I wasn't looking to rehome Grace, but since last fall I've kept an open mind if the right situation should appear I would be willing to let her go. Grace was still teaching lessons in the summer, but standing in a stall with less exercise during the winter months wasn't ideal for her. 2 weeks ago a friend tagged me in a Facebook post asking if I knew of a been there done that horse. There was a 6 year old little girl in need of something safe she could learn on, and Grace at 20 wasn't too old. A few days later the family came to visit Grace. I was thrilled when I saw they had not one little girl but 2! Grace might have 2 little girls to love on her. I got on and showed them all her bells and whistles while the girls stood at the edge of the arena. Grace dragged me to them as to say "put the kids on". The 6 year old girl had no problem guiding Grace around the arena and soon had her walking over poles. I set up some barrels and they started walking tight turns around them. The girls mom was thrilled with her daughters confidence. Next we put the 4 year old on and Grace packed the two girls around the arena. When it was Mom's turn to ride, Grace gave her the business sucking back and throwing her head. She made it pretty clear she wanted to be a kids horse. I talked mom through how to get Grace to move forward and we finished with a trail ride with me on Joe. We made plans for me to drop Grace off the following week, she just had to get along with the family's mini.
I rode Grace more in the last week than I have in the last 6 months, my goal was to get her tuned up for the mom. I only had to remind her what leg meant one time and she was good to go after that. With each ride I remembered what a cool little horse she is, and was more excited about her new adventures. I swear Grace was looking for those two little girls each time I took her out of her stall. Today was the big day, I hauled Grace to her new home. She jumped right in the trailer after not being off the property for over two years, stepped out when we got to the farm, looked around and settled right in. The meeting with the mini was uneventful, they touched noses through the gate and then grazed alongside each other like it was no big deal. After unloading her blankets, favorite brush and a bale of hay I headed back out to the pasture to say goodbye. Grace was right where I left her, totally comfortable in her new surroundings as though she had lived there her entire life. I could not have found a better home for her if I had gone out of my way to look!
