February (10th I think) marked the princess’ 8th gotcha day anniversary and 8 years of gentling Mustangs for me.
I’ll never forget seeing the spicy, lanky filly dart around the round pen at Great Escape Mustang Collaborative ‘s Deertrail location, just sorted out of a group of other TIP horses (remember the Trainer Incentive Program?) by Stephanie Linsley and Petra Kadrnozkova who over the years would become my friends.
I don’t know who was more nervous that day, Lacy or I. She hurt herself on the trailer ride home and I felt terrible.
She was opinionated but sane then, just as she is now. I’m glad the rearing and throwing herself down have stopped. All the big feelings are still there, and still being expressed.
A few months later, when I was ground driving her down the road, I noticed she was moving funny and I couldn’t keep up. I showed my findings to Ruby Keary who determined the sassy little dun mare was, in fact, gaited.
I waffled around on whether or not to keep her for the longest time. Finally, thanks to the pressure from my late friend Anne E Cole , Lacy became a TIP fail and stayed.
I started packing her that year and during the following winter we slowly started riding. I may or may not have put the first rides on her by myself in a 20ac pasture in the dark. Sometimes you do what you gotta do.
I’ve always been obsessed with dragons. Living in Germany, I’d drag one home from every visit to the UK. Sparkly baby dragons in all colors. As it turns out, the old, scenic little towns there have the best gift shops.
Stratford-upon-Avon for example is not only Shakespeare’s birthplace, it’s also a great place for a teenager to go dragon shopping. A few years later I brought home a pink Loch Ness monster sitting on a grey rock from a trip to Scotland.
When the movie How to Train your Dragon came out, I must have watched it 4 times, dreaming of taming and riding my own dragon.
In Lacy I’ve found my very own Toothless. She’s fierce and she all but actually flies. In one picture, notice the “smoke” coming out of her nostrils 
Here’s to the next 8 years little lady! 
#love#mountains#adventure#anniversary#winter#horses#joy#makingmountainmustangmemories
