Six years strong

Although Amber’s birthday is on April 20th, and she officially became mine the first week of June, I was first assigned and met her mid to late September. June would be an apt time to celebrate a horse-iversary, but to me, I feel that ours is actually this time of year, shortly after starting the colt training class my junior year and when I first started to work with her.

Not much needs to be said about it since the story is outlined in the post about Miss Amber, but I can’t believe I’ve been able to have her for 6 years now. It’s been back and forth with training and figuring everything out with her, but she is absolutely my heart horse.

Emma posted recently about the little moments of horse owning, and that’s really the same thing I’d like to say in this. Just those little moments. The ones where I’m sitting and watching her graze in the pasture in Colorado when she was better from her injury. The ones where she walks up to me, and she nickers at me for food and scratches. How she tried to follow me from inside her stall when I arrived to buy her from her original buyers. Always how she touches my stomach with her nose whenever I bring her close.

Horses have so many ups and downs and successes and failures, but those quiet, little moments never change. She has brought me so much joy, and not because she’s super talented or has amazing bloodlines or is worth a lot of money. Her injuries limit her. Her breeding is good and very well thought out, it’s nothing super special. And money I was not made of when I bought her.

It’s how goofy she is all the time. It’s her unwavering curiosity. It’s how much effort she always puts into our rides. It’s how she always looks for me when I come out. It’s when her head flies up and her ears prick when I call her. It’s how she takes her lip and nudges me with it when she’s hungry or she wants scratches. It’s how she trusts me, and I in turn can trust her. It’s how she is consistent in dealing with pressure and new situations. It’s when she pushes at the gate because she wants to get out and do something with me. It’s her everyday silly faces. It’s how she’s so comfortable with me, and how steady she is on a day to day basis. It’s how she chooses to follow me whether she’s in her stall or the arena. It’s how much she tries for me when she won’t try that hard for anyone else. It’s how I’m absolutely her person. It’s how after our rides she puts her face to me so I can love on her.

All those little moments are what gives me joy. We’ve definitely had our ups and downs:

And lots of things that we had to work through and get past:

But so far, it’s been a fun ride, the best ride, and will continue to be one. I can’t wait to see where our adventures take us, and how many new things we can learn together. So, here’s to six years.

Happy Horse-iversary, Amber.