Last year I was browsing the internet and came across an ad for someone looking for a barn to take lessons at, they wanted an indoor but I e-mailed them anyway and went on to tell them how great how facility was and what an awesome group of people we had riding at our farm. After a few hours my e-mail was anwsered by a girl named Andria. She would come out and meet with our intructor for a lesson. I talk to a ton of people everyday so this e-mail conversation left my mind within a day or two.
A few weeks later I was standing in our barn chatting with a boarder about how to put together her new bridle when I saw a blonde girl walking around with a saddle, she looked kind of confused, but our intructor at the time told me she was one of her new students and we were introduced. I assigned her to ride Anna, a TB with some serious trust issues that needed someone to love her and help her enjoy riding. Every few days I would see the girl tacking up Anna and schooling her around the ring. Eventually we got to talking and started to ride together, we laughed as I got run away with by a big grey horse that was new the to rescue and quickly became friendly with each other. I soon learned that the blonde girl was Andria, the girl I had found in the ad online, I guess e-mailing people finally paid off for me, I found a nice girl to help ride some of the rescue horses!
After a few weeks I invited Andria to be my team mate for the annual hunter pace. She rode one of my boarders horses and I rode one of our school horses. For a few days before we rode together and tried to prepare for the pace. The morning of the pace we wrapped our horses legs and loaded them on the trailer. After a few hours we were mounted and at the start line, we made a joint decision that we would start off at a trot and once our horses were comfortable in the woods we would take it up a notch. Next thing I know Andria's horse is galloping full speed away from the starting line with her hysterical laughing. This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship! Although we came in dead last, and I'm serious we were so awful they stopped timing us, we had a great time. We stopped by the ocean to smell the sea air and we lapped a field twice because it was so gorgeous. As we crossed the last jump and finish line (my horse jumped, hers walked over it) we both had a smile from ear to ear (and very sore legs!).
It's been about a year and a half since that hunter pace day and since then almost everyone who comes to the rescue knows Andria, many call her my sidekick. She's been there for me through some of the worst moments of my life. She was my first phone call when one of my personal horses passed away in October. I couldnt even get the words out on the phone but sometimes best friends don't need words, Andria was at the barn in 15 minutes flat and we grieved my loss together. I couldnt imagine going through it myself, having Andria by my side helped ease the blow.
In the past year we said goodbye to Rosie and Apache together. We cut off peices of their tails and gave them their final kisses and hugs and gave them a dignified end. But the sad times don't amount to the good times we've had together in the past year and a half. Since our hunter pace adventure we've been back to Caumsett State Park many times. We both took an OTTB and figured "how bad could they be?". We galloped across fields and took pictures near the water. I guess you can say we are both lucky to have someone equally as passionate about horses and riding.
When my truck broke down on the expressway with Andria in the passanger seat and a donkey in the trailer we looked at each other and the light bulbs went on in our heads. We got the truck running and crawled it back to the barn. An hour later we had the donkey in the back seat of Andria's Escape and we were on our way! (no donkeys harmed during this trip!)
I guess I should also give credit where credit is due. When we get a horse into the rescue Andria is usually the first to sit on it. I always stand on the mounting block yelling "don't worry, it looks quiet as a lamb!". She's gotten tossed, bitten, and kicked and (usually) never complains about it. She adopted a lovely TB mare, Margarita, and they've been an awesome team. I guess you can't be my best friend without adopting one of my horses!
I'm blessed to have a best friend that can deal with the everyday stuff that goes on at the horse rescue. On her birthday the hoses froze and we spent hours filling buckets from the bathroom sink, during the hurricane we slept in my office and checked the horses every 2 hours all night long, and when I have a sick horse at the barn she is always there to lend a helping hand. So I guess I have to thank Andria for all she has done for me in the past year and a half. I don't think she realizes how lost I would be without her constant help and support.
So now everyone knows how we met, the blonde and the brunette, one day we will have a reality television show!
This blog post is in memory of Piligrim, an amazing horse with a huge heart, we love and miss you Pilly, rest easy big guy, you are forever in our hearts.
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