Thanks everyone!

[julienne.rha.b@bayer.com]

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who gave words of support and advice
regarding my 'dilemma' about a month (?) ago..  to refresh your memory, I was
trying to decide whether to keep my quarter horse gelding who has bone spavins
(and wait till he recovers to try an endurance ride)  or purchase another horse
more suitable for endurance.

I've decided to sell my gelding and I've got quite a few positive responses.. in
fact, a couple from Santa Barbara is driving up in a few weeks with their
trailer.. they're very excited about him as being a new addition to their trail
riding home.  We'll see if that actually pans out.  I've also decided to sell my
Sharon Saare F tree saddle and right now it's on trial with a gal in San Jose.

Now for the really exciting news!  After about 1 1/2 months of intensive
searching, I bought a horse this past weekend!  She certainly won't be top
tenning anytime soon or even entering a ride yet, but she's a big sweetheart,
she's sound, and smoooothh... She's a 6 year old paso fino / spanish arabian
cross, about 14.2 (advertised 15! ha!), and my first mare.  She has wonderful
hard black feet, and passed the vet check just fine except for the vet noting
she had low pasterns.  The last shoeing job was awful with no heel support which
also made her look worse.  I talked with my farrier yesterday and he said with
his experience this isn't a problem with good shoeing and with adequate heel
support.  Any experiences out there?

She's so comfortable to ride and has a wonderful extended trot.  She doesn't do
the paso fino gait..  I'll try and get some photos up soon.   She's very forward
which is so different than my quarter horse gelding.  We did some ground work
yesterday and she really picks up things quickly, also different than my quarter
horse gelding (who's more like trying to work with a brick wall sometimes)   :)
She was born a buckskin and now she's greying out, with her body being dappled
and having black points.  (Can you tell I'm happy!?)  The only negative seems to
be she's a little spooky, hence the ground work.  The next few weeks will be
lots of sacking out and bonding.. at least until I get a new saddle (ugh,
another saddle search) I think I'm going to purchase a Stubben Scandica DL..
I've tried one out several times and I love the security of the seat.. and being
a short rider, it's great to have a dressage saddle with flaps short enough to
make me comfortable!)

Julienne
& Isabella  (an endurance horse wannabe!)