It didn't take long for me to discover that I knew absolutely nothing about riding. Through the friendship of a great horsewoman, Bandit and I slowly figured things out. A few years later, an AQHA gelding named Cody joined our little family. Cody taught me how to train, for it was train or be dumped. ;-)

Not long afterwards, I was given an untrained, recently gelded 17 year old Arabian with a history of abuse. Royale taught me more than any person ever could have about gaining a horse's trust before ever getting in the saddle.

Encouraged by Royale's progress, I rescued another recently gelded, untrained Arab gelding, "The Desert Splash." I was told he was 14 years old. Mirage (as I called him) was terribly underweight and horribly neglected. I gave him a few good years and put as much weight as I could back on him, but I lost him last winter to an aortic aneurysm. The vet estimated him to be closer to 30 rather than in his teens.

I lost Bandit after a long battle with Cushings disease. The decision to put him down was the most difficult thing I have ever had to do.

My horses:

SB Royale Heir: Bay Arabian Gelding, 25 years young

p>

Pecos Cody: Sorrel AQHA Gelding, age 18

RIP Bandit, strawberry roan Welsh Pony gelding, died in July of 2005, estimated to be in his mid 20s

RIP Mirage: sabino Arabian gelding, died in January of 2007, estimated to be around 30 years old

Cody and Royale currently live at my parents' house with my sister-in-law's Arab gelding, Maverick. My husband and I have plans to put up a barn and fencing on our property. Horses on my "wish list" include an AQHA buckskin gelding, an APHA sorrel overo gelding, and a Fresian gelding.