Some Women Buy Jewelry, I Buy Horses

Dee Bar, Our New Dude Ranch Horse

I am just as tickled to get a new horse as I was when I got my first very own pony almost 55 years ago. Where some women buy jewelry or shoes with matching handbags, I buy horses. Of course horses can’t be stuffed in a closet. They come complete with needs – feeding, shoeing, doctoring – all of which cost money. But who wants a closet full of shoes when they could be out riding a good horse in wide open country!

I bought three horses from Texas. One is Poncho, Chris Farris’ sorrel gelding – a real nice little horse that should work out well here at the Double Circle Ranch. Poncho will be gathering some strays tomorrow- already earning his feed.

Then Chris had a friend who had gone off to college and wasn’t using his horse. It is a mare and I don’t usually buy mares, but this gal is one of the sweetest-natured, gentle horses that anyone can ride safely – plus she rides well and ropes, etc. – good little ranch horse. She’s a little thin and needs a set of shoes but is going to be a keeper. She’ll be used a lot on our guest cattle drives, team building challenges, and trail rides. She isn’t a tall horse but big enough and will be real pretty when all her winter hair sheds off.

My third new horse is unusual. He is an extremely well bred big sorrel – a real looker. He was kept to be a stallion on a good quality, small size AQHA ranch near San Antonio. Unfortunately, his owner became bedridden for a long time and finally died leaving his widow with her hands full of weanlings, yearlings, broodmares and two stallions. Meantime “Dee Bar” became a gelding and was sent for training as a reiner. After that training, the horse basically didn’t get to do much. He got trail ridden by a neighbor occasionally, but spent most of his time in pens or stalls. So he is 7 going on 3 in training. But he is even tempered and very smart – and absolutely gorgeous. We hope he will make a great ranch horse – he certainly has the potential.

I think my husband has put a stop to horse buying – at least for a while.