What am I like?!!!!

Ok, it's now official, I have bought another horse!!! I am SUCH a loose cannon now that I don't have David to restrain me!!!!!

She is indeed the youngster previously owned by my macho livery owner. She is actually 5 years old, now that I have her passport, but was only backed a few weeks before she came here, which was just a few months ago. She is a part bred Connemara and she has only been ridden in a Western saddle and hasn't had a bit in her mouth yet. She also needs to lose a lot of weight!!!

I have been fighting the urge to see if he would part with her for some time as they have a total personality clash. She is very bright, brave and strong minded but in a kind, friendly way. He is very persistant and stubborn and was absolutely determined that she would do as she was told. Unfortunately she likes to be asked and not told and gets frightened but angry with it when she feels threatened. She has taken a few kicks at him, which is totally out of character for her. and thrown her toys out of the pram on several occasions. The penalty for that was endlessly being chased around on the end of a lunge rope and being hit when she got too stroppy. That might have worked with a more timid horse but it was never going to with her.

Her previous owner was offered some free grazing elsewhere and was going to turn her out for the winter while he went off travelling. I was relieved that he was leaving, for many reasons, and tried to just ignore the mare but he asked me to turn her out for him on Monday and I couldn't get over how much the look in her eye reminds me of Bella when she was that age. I found out what he paid for her and offered to give him his money back (£2000) which I thought was over generous!!!! He said he needed more because of all the work he's done on her!!!!!!!!!!

I said no way and tried to ignore her again. She was supposed to be leaving tomorrow and so, when he asked me to turn her out again this morning, I thought I'd have a little play with her in the school, as it wuld be my last chance. She hates being in the school with him so I was sure she would be difficult.

One of my friends caught me in the act and was all smiles watching us. The mare is definitely another Bella - a superstar in the making. Her attention never wandered for a second and she tried her heart out to please.

I said a few rude words because I had hoped she'd throw a strop and let me off the hook!!! I text one of my farmer friends, who has been hearing the story from the start and has taken great interest as he knows her previous owner from years ago. I asked him if they had plenty of haylage to sell me, as if I bought her I needed to know that I could keep everything fed. He said if they ran out he'd find me some more.

I asked him what he thought of the whole thing, as an unbiased opinion, and he said that he knows nothing about horses but she looks like an expensive horse to him and if my inner feeling was that I should buy her to go for it!!!! He is so cautious with money, mine included, and used to be so anti horse owners that I couldn't believe my eyes! Now I just tell everyone that it was his fault - he made me buy her!!!!!

I haggled but got nowhere with her owner so I caved in and paid his asking price - £2500!!! I still can't quite believe that I did it - it's so crazy and the last thing I need is another horse - but I had to somehow. It feels right. Where I'll find the time or the energy for all of them heaven knows!

Everyone here thinks that I paid too much but they all love the mare and would like her for themselves. They are all asking to watch me train her, to see her learn in real time, and offering to video sessions for me too.

My friend who was watching this morning said that I made it look so easy and the others agreed. It's funny but I'm genuinely just beginning to think I might be any good at this and only because they're all telling me so. I never thought of myself as severely lacking in self confidence and self esteem in the past but I think now that I always have been. I've always come alive when I'm with my horses but I've never really believed that I'm any good with them. I told my friend this morning that it was the mare making it look easy but she said that I always do, with any horse. Time will tell but they all really believe in me which is so lovely of them!!!!

She was called Rush before but I need to think of a proper name for her. I will also need to find a nice owner for her eventually but in the meantime I'm going to have a lot of fun with her, learn a lot, teach a bit hopefully and with a coloured horse to ride I can really pretend that I'm Rosie!!!!!!

Here she is a few months ago with her previous owner's other horse who also started to misbehave and was put out on loan to a girl who gets on great with him!