One of The Good Ones

We've talked about spotlighting the good horses, so I'll start with mine.
I think he's a little unique because he's an example of how the auction system used to work and still could work if there weren't anti slaughter people screaming about the evils of the auctions and that horse traders are the devil themselves.
His name used to be Cocoa, and he came in with a string of 7 gaited horses with a dealer. The string was run through Sugarcreek auction on a Friday when they held one of their riding horse sales. I wasn't there, but my mother in law was. She came home telling me about this cute brown horse with an "apple butt" (she loves round horse butts:) that didn't sell. But I was looking for a palomino at the time.
The following week, I got a call from a friend of mine who also happens to be a horse dealer. C. had gotten a 16 hand palomino mare from the Sugarcreek sale, she was riding nice, and thought I'd like her. I'm not a mare person, but C. knew what I was looking for as far as temperament and ride, so off we went to try her out.
One of my favorite things about C. is her total honesty. If you see a horse at her place and ask how long she's had it, the answer you'll most likely get is "what time is it?". She's in the business of selling a horse, and hopefully getting repeat customers, and referrals, so she's not going to waste any time trying to rip you off, or lying about what she has there.
So, we tack up the mare, and ride her. I didn't really like her, and I was getting ready to head out when C. leads this cute little brown 15 hander by. I ask how long she's had him, and she gives the answer...."what time is it?".
Turns out he's the Sugarcreek gelding with the apple butt. And he was bought by C with the yellow mare who was also gaited. Something just clicks....and if you've had that happen with a horse, you know what I'm talking about. I tack him up, ride him, load him up, and take him home. My husband just shakes his head, saying, "that doesn't look like any palomino I've ever seen".
He doesn't look like a Cocoa to me, he's a gelding after all, and that seems like a girly name. He's a Rocky Mountain Tennessee Walker cross from what C was able to find out. Ridden by a little old man on the weekends.....aren't they all?:). He's a good age, 8 years old, and seems pretty laid back. He has a few quirks, but nothing I can't handle. And he has about the sweetest personality I've ever found in a horse.
He's 21 now, and still here with me. He's still about the sweetest guy in the barn, and anyone can ride him. He's still got his quirks, but so do I. I can't imagine life without him.
He is truly one of the good ones. This is the horse you can ground tie in the middle of a field and tack up. The horse you can handle from nose to tail and he won't do a thing. Stands for the farrier, loves a bath, loves attention, will try anything you ask him to do. And he's done a lot. He's trail ridden, done team penning, cattle sorting, barrel racing, keyhole, eventing, obstacle courses, taught newbie's to ride, even rode English a few times. He's the best horse I could have ever asked for.
I had been searching for 6 months for a Palomino, and would have probably found a horse I liked. Had this gelding not been bought by a dealer, gone to the sale in Sugarcreek, been bought by another dealer, I would have never found the horse that was truly meant for me. A horse I can say I love, and couldn't imagine being a better horse than he is.
Sometimes you just get lucky, and I was. But if the horses aren't there, you won't find them. The sale circuit offers a way for us to get to horses we wouldn't normally have access to. We need to keep the "good ones" in circulation.
Written By R.H2

Just an added note:
This post really says a lot about horse shopping too. Don’t set your mind on a certain color or you may just miss the opportunity to buy the best horse you have ever owned.
R.M.