I had planned on taking my time finding a new horse. I had planned on riding a bunch of different kinds of horses to get a clear picture about where I wanted to go on this whole silly horse journey.

But then I remembered Cajun.

I had been dreading driving all over hell and gone, riding strange horse after strange horse, arriving to find some sad, thin, dirt ball in the pasture with barely a passing resemblance to the glossy picture from a show seven years ago in my in box. Or to have the horse rear up when trying to lead him to the arena, and the owner say, oh he's never done that! Or drive for an hour to find they failed to mention navicular, or that he's lame right now, but rides real good, they swear.

All of which and more happened last time.

Also, I am kind of spooked from my experience with Imax who rides beautifully when home alone in the arena, but really becomes Mr. Hyde at unexpected intervals. How would I ever know if they really were quiet on the trail or good with other horses in different situations?

We had just come back from a road trip to Montana, we had a great time. Lisa had contacted me about a month earlier and let me know she was thinking of selling Cajun, because he was not being used at all. I helped her write an ad, and didn't think too much more about it, until we came back from vacation, and suddenly I simply HAD to go back to Montana and ride that horse. I have ridden Cajun a couple of times in the past, but with no thought to actually having him be my horse. You ride differently in a test drive, than just hanging out on a horse going up a trail.

I drove like mad back to Montana - 7 hours, 15 min. A record, I think. I rode Cajun for a couple of days, and he is wiggly and slow, but very trainable, remembering things from one day to the next and trying very hard for me. He had not been ridden since last fall, and was not whacked out at all, unlike other horses who will remain nameless who liked to buck if you didn't ride him five days a week. Anyway, I have deceded to take Cajun on a year lease, and we will see how it goes.

I have no idea if he will take to jumping, but we will see. I plan on conditioning him nicely before asking for any thing challenging, so I know he has the strength to do it. I have three wonderful trainers to help me along, and am already dreaming of Adult Rider's Camp at the end of August in Tulip Springs! I would go just to take him, no jumping. But I loved camp last time on a horse who was freaking out, so think how fun it would be on a good calm boy.

I am such a freak, I could not wait to see how he will look with a haircut, so I did a quick and dirty photoshop with his mane pulled and tail banged. Cute, cute, cute.

Cajun will be delivered Thursday, July 16th at around 3 or 4. I can hardly wait!!!