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Love of my life (image heavy!)

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 4:58 pm
by Calixte
I figure I've posted around here a bit, and would really like to share the love of my life with my hunter friends. His name is Uno, show name "One for the Money" and he's a 6 year old Appaloosa/Morgan (maybe?) cross. He and I were meant to be and I'm grateful for him every day of my life.

Uno came to my barn as a 6 month old destined for slaughter. He arrived with his mother and half sister, and none of them were in very good shape. I worked exclusively with him for 2 months, and fell in love completely. I spent 6 days a week with him, several hours each day. One day I was told out of the blue that he had been adopted, and my heart broke. I cried for days! His owners returned him after about a week, because they had neglected to tie him in the trailer and he'd fallen down, bruising his leg and leaving him lame. They complained that they'd been sold a lame horse, though after a thorough vet check that certainly wasn't the case. I knew it was meant to be and planned on buying him as soon as possible. My mom was not happy, and as a 16 year old I probably shouldn't have had my hopes set on an 8 month old horse. But, I got a job working 30 hours a week at Target after school, worked at the barn when I could, and managed to pay for him. It's been difficult to have a young horse while being a college student. In August, I was diagnosed with aggressive rheumatoid arthritis which has really eaten into my time with Uno, but no matter how bad I'm feeling, he always cheers me up!

Here he is as a 6 month old, just recovering from his time in the slaughter trailer:
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His pictures for his sale ad (that's his momma nuzzling him in the first)
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The first day he was officially mine!!! I've never been so happy in my entire life. (8 months old)
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For awhile he was suuuuuper fugly and gangly, and I worried I'd adopted a frankenhorse (1 year old)
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2 year winter woolies. He looks kinda derpy in this picture
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As a 2 year old, he started to look a little more normal and less fugly
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Image (His beautiful tail!)

3 years old, and in his ultragrumpy phase where he just refused to do anything
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Here he is today, at 6 years old! He has been quite slow to develop due to the poor nutrition he received as a baby, so I am just starting him to ride this year. He's really grown into himself (and changed his color!!)
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That's my pony, and I love him!! He is the best thing ever to happen to me, and it pains me to think he might have been killed instead of becoming my pride and joy.
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Re: Love of my life (image heavy!)

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:06 pm
by Redith
oH WOW really awesome

Re: Love of my life (image heavy!)

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:16 pm
by Siliverin
wow sounds like it was meant to be. He is such a beauty! i <3 horses my self and have an arabian cross with who knows what. he just looks so sweet and loveing, and you can see the bond ebtween you two. Major kudo points for what you did for him !

Re: Love of my life (image heavy!)

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:06 pm
by Lupis
Such a beautiful horse! Wow, I just love his colors.

Re: Love of my life (image heavy!)

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:16 pm
by Calixte
Thank you guys! I love him to pieces and since I've really been his only person for basically his entire life, we have a really wonderful bond. He comes when called and will follow me anywhere.
LupisDarkmoon wrote:Such a beautiful horse! Wow, I just love his colors.
Every year since I bought him he has turned out a different color. I'm always excited for him to shed his winter coat so I can see the new style for the year!