This spring we were on the hunt for a new horse for T. We had to put Ol' Fred down last winter due to old age. Last summer T borrowed a horse from our good friends, and we were welcome to that horse if we needed. The search began around calving time. I was on the look and of course I had my dad on the prowl too.
There was a horse sale coming up, and we were busy looking through it. Circling lots we thought sounded ok. Now, you must know my dad is not a fan of horse sales. He has a stead fast rule to never buy a horse through the ring. In his almost 60 years he has bought 4 horses through the ring and 2 of those were no sales he purchased afterwards.
I was unable to make it to the sale, so it all rested on dad's shoulders. I gave him a budget, and off he went to look for and purchase an older gelding. Dad kept calling throughout the sale, with words of 'I am not going to get anything bought' or 'lot 43 was not all he cracked up to be.'. 2 of dads good friends kept encouraging him to stay around and bid on the last horse of the sale. They knew where the horse came from, and it was a good one.
Dad had noticed that horse earlier. Little palomino with 3 kids on it, just going all over the place. He decided to wait it out. They cracked the gate open and in came those 3 kids at a trot on that little palomino. The auctioneer started chanting, and dad started raising his hand. He finally quit, he had reached my budget. About that time, the opened the gate again, and one of the kids gave out a whistle. Their dog came a running, grabbed a hold of that horses tail and started swinging around. The horse never missed a beat. The dog then jumped up on the hindquarters of the horse, weaved through the kids and laid across the horses back. Dad couldn't help himself. His arm went up, and up again until he was the winning bid on the horse.
Dad called me, and I quote 'I got you a horse, its not what you wanted and I went over budget.' That was it. He had hung up! So as I impatiently waited for him to call back, I was trying to get red in the face and get made.
Turns out, once again, Dad knew best. He bought a 4 year old mare, over my budget. NOT an old gelding. I'm here to tell you, that little horse rocks! Tally has taken her and they are on the go. They have helped move cows, been in a parade, kids rodeos, wagon trains. You name it, those two little stinkers are on the go! I couldn't be any prouder.
Yes, that is right I put my (then) 6 year old daughter on a 4 year old horse and turned them loose. Dad had rode the horse for 2 weeks trying to make her mess up, and she never did. So away they go. Miss Sunny and T riding, learning, and having a blast! Every kid should be so lucky.
Now dad gets his silly grin on his face when he tells this story, then he giggles and says 'just blame the dog. If it wasn't for the dog I wouldn't have kept bidding!'
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