
The journey then brought us to Leland NC where he rode 100’s of miles in the green swamps. On organized rides and alone. One time I rode out alone with him no saddle and a halter and got super lost. So the sun was setting I didn’t have a phone and I decided to drop the reins pick up a canter and let him go. I put all my trust into haze and we were home in less then an hour. Don’t do what I did I was 17 🤣
I started trick training him and he learned many tricks. Started riding tackless and went on a spiritual training journey. I had no kids and my life was working at Starbucks and going to the barn. I spent ALL my spare time with just haze. We kept him on a property where a family there would feed him when I couldn’t come and they always loved on him and treated him like family. We were there for years and it was the best boarding experience I’ve ever had. Simple is always better.
Haze in all of the 16 years that we’ve had him has never bitten, kicked, dragged anyone, or done anything to intentionally harm humans. The sad part for haze is I didn’t know much about training when we bought him. I knew I wanted to train but everything with him was experimental and trial and error. I literally put him through it all. But there was always love and good intention. Always searching for a better way to work with him.
I never did perform with Haze the way I dreamed. But when I had my two girls he taught them to ride. He was safe for them. He’s 100% reliable to anyone that ride rides him. We always say at shows he may not be 1st but he’ll get you something and you’ll have fun doing it!
So what makes him the perfect horse? He’s not flashy, he’s not incredibly athletic, he tends to struggle with obesity and he’s slow lol! To us he’s the perfect horse because he’s reliable. He will never run away from a halter. He’s kind to children and entertains the crowd with tricks on The mark everytime. He is gentle and cooperative. When he takes a treat it’s soft and with care and he knows not to step in your space for more. He’s stoic and doesn’t complain or say no ever! Even when he’s not feeling up to it he will not let his family down.
Haze was not like this when we bought him! He was scared of strangers, high energy, wouldn’t stand quite tied ever, kicked stall doors, aggressive with pasture mates and all the things people can’t stand. Haze is this way he is today because we have never let him go. He went where we went. We forgave him for misbehaving and being a menace. I put countless hours into him out love with no expectation. If i had time it was his.
The perfect horse is the horse you never quit. The horse you give your time. The horse you choose to love. The horse you allow to teach you. Haze and I were just two kids that grew up together. We played and fell down then got back up. Haze is 100% secure that he will go where I go and in return he’s grown from the child to the giver. He is raising my children and the children that come here to learn. Sometimes he tells me he’s annoyed and I take him out and we go for a run. It reminds him that he’s still my guy and when we have those rides it brings us both back to just us on the trails going where the wind blows and getting lost in naivety. Remaining loyal and patient to him and in return he gives more then he takes.
Don’t quit your horse on the bad days.
The perfect horse is the horse you choose to love
