This is Bella. She has made some cameo appearances on my blog before. She was the precious pony mare I owned before Maxwell. Bella is very special. Not only because she's a gorgeous pony, but because she is the common thing that brought horses into people's lives at the right time for the right reasons. Let me explain.
When I moved to Florida in 2011 I was hurting BAD from horse withdrawals. I answered a craigslist ad for someone needing a rider for a couple of large ponies. You never know exactly what you're going to get when you answer craigslist ads. And really, it gets a whole lot more sketchy when you add horse folks into that mix. Anyways, I was desperate, and I showed up.
I got the tour of the farm, met the farm/pony owner Kristina, her husband Jason, and their adorable son. Kristina took me around to meet the two ponies. Naturally, as everyone does, I gravitated to Bella immediately. How could you not, with those striking black points and those mysterious dapples against that gleaming buckskin coat!? I got on her and it was love at first ride. For sure. Bella would go on to be bought and returned two times over that next year.
The second time she returned, Bella became MY pony. I loved her, I spoiled her, I enjoyed her. We overcame many obstacles. Bella was NOT an easy horse when Kristina got her. There were very few moments when she was easy. But the times she was, she was unstoppable. There wasn't anything this pony couldn't do. Why then, would I ever consider NOT owning her? The answer was quite simple. I had goals. I had aspirations. I wanted to get back into the show world. Sure, maybe me and pony could get along in some lower level jumper classes. But I kind of wanted to dabble into the hunter ring. The ring where suitability would work against us and no matter how perfect we were, we would likely never place together. I needed something my size. Of course, if I could have owned two, I would have kept Bella and ventured a search for my next mount. But that just wasn't the case in my situation.
Enter Maxwell
One day, I got a facebook message from Summer. It seems that perhaps my perfect pony had been haunting her online as well. She had known I had a crush on Max because I had commented a few times asking a couple basic questions about him. I wasn't ready for him, as I still had my pony, but boy would I like to own him once that was squared away.
One thing lead to another, and I set up a time to come meet Maxwell. I remember the date very well. April 3rd 2015. It was a Friday. The next morning I got out to the farm just as the sun started to rise. I gave my pretty pony one last good bath. I gave her kisses. We walked around the property. And a tearful me walked her up the trailer ramp. I was going to bring her to Summer's and bring home Maxwell. I sobbed the whole drive there. Thankfully, Maxwell's bright and happy eyes met mine as we pulled up Summer's driveway. Thank god for Maxwell. If I had simply been dropping off my pony to her new home, and had been bringing nothing home in return, the whole thing would have been a hell of a lot more painful.
I am so very blessed to have been connected with Summer. For her to appreciate Bella for all that she is, just as I did. I could not have asked for her to go to a better place. In return, I got a very special horse. I've never been the type to be all "horse of a lifetime" but if that's a thing, then he is mine. Maxwell is my dream horse. Not the dappled gray 17.2 hand monster Warmblood I envisioned. But instead a very average 16.1 Bay OTTB. I wouldn't trade him for the world. But that's not where this story ends....
Enter Aiden
Aiden's story isn't mine to tell. But the truly magical part that Aiden plays in this story is how he is now forever apart of this big circle. Kristina has been looking for that one horse who just completes her. A little bit of talking here and there lead me to connecting Summer and Kristina. If someone could match a horse and owner up best, I knew it was her. It just so happened that Aiden was looking for his one true person. He's not officially hers (yet) but it looks promising and he completes the circle.
It's really amazing the type of relationships and connections that a cute little buckskin pony can create. I've met two amazing women (and a pretty kickass trainer, too) on this horsey journey! I've met two people who will forever be friends, family, my biggest supporters, just all round amazing people. I'm forever thankful to have my heart touched by that little firecracker of a mare. Without her I might have never gotten the chance to get back to riding, owning, and loving the horses that I do now.
For those of you who didn't follow, here's the flow chart:
Bella Pony--Owned By Kristina--then to Me.
Bella Pony Owned By Me--then to Summer.
Maxwell--Owned By Summer--then to Me.
Aiden--Owned By Summer--then to Kristina.
It's a hard circle to follow, but it's there. It would be easier if I had a piece of string and push pins to put all the connections together. But you guys get what I mean <3
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