Saturday, September 27, 2008

A Small Package

I have had horses all my life but have found myself in the last couple of years horseless by choice. I vowed I would never own another horse.

That all changed when I saw this...........


And I had to have him. I could not get that face out of my mind. I tried really hard to talk myself out of it. But it didn't help that all my friends were trying to talk me into it. I love horses but have no desire to ride anymore so I figured a mini would be perfect for our mini farm.

So yesterday my friend, her daughter and I went to look at "Cuddles" in Tacoma. We were very excited because it was a beautiful day and horse shopping is better than going to Nordstrom's.
My friend and her daughter are horse people so I counted on them giving me their opinion. And they did but we all took one look and fell in love. Cuddles was calm and friendly and down right beautiful. Large brown eyes, very balanced and a palomino. We put him in the round pen and put him through his paces. My friend's daughter, the horse massage therapist, gave him the once over to check for any problems and it was time to load him up and head home.

The only problem was that I didn't bring a trailer. You see we were only going to look and if we liked him come back later. And the owner had several people looking at him and wanted to pick the best home so I figured he wouldn't be ready to go home with me then because she had people coming after me. But her and her daughter picked me. They wanted "Cuddles" to "live beyond the sidewalks".

There was only one thing left to do. My friend is full of adventure, she said "I think we can do it."

So we did...... "Don't worry," said my friend and her daughter, "We have Cheerios."






About half way into the trip my friend said, "I wonder if it is illegal to have a horse in your car?" I said, "I just hope this works out and he doesn't (as Hubby said) kick the crap out of my jeep."

I didn't want to call my insurance agent after all we had just been through with insurance lately and tell him I got in a wreck with a horse in my car.
Wait a minute, I do have Farmers Insurance so I think I'm covered.

We did make it home in one piece and would have made it home without an accident of the poo kind but my friend said, "Wait I need some pictures."


Here is Cuddles meeting the rest of the animals.



The peanut gallery had a good look see.....


I put him in his paddock and turned him loose.



And he met Large Marge from next door.

Ate a little grass.....but everything he does is little.

Here he is in his new stall.

We have decided to call him Sunny because that was his original name and it goes with his registered name which is, Sonoita Highlands After Glow.

So from now on it will be Sunny because Hubby likes it better and every once in a blue moon I let him win.


Thank you Jennifer and Jessica for trusting me with him. He will be loved!


and for those of you that want the particulars...he is a 7 year old gelding, 31.5 inches tall, trained and shown in carting, obstacles, in-hand and jumping, he is as calm and sweet as can be and did not even bat an eye when he met the pigs, now that's stable.

25 comments:

Heidi said...

I am in LOVE - *swoon* LOVE I say! LOL He is darling! I must tell you that you are now considered 'hillbilly' status in my eyes. We used to haul my pony to the local parade in the back of our truck - it had a sliding window and she would stick her head into the cab and look through the windshield while my dad drove. Dangdest thing ya ever saw - her name was - Tinkerbel... LOL

Marigold said...

First of all, I believe it is time for you to start building that Ark. Second, that is quite an impressive Peanut gallery...hee hee...Peanut...I LIKE it! :)

@JDHealingTimeOnEarth said...

Wendy, How exciting! Sounds like alot of fun! Will you be showing him in carts and all that sfuff, or will he be a mascot for your place?

Holly said...

awwww, he's cute...and built MUCH better than many minis I see.

Congrats!

CHOCOLATE GIRL said...

OOOOOOH. . . How cute is he!! OK,goatgirl, I could evolve from casual countrygirl into serious countrygirl in the blink of an eye.
Could you just build me a stall and let me come live among the critters. I love this new little guy and I don't even know him. I can't wait to come visit the farm. Hopefully soon! Loved your idea of making "chicken cards". Pretty soon you won't have time to go to work.

Danni said...

Oh, you did NOT! I can't believe it!! ohmygosh, he is absolutely beautiful and perfect in every way! (Am I using enough exclamation points??!!!!)
Congratulations to you, Wendy, and to you, Sunny...you have a wonderful, loving, gentle new home. I can't wait to see more pictures and hear more stories... (smiling really big for you right now) - danni

Anonymous said...

Oh sweet!!!!! LOL I was wondering if he'd poo in the car. Now don't forget to put his picutre over there on the right - you don't want to leave him out!

goatgirl said...

Heidi, I am way beyond the hillbilly status. When I used to show goats as a kid we didn't have a trailer so we hauled them to the show in the backseat. Did you know that if you hold them on your lap and they are laying down they don't poo. It's a fact.
I am in love too.

Marigold, How do you know the ark isn't already built? And not to worry we saved space for you on it.

