“Oh, hi! Ready to start our life together?”
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Short form: “oops, I did it again.”
Ok… I gotta tell y’all a little story. Back when I got Feronia, she was my first horse and I just wasn’t confident enough for her. She scared me to the point that I was afraid to ride her. I loaned her to a teen for eventing camp, and while they were gone, I decided to put us into full training for 6 months, and if things were still bad them, I’d sell her. (The teen had a blast with her and wanted to keep her.)
Right around then, I fainted and fell off the horse I’d borrowed from the teen, and broke some bones - I have a plate holding my left collarbone together now. It took over a year to recover completely, but I did start riding Feronia again about 6 weeks after the accident. And discovered that while she’s a drama queen, the last thing she wants to do is hurt me. The trainer loved her, we did a clinic and Linda Zang told me one of her clients would buy her from me in a hot minute, etc.
A couple of years, three trainers, and two barn moves later, I had a trainer basically try to steal her from me, because “I wasn’t the rider this superstar needs.” Trainer thought she could be an FEI dressage horse (2 or 3 closely related to her are exactly that.) Cue a whole awkward crisis for me, though by that time keeping Feronia sound took a lot of time and money, and I knew she was mine for good.
I am, at best, a permanent advanced beginner rider.
So fast forward to today. We visit Lola, who is upset in her new digs and I have to remind myself that I just turned her whole world upside down yesterday. She listens, but she was a little frantic about it. (First management change: she stays outside 24/7, as she got more frantic when in a stall. I did not ever see her circling the stall before I bought her, but it was a tiny stall, and this one was big enough for her to really move. 12 by 12 or 12 by 10, but remember she is a tiny horse. Second management change: add Purina Outlast. Third change: NO treats fed by hand, at least until we know each other better.)
I left the barn for our weekend on the Cape not feeling very good about all this. Where did my little kids’ pony go?
The trainer was going to ride her tomorrow, but had to rearrange her schedule, so rode her this afternoon.
I just got a text from her: “is she for sale? I’m obsessed!”
So once again, completely by accident, have I stumbled upon a hidden star? I told the trainer that once we know her a little better, we can talk. I was absolutely not looking for a competition superstar, either with her, or 15 1/2 years ago with Feronia. I just want a horse to ride that is good on the trails. If that horse happens to be a little palomino Morgan pony with hidden talents, I’ll be fine.
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I wish you both many years and adventures together 
(note to self: start looking for a cute palomino pony…)
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She’s so cute!! I see many happy healthy years together for you two. Congrats!!
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the first buckskin Morgan we got had been through so many people that he did not believe this was his home. He was very unsettled until I started loading him on the trailer for trip around for about twenty to thirty minutes only to bring him back to put him back into his paddock. After a few weeks he then decided yes this my home. (he began to really enoy the trips to donut shop who had taken to liking to his visits)
Your palomino is a nice looking horse
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Yep… she’s a childhood dream horse in the flesh. Give her some time to settle in and I think you’ll be just fine. Look at her ear focused on you leading her.
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Love her, so happy for you both! She’s YOURS, enjoy her as you want to!
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She is so darned cute! Watch out, one of us might steal her.
Rebecca
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That head shot is gorgeous! You two will have a ball together.
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I miss those days. Bringing home a new horse to figure out! And when she falls in love with you too! This is what we live for, while we can. Thanks for sharing your good fortune. She is lovely.
And going to love her new home!
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She is stunning!!!
Oh she’s got a NICE eye on her. I think she’s going to be juuuuust fine.
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Every.single.horse. can and will get prancy and firey when they are in an exciting or disturbing new situation. The first week means nothing. I would add that most horses are primarily relating to a change in their horse companion world. If they are put in a herd they will race around and then sort out hierarchies and social standing. If they are in a barn setting they can’t deal directly with all the new horses so take out their anxiety in other ways. It’s why horses get hyped at horse shoes. It’s the other strange horses more than the actual arena and judge.
Let her settle in.
As far as having a nice horse with potential just enjoy. The horse does not need to “reach their potential.” Most horses don’t. Many trainers and barn buddies are graspy graspy for the new shiny thing. Take it as a compliment you have an eye for horses
The only time one might want to move along a “high potential” horse is if they are bsc and dangerous and a “pro ride.”
If the horse has a good mind, just enjoy and don’t feel guilted
Imagine you are a school teacher dealing with a child that has been evacuated from natural.diasyer without really understanding what’s happening and is anxious and curious and confused. Wouldn’t you give the child a few weeks to settle in before you labeled them with ADHD or expelled them for bad behaviour?
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Yes, I get this. She’s outside with 2 over the fence/touch noses neighbors and 2 other horses very close.
Sunday she will get a handwalk around the property. Lots of horses everywhere.
I’ve been in the position of having my older horse “not working up to its potential” before. I didn’t care because of the horse - she’d rather be hanging out with her horse buddies. It was the passive-aggressive insults of me from the trainer that got me.
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Just do what you want with her. She’s yours, so don’t let a trainer get inside your head.
If you think this trainer may be about to repeat what you went through with the other trainer, make it clear to him/her what your goals are, up front, and that you will appreciate (and expect) their support.
I’m so happy for you. 
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I love her. And am very happy for you!!!
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Oh i do SOOO love your golden lady Lola horse!
More pics. Many more please.
What i’ve found with some horses that come to me unimpressed with me, is that once we begin training things drastically change. I become relevant to their life. Some horses just glom-on so easily, some though…ya gotta win their respect. You’ll gain Lola’s, i know you will!
Oh pish-tosh! When you have a beauty, embrace…no, ENJOY the envy!!
and you deserve a nice horse because: You are smart you are kind you are important.
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I trust this trainer more than the past one. She has a thriving sales business and all her medals on some very nice Iberian types, so while she loves Lola, I do not think she’s going to steal her from me.
Meanwhile, her backstory expands. I heard from someone who used to work for her previous owner, taking care of the horses when they were up in New Hampshire every summer. She doesn’t know what was done with Lola in Florida, but said she was never ridden in New Hampshire. The former owner was hoping she’d get a bit bigger – didn’t happen!
And, from another source, I heard she spent a few months with Parelli in Florida. Probably not ridden there – not unexpected.
So it’s possible that she was started under saddle in June, in which case she’s more green than I knew – but does not act it.
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Lola is even more of a dream horse than I first thought. I’m confident you will have lots of great times with her. Personally, I would be proud just to ride around on Lola because she’s so fancy. I’d always feel like I was in my own little private Rose Bowl Parade.
By the way, I have the exact same Life is Good t-shirt. 
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