Winter Dreams and second chances

It seems we all get a second chance at some point in our lives. Second chances can be vastly different in nature. I have had the odd second chance in life. Most recently, I've had the second chance to be a horse owner. This, coincidentally, corresponds with a second chance at this blog which I feel I have failed miserably. Originally started as a way to document my riding experiences, I found that I rarely dedicated the time to actually document anything! I stopped riding, started again, blogged a bit about other stuff and then moved back to the Prairies. A few short months after re-locating, we started to build a new house. This, of course, precluded any and all other activity. I rarely had time to sit and gather my thoughts let alone record them in any way shape or form. I hope that this entry is the sign of things to come. As the building process draws to a close, I hope to have the time to sit at the keyboard at least once a week to record my thoughts on this second chance.

Her name is Merlyn. She is truly a magician for we have been brought together in one of those chance situations. A name on a horse forum looking for contact information for a mutual friend. The realization that we were both looking for a riding buddy - someone horsey to hang out with - nothing too serious, just someone to ride with. She had an extra horse that needed riding, I needed a ride. We'd met when I'd lived in Winnipeg before, through a mutual friend, but we'd never really hung out before. From our first "horsey date" I knew I would enjoy getting to know her better. As a result of a chance re-meeting, I've gained a truly wonderful friend.

Merlyn was the other horse that needed a rider. She was a big girl - part Belgian, part who knows. She had soft eyes and one of those "aw shucks" expressions. Hil said she thought Merly might have been ridden hard in the past - maybe not full on abused, but definitely not treated right. She was scared of her own shadow when she had first arrived at Hil's - a horse purchased so her hubby could ride with her. Turns out hubby wasn't nearly as bit by the horse bug...lucky for me! We hung out for a couple months and had lots of fun. I'd been stung before by riding other people's horses and was determined not to let this one get to me. One day, that call came - the one I'd been dreading. "Hey, I need to talk to you about Merle..." I figured she was selling her, or decided she didn't need a rider after all. I couldn't have been more wrong.

After much thought, Hil had decided that Merle was a one person kind of horse. (Picture me waiting for the stinger, Hil wanter her to herself, she'd found an owner, etc.) Turns out, she had also decided, I was Merle's "person." She'd been watching me interact with Merle and noticed Merly was coming out of her shell. Hil liked what she had seen. Would I be interested in adopting her? She knew I was busy. Knew I wasn't really ready for parenthood yet. Still...would I think about it? It was a lot to think about - having a horse is a big responsibility. I spoke to my partner about it. What did he think? I spoke to my dad about it. I spoke to myself about it. In the end, it was a no brainer. I think Merly had picked me out. I'm glad she did.

Looking back on these past few months, I realize I have found my equine "soul mate." We're a lot a like, Merly and I. We've both seen our share of ups and down. I think we have soft souls, and strong hearts. She is wonderful and amazing and I can't wait to see how our relationship grows. I look forward to sharing our story, and hope you enjoy reading it...

Merle's Girl