Horse Spotlight

Between my father in law and my family we have managed to gather 17 horses here at our place. Mr. Cowboy and I own 5 of those 17. I like just owning five. It is really nice on the feed bill. I thought that maybe I could do a spotlight on a different horse every now and again. I will tell where they came from and what we use them for and how long we have had them and so on and so on. I have decided to start out with my favorite horse. I wish I had more pictures of her, but as I searched I realized I don't' have many. So, here we go. War Pearl is a registered Thoroughbred mare. She was born on February 15, 1993. Her mother's name is Refreshment who's dad isNonoalco, and her father's name is War. She was bred to run, and run fast. She is a great great granddaughter of War Admiral. Pearl was born in Florida. Pearl lived at the farm where she was born until she was three years old. She has no race record, so I believe she was never raced. Pearl is a bit pigeon toed, so I think that might have kept her off the track. Pearl then only stayed at her new home for one year. She then was bought and sold to three different people with in the next three years. The longest she had ever lived in one place was her Florida home. Her last home was with a family the actually owned her for two years. They bought her for a Mardi Gras parade horse. They used her for two years in all sorts of Parades. Then after the parades were over they put her for sale in the local newspaper. In February of 2003 I drove 40 minutes from my house to go and look at this old mare.

I showed up in my scrubs, yes I was really dressed to try out a horse. The man showing me how she rode was dressed even better. He was wearing umbro shorts and sandals. He got Pearl out of her stall and saddled her, then he hopped right on her. We walked and trotted her around his pasture and then walked her over to me. While we talked he had his 10 year old daughter ride Pearl around. I was sold. The man asked me if I wanted to ride Pearl. I told him, "No thanks, I saw you ride her and I like how she moves and I love her attitude.". The man looked at me a bit confused. I drove home and told my husband all about her and I dragged him out there again that night.

When we got there my husband looked at me like I was crazy. He thought Pearl was not the best looking thing, but I begged and pleaded and she became mine for the high price of $700 dollars. We set up a time the next day to pick Pearl up. I was so very excited. The next day we were loading Pearl up in our horse trailer and the owners and I were doing all the paper work, he asked me what I was going to use her for. I replied, "I am going to jump her." The man laughed at me. Seriously right in my face. He then said, "She doesn't run. We have never been able to get her to go faster than a trot." I just smiled and told him thank you and took my papers and my new horse and went home.

When we got home my father in law was there and helped us unload Pearl. My father in law's first impression of her was, "That is the ugliest horse I have ever seen. Did you chop that mule's ears off?" You see Pearl was a bit under weight and she has a rather large head. For six months all I did was ride Pearl. And would you believe it that she does canter. Pearl and I went to the local open shows and won all sorts of ribbons. I won my first belt buckle for being the champion in their Open Hunter Hack class. Pearl was perfect. After riding her for a while I decided I wanted something younger to ride. I needed a younger horse so I could jump higher, Pearl has arthritis in her left hip. That was when we decided to breed her to a Thoroughbred stallion that lived down the road from us. Mr. Cowboy would Breeze his two year old for him. But we never got to breed Pearl to that Thoroughbred stallion, because our paint stallion jumped the fence and bred Pearl. It was a total accident. And out came my beloved Ozzie. We then bred her a year later and she had Mac. Then somewhere in between those times I have used her for my trusty back up. I can get on Pearl and do anything on her. It is like she never forgets where we left off. I can trust her with anybody. She will stand for anything. She will only go as fast as you ask her to go. She puts up with my Cowpokes dressing her up.Pearl loves to look beautiful. Pearl will let anyone lead her around. Pearl is always up for a pony ride. She is my old trusty. She is one of two horses we have out at our house that we can put any body on and just let them go. She has now lived with me longer than she has ever lived with any of her former 6 owners. I do not believe I would ever sell her. I was offered $3500 for her and I turned it down. You just can not replace a good trust worthy horse. Pearl will have to die in my backyard. Pearl is going to have one more baby this coming up March and then she will be retired as a brood mare and then only be used by my Cowpokes for riding. She deserves a good retirement. I know she isn't that old, she is 14, but her arthritis in her hip is bad and if I can let her have an easy life, then I will.