selling a horse

[Ginevive]

Well I have a woman interested in trading her trail gelding for Emma Cross yo' fingers..
Em is ok around cows; she was pastured with them for alot of her life. I can swish a leadrope around over her back, under her belly and around her tail with no real problem.

[Ginevive]

Sigh If only life were easy. If only it were easy and one-dimensional to make decisions!
I worked with Emma today. Instead of me being impatient and giving up, I did something about this situation. The flies are already bad here, and the horses were suffering. I had my flyspray, and treated Cuesta with it with no problem. She could let you spray nuclear reactive fluid over her and not care
Now it came to Emma. Right away she eyeballed the spray, semi-reared, and retreated about 3 paces. I set the bottle down on the ground. Went over to her, not saying anything.. petted her when she behaved and made herself easy to catch. Petted more, and began walking her toward the spray. She was scared; that I could see in her eyeballs and her ears back a little. I did not so much as coax her.. I talked her down and made her relax, and then gradually I got her to walk within a foot of the bottle. Now my trust in her came into play. I kept hold of the rope but bent to pick up the bottle. She predictably started to react and spook. I talked her down.. petting and eventually working the bottle closer to her face, which she eventually tolerated. I got to that point where I could spray her with it, and eventually she did not care I feel like this silly little event is really a leap forward for me personally. It was almost like I could see the gears working in her head, and she thought the situation through instead of spooking.
I am too focused on riding with this mare. I don't even really like riding that much. It is the keeping, care, groundwork with horses that I love and could not live without. So I think that I will make more baby steps with Emma, keep her on here, and not sell. I think seriously that I have taught her and myself more today than I have in the years I have owned her. It Is a big jump for me, since I was only ever really used to horses that had been there and done that and did not flip out at things like flyspray bottles and blankets. But I think that I am going to make Emma my project this month, to work with.
June first, anyway, she is going to the camp up the road. They borrow horses for the summer and train them. She will be exposed to all sorts of awesome things that I do not have the facilities for; other horses in training, arenas, indoor arenas, jumps.. you name it. And they have said that I could come down anytime and ride and learn too.. so I really think that all signs are pointing toward us keeping Emma.. wow does life surprise me sometimes.

[Entropy]

Jen I left you a long reply on your myspace blog about this. I personally would persue a new home for her.

As for this camp. I'd make sure to get all paperwork in place. If Emma hurts someone who is responsible? If Emma herself gets hurt or killed who is responsible? Are they taking insurance out on her? I've been out of the horse world for only two years and I very much remember the legal side. You NEED to make sure you're covered because legal fees in an equine case can go through the roof and then some.
Also, what are the training habits of this camp? Have you gotten references?

I wish you luck girl. I can't wait to get back into horses when I get home to Indiana.