Luke Skywalker...

I found Sky on August 25th 2015 after getting back from celebrating my twenty fifth birthday in Seattle.  That Monday morning I got into to work, settled at my desk, fixed my coffee, and browsed Facebook until time to clock in. While scrolling through the posts I saw a sale ad featuring an Appaloosa. All the ad said was "16.2, nine year old, Percheron/Appaloosa gelding". The video showed he was forward and more horse than I had ridden in the past. But there was something about him. 

I had to find out more. So I shared the ad, tagged my mother on the post, and messaged the seller. While thinking he was most likely out of my price range or already sold.  

The man responded back that he was still for sale and the price was reasonable. He sent me a few more pictures and told me about him. Said he had no buck or rear was just a strong when you first get on. He had bought him hoping his habit of "parking out" would make it easier for him to mount. But at 16.2 even parked out he was big and he didn't like to stand still for mounting. 

He also said the horses name was Luke Skywalker. That name was my first sign that this horse would be something special. I had lost my older Appaloosa a few months earlier and his name... was Starwars. 

Getting excited, I sent videos from the ad to a trainer I used to ride with and a friend of mine who sells horses to get their opinions. There was a lot of positive feedback from friends and family. When the trainer said he was "So stinking cute... and definitely worth a good look." I contacted the seller and made plans to see him Thursday. 

The next morning there were comments on the ad by the women who had been riding him in the video. I sent her a private message to find out more about the horse. She responded saying she couldn't get him to gait, that he didn't trust people, and that he had a large callous on his withers that looked kind of deformed... also that she would be picking him up that night. 

The shock and disappointment were instant. I reached out to the seller and he confirmed the horse may have sold but that he would let me know. She had contacted him before me. I told him I understood but was very interested and to please keep me informed.  Around three that afternoon the videos and ad were gone, and my instant thought was he must have sold.  

As I was packing up my desk to head home my cell rang. The seller called and asked if I was serious about purchasing the horse. We talked for a while and I explained that I was very very interested but couldn't guarantee anything until I saw him and rode him. We talked for a while longer and he ended up saying he had a good feeling and that I should still come out tomorrow. 

So mom and I drove to Waller the next day and met the seller at the pasture. We could see the horses way in the back but couldn't make out any details. We drove through the gate towards a corral and they came running up. 

He was stunning. 

Built large from his draft side but still agile and with so much personality in his eyes. His mane was about four different lengths but both it and his tail were thick and gorgeous. He didn't want to be caught and it was obvious he didn't want anything to do with us. But once the halter was on he was attentive and his ears followed me the entire time I looked over him. 

         

         

His hooves were a bit overgrown but healthy. He was croup high which looked more drastic then it was due to the raised area along his withers. It was the callous the woman had mentioned and I worried about what exactly it was. When I first went to run my hand over it and down his shoulder he shivered all over. Which made me think he was in pain. But after doing it several times it seemed like more of an apprehensive reaction then actual pain. I had googled sharkfin withers and broken withers all night but he never actually cringed away as if in pain. 

So I continued to saddle up. We walked him to the neighbors round pen and my heart was in my throat with nerves and excitement. We had to spend some time trying to mount. He would line up with the block but step to the side every time you would step up on the block. We danced around for a few minutes before the seller to hold him from the other side while I mounted up.

Once I was up he was fine standing there until I got situated. We rode in the round pen for around twenty minutes. Now I was ridiculously out of shape, I hadn't ridden on a regular basis in almost three years and it shows in the video. But the ride was great. After going around in the round pen I took him out into the pasture to see how he did in open spaces. He was quick and wanted to go with the other horses but a few reminders that we were working and he would calm down. 

At this point I began crying softly. I couldn't believe I found MY horse. I had been looking at a nice Spotted Saddle Horse a few weeks earlier. For some reason though I never felt drawn to him. Thankfully I was on the other side of the pasture when the waterworks started.  Afterwards  we went back to the corral where we settled the bill of sale. I paid half down as a deposit until the vet work could be done. We made plans to meet up out there again Saturday to haul him into the vet. The drive home was in a crazy feeling of euphoric disbelief. I had found MY horse. 

He was everything I wanted and perhaps never believed I would find. 

I got out there early Saturday morning. Brought a new halter and lead rope since the one he had was a too big for him. The seller came by and let me into the pasture but had to go pickup the horse trailer. So I was got to spend some alone time with Sky. Once I caught him and got his new halter on, (which looked AMAZING) I tried getting a better look at the callous along his withers. He shivered again at first touch but didn't flinch when I pressed on it trying to get a feel for it. You can actually feel the bone where his withers end and the callous begins. His reaction made me think it wasn't pain but whatever it was, saddle fitting was going to be important. Once the seller arrived with the trailer he stepped right up and behaved beautifully at the vets.

Everything after that went surprisingly fast. We had to wait for the coggins to come back clear before I could bring him back to the pasture with my bosses two horses. We planned a day to pick him up. Contacted Charlotte's Saddlery about getting him fitted. And of course bought him plenty of treats to spoil him as soon as he was home.

When we got him home we put him in a small pen so he could sniff the other horses without getting too close. Cowboy and Rowdy both seemed curious about the new guy. After plenty of snorting and squealing they all calmed down enough to go together. By the time I left they were all grazing happily. 

I came out early the next day and spent the morning grooming and hanging out with him. He didn't seem to know what a treat or a brush was. After a lot of snorting and wide eyes but he calmed down and relaxed. After he had gotten used to me I started working on his mane. Since it had been so jagged I decided to roach it and let it all grow out even. His mane was pretty thick so that took some time. But after a few more initial snorts at the scissors he sighed and even began to fall asleep. 

When we finished I let him out of the pen and just stood there looking at him. From finding that video online, to seeing him gallop up in the pasture, to getting to bring him home, everything had fallen into place in such a perfect way. I knew me finding him and him finding me had been a God thing. 

There had been times since loosing Starwars that I couldn't imagine finding a horse that I would ever love as much. Even a point where I didn't WANT to ever love a horse that much again.. because loosing him... that pain was indescribable. But through that pain I realized how precious the moments we have with the ones we love are. Through that pain I learned that when someone you love becomes a memory that memory becomes a treasure. Through that pain I have become someone who can love deeper than I ever allowed myself before and this horse Sky... he is loved.

"In the same way, I will not cause pain,

without allowing something new to be born,

says the Lord." Isaiah 66:9

Remember what finding YOUR horse of a lifetime was like? 

Let me know what your experience was in the comments below!