Found: Strong Black Female Protagonist

When I found out that THE ONE Roxie's Mom had found for me to check out was a solid black mare, I preemptively named her Zoe Washburne.

Because I need a Zoe. Calm under pressure, ready for an adventure, and 1000% reliable.

Armed with two pictures and a phone number, I called a stranger out of the blue about the horse he hadn't even listed for sale.

I found a horseman on the other end of the line, someone who loved his horse very much and was in a similar position that I was with Courage--not the horse for him any more, but he still loved her and he wasn't going to let her go anywhere less than the perfect place.

We talked. I tried to ask intelligent questions and not sound like a complete bumbling idiot (and not ask questions like "what size browband" and "do you think she likes sparkles" which were the only things coming into my head). I managed to not scare him off too badly apparently, because he agreed to email me more information.

Emails were exchanged. I knew the owners would want updates, so I sent my blog information along, only to find out that they'd already googled me and found it... which like... apparently I don't sound like a total idiot (or at least not too much of one), so that's promising. We set up a time for me to meet Ms. Zoe (whom they called Bird), annnnnnd I was off on a whirlwind weekend trip.

I brought a friend with me because I needed objective eyes on the ground. Plus pictures. Always pictures.

I pretty much stepped out of my car and went "omg i love her let's put her in the back seat she's perfect".

And then I was reminded that this was as much her owners interviewing me as it was me meeting Ms. Zoebird.

Lil Ms. Zoebird impressed me very much. I knew going in that she was a four year old Percheron x AQHA/APHA that was bred to be a ranch horse, I knew she had six months of driving training, and I knew she wasn't started under saddle. I didn't know that she moved NICE or that she was a hard little worker with a lot of try and a can-do attitude.

Shoutout to R & J if they are reading--what I promised my friend would be an hour of looking at a horse, then going to the lake turned into a multi-hour adventure with some fascinating new friends. Conversation ranged from breeding to corrective shoeing and even touched on beagles and dog training. I value knowing a horse's history and handling and I'm thrilled that Ms. Zoebird is coming from people like this.

We never did make it to the lake, but armed with pictures and video, we trooped home. The whole trip home was basically me being like "omg i want her she's so pretty and sweet and perfect" and my friend being like "yeah".

Trainer and vet signed off. Shipping arrangements made.

Bloglandia, meet my Zoebird. She arrives this week!!