“Go wisely and slowly. Those who rush stumble and fall.”
― William Shakespeare
Gracie came to be with us back in October 2013.
It was all amatter of being in the right place at the right time.....
See, my Dad and I attended a local gymkhana.. Sort of a spur of the moment and completely unplanned decision.
Anyhow, Dad was talking with a local station owner (and if you are reading this: I am extremely grateful. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!) and some how the subject of the brumbies that they had just mustered up on their property came up, and that there where a few foals among them.
In the next sentence I was taken completely by surprise and seemed to move so fast, when he asked me would I like one to train? Perhaps tomorrow I would like to come out and take a look at them, just maybe I might find something that caught my eye. Well an opportunity like that doesn't come up everyday, so I jumped at the chance.
On the drive home I wondered vaguely what Mom would say... I go out for a few hours and come back practically with a foal! Now in my time I have dragged lots of poor and sad creatures home that was in need of rescuing and/or a loving home. But none of those critters have ever been quite as large as a horse before... How on earth was I going to break the news?
***
Her first reaction was quite inevitable, then came the what and the how and the how old? Very quickly and smoothly I offered that I didn't know how old she (somehow I already knew that it would be a she) was and that all I knew that she was a brumby, and I would be most likely be rescuing her, because who knew where the rest of the poor brumbies would end up. Well surprisingly enough that was all it took to convince her....
Love at first sight
The next day dawned bright and early. I must say I was a bit apprehensive. Much of previous night I had spent worrying about about how I would ever just pick one foal, and then how on earth I would know if she was the right one...and many other what ifs occupied my thoughts.
It was about a 2 hour drive to get out there so I had plenty of time to keep dwell on it all.
Which in hindsight, was ridiculous really, because I needn't have worried at all!
Within three minutes of our arrival and walking around the outside of the yard I spotted her! And she nearly took my breath away... Even if she was a bit on the scrawny side, and a bit scruffy looking with patches of mud and shedding winter coat. She just had this 'something' about her. She had this huge presence for such a young horse that makes look twice. It made her seem older...and... its kind of hard to describe... but it made me think of those great warhorses of old: spirited and graceful, wise and fiercely loyal... (plus she reminded me a little of a Friesian *grins* I have a bit of a soft spot for them.. but who doesn't, Right?)
I gasped out loud and and remarked that she was absolutely beautiful! But I didn't want to make any hasty decisions till I'd seen all my options; I only got one shot at this. Though must tell you: what I really wanted to do was load them all up in the horse float and take them all home!
The herd was quite flighty as most of them had never seen humans before they had been brought in, and the yard was quite dusty from so many hooves. So for the next hour or so I sat quietly on the outside of the far corner of the yard with my camera ready at hand, observing them.
There were a few other foals that looked promising, but my eyes always seemed to wander back to that little black filly who had stolen my heart.
Amongst the the herd was the most stunning black stallion. He was the very image of freedom.
I was quite sad that I couldn't take him, but a fully grown stallion was really out of the question...
I figured that if I couldn't have him that it was highly probable that most or all of the back foals were his, and if they grew up to look anything like there sire... well surely that was the next best thing, right?
After a while Dad who had been fairly patient up until that point, came over and asked if I found one...(he gets a bit impatient sometimes ;) sorry Dad, but it's true! hehe!)
I considered for a moment or two...Well there was really only one answer to that....