Let me tell you a little secret. Just four years ago, I looked my horsey friend in the eye and said, "I don't ever want to have a foal. It would be too much work!"Boy, did I eat those words!
When my trainer called in early 2008, to offer me a breeding with her mare and a local jack, I was surprised when I didn't instantly say, "No way!" What was I, a three-year equestrian whose husband would likely be laid off in mere months do to the economy, going to do with a bratty, time-consuming, expensive foal?
But, I was intrigued. My trainers mare is not only gorgeous, she's eager and reliable, with a mind for work. The jack was kind, strong, and easy-going. I knew this wasn't going to be some backyard pairing. My trainer had chosen the pair to breed a mule for herself, but circumstances placed this offer in my lap, and so wasn't going to make the decision lightly.
Something was telling me this was something I needed to do—but was I crazy?
I called a horsey friend, hoping she would convince me this was a bad idea. Nope. "That would be so cool" she exclaimed. "You'd totally be able to train her yourself, so you'd always know what experiences she'd had throughout her life." Damn, that's a good point.
That night, I spoke with my husband. We don't have the kind of marriage where we have to ask one another about every purchase, but this wasn't like buying a chair. His opinion was important to me, especially with his job situation. I was certain he would convince me it was a bad idea. Nope. "I know you're really into this," he said. "If this is something you want to do, I'm behind you 100 percent."
Personal observation: Yes, I know I have the best husband in the world. I must remind myself to tell him that.
It seemed that everyone thought I should buy this breeding, and I was starting to believe it.
Personal observation: I will admit, I didn't call my parents for guidance on this matter. They're far to realistic and might have brought me to my senses. By this point, I wasn't going to take a chance with them!
As I mulled over the decision, a little voice was telling me that this was the right thing to do. All my doubts were melting away.
Sure, I don't have a lot of equine experience, but I train endlessly, I listen thoughtfully, and I learn quickly. More importantly, I know when I'm stuck or in over my head. I know when to ask for, and accept, help. Plus, the foal would be boarded at my trainer's barn, so we'd be under her watchful eye, 24/7.
We don't have a lot of money, but who does these days. Heck, a mule is much cheaper than a baby. You should hear what my friends pay for daycare! Funny how folks never say, "If you need money, why don't you just sell your baby?" *eye roll*
I called my trainer to say I was on board. The next day, she wrote me a contract and I wrote her a check. Within a month, the mare was in foal and I received her first sonogram photo. Finally, I could torture all of the mothers at work with my very own sonogram photo!
I spent the next year trying be realistic about the outcome of our deal. It was the mares first pregnancy, so the chance for difficulty was higher than normal. Despite a good mare/jack match, we had no idea what she would produce. Would I be blessed with a level-headed beauty or be forced to love a blunt-nosed idiot? For more than a year I waited for my foal to arrive, and when she did...
I knew had been blessed.
Photo: One-month-old Madge, after her first body-clip.
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