I have a crush … and he’s not even mine
Please meet my latest crush. His name is Martin. He’s a 17.1hh OTTB and he is breathtaking. This is the first horse I’ve ever ridden where people from the lesson before have stayed late to watch just because he’s so gorgeous in action.
And to ride … he’s all power. He has amazingly long strides, and a surprisingly soft mouth and, well, see … I have a pretty major crush on him.
OK, I had to use this picture of him because doesn’t he look cool as a racehorse! Such a beauty …
This is Martin in his new life – the Martin I know now (in case it’s not clear, he’s the chestnut on the left). Still handsome, in a different way.
The thing is, Martin’s not my first crush; not by a long shot. Looking back now, I realize there’s been a whole string of 17-hand thoroughbreds – young, fast, and strong – who have grabbed my heart. There was Sun, who was as close as you can get to pure black. There was Crombie – he’s the one in my author picture; the one with the cute wavy edges to his ears. And now, Martin. A chestnut. I never thought a chestnut gelding would grab my heart, but he’s got it.
This is Abercrombie – my first crush at Meadowvale – the barn where I still ride. Isn’t he handsome?
These horses I crush on are never mine. I’ve never owned a horse. I came close, once, right before university, and I had a BIG crush on that horse. He was also an OTTB, and he was also chestnut. His name was Hazard, which my coach hated. When I first saw Hazard, at a barn snugged into the base of the Gatineau Hills, he was scruffy, to say the least. There was something about him, though.
When we got him back to our barn, on the Ontario side, he cleaned up nicely. Even my coach started liking him. And he was adorable. He always checked himself out in the big arena mirrors – not great for proper flexion, but I thought it was sweet.
And then he didn’t vet check.
It was terrible. I’ll never forget my coach calling me at home – my coach NEVER called me at home. He told me Hazard hadn’t passed the vet check, and then he had to listen to me cry, and he probably remembered why he never called his seventeen-year-old riders at home.
After that, I’d lost most of my heart for horse-hunting – it had taken us a long time to find Hazard – and university was coming up quickly, and I thought it was probably better to go away without a horse to worry about.
And so, the crushes. I had them before Hazard, of course. Lass – the little half-starved quarter horse mare who inspired Whinny in Objects in Mirror. She was one.
Lassie was such a sweet mare. I seem to love either huge thoroughbred geldings, or small, feisty, quarter-horse mares.
And I’ve had them ever since. Everything about my riding is better and brighter when I’m in love with the horse I’m riding. This winter has been brutal – frequent extreme cold warnings, and consistently riding in temperatures colder than -20 degrees – but I’ve never minded going out because … Martin.
The other great thing about having a horse-crush on somebody else’s horse? Instant friend. There’s nothing a doting horse-owner likes more than another person who’s smart enough to see how perfect her horse is. I have email exchanges with Martin’s owner where we talk about what a goof he is, and what we love about him, and how he’s doing. Who do you think sent me those great pictures of Martin I used above?
Horse owners are generous, amazing people – lucky for non-horse owners like me!
How about you? Are you in love with your own horse? Do you crush on somebody else’s? If you’re a horse owner, how do you feel when somebody falls in love with your horse?