Clare, I don't know what I'll do at this point. My friend has a friend that does carting with her minis so I have to go visit and see what it's all about. Right now he is just a fancy lawnmower.

Holly, I thought he was built nice too and I did look at a few. Thanks!

chocolate girl, We seem to be running out of stalls. Would the hay tent do? Bring chocolate!!!
And who says I have time to work.

Danni, Oh yes I did. Call me crazy but hey you only live once. Hubby has accused me of getting animals just to blog about it. Am I that addicted? Help. At least I take good care of them or I'll be on Animal Planet's Animal Cops by next week.

anonymous, Thanks and I will add his picture to the sidebar. I was just down taking more. You can never have enough pictures.

sugarcreekstuff said...

He is BEAUTIFUL! I can't wait to here more about your sunny Sunny. How did you get him into the truck?

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Awwww, Sunny is such a cutie patootie, Wendy. I know he will bring you such happiness.
He's like a big dog. So adorable.

How did he take to the llamas? It must be odd to be a mini, because just about everything is bigger than you. haha! Many minis seem to act like little Napoleons probably because of feeling bigger than their true size. :)

I suppose you can have a much smaller stall, than a full size horse requires, too?

And the manure mucking should be a smaller job, too, right?

My daughter is wanting a mini or a small pony, so we've been keeping our eyes open. I don't imagine we'll forget to bring our horse trailer along, though. haha

You're luck Sunny is such a well behaved calm boy, and that you had some help. I've read about a few freaky accidents that happened when carting minis in cars.

But hey! You have the best little mini around. And at least you didn't stop off to buy him a cheeseburger, like these people:
Patches at the drive-thru

I can't wait to read more updates on Sunny.

CONGRATS!!
:)

~Lisa

Country Girl said...

Sunny is sweet. I would love to have a mini but my hubby would never go for that. What a lovely addition to Life beyond the sidewalks!

Chanda said...

Oh my he is so cute. He sorta favors Rod Stewart in the first picture. His eyes are so kind and gentle looking. I love love love the picture of the curious little noisy goats. The are just precious looking at the new farm member. Congrats on your new found friend.
Shanda

Tracey said...

What a face!!!! Sunny is a doll baby :)
Thanks for the laugh.....I am reading the post and thinking "no she didn't" and then there is the picture of Sunny in the back seat....Yes, she did...LOL
Can't wait to hear more about and see more of the pony!
Tracey

frugalmom said...

Oh my gosh....isnt he just the sweetest thing ever? I can see why you fell head over heels for him! Hes gonna have a great life there with you.

Danni, can we get a Sunny for your place? I promise to help take care of him....and Ill send carrots, too. PLeaeeeassseee.....

goatgirl said...

Thanks everyone for validating me. I'm not crazy!!! He is the cutest. Hubby and I just came back from walking him, along with the dog.

goatgirl said...

Shanda, I do see the Rod Stewart thing.

Pamela said...

Oh. My. Goodness. Sunny is just too, too cute!

You have got to get yourself a cart. That little fellow MUST be seen with a cart. He's just perfect.

I love the picture of the goats having a look at him. Way too funny!

(Sorry, I'm still laughing about the horse in the car--thank goodness the insurance company will never know!)

Gone2theDawgs said...

Whhhaaaattt? Goatgirl?!! A mini horse!! Ok....well after looking at your pics I can see why!! He's a darling!! It's not so bad, just think if you had 100 acres how many more animals you would have!! :) Congratulations on the beautiful addition!! You really MUST cart!

goatgirl said...

See wrensong....you can't leave me alone for a minute. I get into trouble.

goatgirl said...

sugarcreekstuff, To answer your question....When it became apparent that we were going to try to bring him home in the back of my car, my friend and her daughter tried to lift him in but when that didn't work we made a ramp out of scrap wood and after a few tries and a little grain we coaxed him up and into the back of the jeep. I don't even like to think about it now. I think it was crazy.

Tami Weingartner said...

Oh my.....tooooo cute!

Anonymous said...

Get a cart and harness, you'll love driving. My 11.3 pony Jedi is more popular than the rest of my herd put together.

Remudamom

goatgirl said...

I think I will Remudamom. I'm on the lookout for one.

Anonymous said...

is it wrong that i am giddy happy that you put that cute little thing in your car? I so would do that with the cutie oreo goats that are being sold down the road but living in "city limits" the hubster has drawn the line at chickens, sigh.

goatlady said...

I had a mini palomino stallion that looked just like yours that I called Sunny.
I had to sale him because he was hurting my goats. I wonder to this day where he is and how he is doing.