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| Flash and I, May 2011 |
Flash (officially CA Flashdancin) is a 1988 Arabian mare. She stands a full 16 hands. Prior to her life with me, she had been used as a hunter/jumper. Her owner stopped riding and competing, so she was leased and used as a broodmare. She was hardly ever ridden for about three years. She had one filly, sired by a stud from Iron Spring Farms on the East Coast.
I was in pony club. I had outgrown my first horse, a bay gelding named Cody, and hadn't yet found a good match. I remember telling my mom that I was sure of three things about my next horse: it would not be an Arabian, it would not be a mare, and it would not have white on it's legs.
Enter the lovely Miss Flash, Arabian mare, chestnut, with white on her legs.
It was not exactly love at first sight.
But I agreed with my mom that since we had the opportunity to lease her and I didn't exactly have endless options, we might as well give her a try.
Flash and I went on to compete in dressage, jumping, cross country jumping, horse trials (one-day events), and one ridiculous day, a western schooling show. We won numerous ribbons and one high point trophy.
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| Flash and Scarlet, May 2011 |
On any cross country course, we almost always had issues with water jumps. To be honest, we had issues with puddles, too. But I had a chance to go to the ocean with a friend, and wouldn't you know it, my endlessly water-avoiding horse went in up to her belly with no problems.
Quirks like that are what make her irreplaceable.
Unfortunately for me, adulthood set in, along with the accompanying financial responsibilities. Flash ended up living with my mom, six hours away in Eastern Washington, for far too long. She enjoyed early retirement, and we both got way, way out of shape.
When I got Flash closer to home and started riding again, I sprained my wrist badly enough that the doctors were worried about a chipped bone. Then I got kicked in the knee (not by Flash). Then she had a tendon injury. And then I was pregnant with Shelby.
So we are still way, way out of shape, but will be working on that soon.
Should you happen to meet her, she is a princess and expects to be treated as such. Bring treats.
