One Pinch of Beauty, One Pinch of Kindness

 "Well, I guess this is happening then."

I took a few years letting Ruby enjoy her retired life and catch riding the horses that I could find around town /taking lessons in the area. For a while that was "enough;" working on confidence, keeping my skills honed, keeping my body fit. 

I knew I needed another.

Looking back, some of my best memories with Ruby revolved around the "baby steps" and the "firsts" we shared together. As an Adult Ammy with a full-time engineering job, I had been warned by peers and friends that maybe a young or green horse was not the best fit for where I was in my life. 

Did I listen? Ha, please. 

For months I scoured Facebook, reaching out to breeders. I researched breeds and registries. I looked up parentage and traits for the types of horses I thought I wanted (GRP, connemara, appendix qh, welsh/x, etc.). I toured breeding barns and seriously looked at foals who met my list of requirements. None of them felt "right:" I noticed that most breeders focused on the great accolades of the stallion and his traits and his show records and his breeding. But what about the mare? The mare raises the foal and is half the DNA, shouldn't she be important too?

I couldn't let go of the idea that I already had the cutest little mare who adored me (I mean, that goes both ways obviously). Ruby had good confirmation, was an exceptional hunter, sweet personality, and put up with all sorts of crap from me in our early years when I was still trying to learn how to ride. 

Instead of looking for foals, I started looking at stallions. 

I whittled down my sire options to Thoroughbred or Trakehner. The ATA keeps a list of active stallions, with biographies and lineages. More research, contacted stallion owners. 

My final selection:  Heroic Measures, OSB-A-S438.

The foal contract was signed, the stud fee sent, and I told my vet: "we only have one shot at this. If she doesn't take the first time, I am not going to keep trying; if she does, then we go forward."

Ruby was confirmed pregnant at her first follow up.