Meet Daisy

Did anyone else just start singing "Meet Virginia" in their head...? No? Just me?

Ahem.

So, when I say I'm all done until spring rolls around in terms of horse shopping...I really meant that I'm all done as long as nothing interesting pops up in my face.

This mare struck me as, decidedly, interesting.

Daisy is a twelve year old, blue roan(ish?) and white Spotted Saddle Horse mare.

I drove up to Maine last Saturday after talking with J, her owner, quite extensively the past few weeks. J is funny and refreshingly honest, which I thoroughly appreciate. She and N, from the entry on Renegade, are friends...so I shouldn't have expected anything less than a lovely, sassy lady with a good head on her shoulders and the "horse first" attitude I so respect in other horse people.

Three hours (and one speeding ticket...my very first one *hangs head in shame*) later, I arrived to a BEAUTIFUL little farm in Maine. I wanted to move right into a stall and never leave! J and her son's girlfriend (also J...hmm...confusing!) greeted me, and we stepped into the barn. I was greeted by another Tennessee Walking Horse mare, who was a foster. Then I met Daisy.

A little bit of back story: shortly after meeting N, she suggested I join a group on Facebook called Mainely Gaiters. I promptly did so. I love having varied horsey groups at my disposal, so the more the merrier! Of course, one of the first posts that popped up was J, looking for a new home for her sweet but spoiled rotten little mare. J (and here is where I knew we would be friends!) openly admits that she and Daisy are like oil and water when it comes to their relationship. Daisy is a good, smart critter who tests the boundaries regularly -- and when she gets away with something, she continues pushing to see juuuust how much she can get away with! She is certainly a bit of a diva, but she has more personality in one strand of mane hair than most horses have in their whole bodies.

She immediately charmed me by stuffing her nose in my face and snuffling every inch of it. Then she continued charming me by lipping at my sweatshirt strings and nosing my pockets. She stood quietly as J and I chatted and I went over her with my hands. She flicked an ear once or twice, and tried to mooch carrots off of me.

Daisy, however, is a horse I would classify as a project. She is definitely used to getting her way and it would take some time to remind her that she is not boss mare. She was very reactive and in tune to J, and they really were like oil and water...so J's presence was enough to work Daisy up when she was asked to do something. J loves her mare so, so much, and it is very obvious that she wants what's best for her girl, which is one of the most respectable things a horse owner can do (in my not-so-humble opinion). I opted not to ride her that day, as she was already worked up from the things that had been asked of her -- I felt it was unfair to completely explode her brain at this point -- and a slight misstep on my part tweaked my already bad back. Daisy stood with me after we had done a bit on the ground, resting her nose in the crook of my neck. My heart twinged painfully.

Daisy charmed me. That's a solid fact. I left J's that afternoon conflicted. Daisy had most certainly grabbed my heart with her sweet, funny personality, but was I really ready to jump back into a project so soon after Image? I wasn't sure.

It took me a few days, but I had to admit to myself that despite the fact that I was sure I could help Daisy become a wonderful critter...I just don't have the drive to do so right now. Image really drained me and I'm not emotionally ready to take on another gamble. Granted, every single horse, no matter how well trained/healthy/what have you, is a gamble at the end of the day...but I'd like my odds to be a little better that I'll be riding regularly by this time next year. I liked what I saw in Daisy's eye, even when she was reacting "badly" to something, but I just don't think I'm up for it right now.

I was glad to meet Daisy and J, who is a sassy lady with a no bullshit attitude (which I also thoroughly appreciated). Just another step in figuring out what, exactly, I want and don't want when it comes to my next horse. I thought I'd be okay taking on another project -- apparently, not so much.

I have about a hundred shoots this weekend (okay, exaggeration, but whatever!), including one with a Paso Fino stallion that I am completely beside myself about. Hope to share a few shots Sunday afternoon!

Happy weekend, ya'll!