Here to Party

If you follow on Instagram, you’re already well aware of this news, but it only felt right to write it all down and share here too!

After sending Iggy off to retirement (he’s loving it btw), I pretty much jumped into horse shopping immediately. I couldn’t stand the idea of being horseless. I also came to the conclusion that after two wonderful leases, I was *gulp* ready to buy something.

A handful of Facebook ads later, I had about nine horses to go through which quickly got overwhelming enough, a full on Google Doc had to be created to keep them all straight. I’ll spare you all the rest, but one in particular stood out: a cute 9 year old chestnut gelding doing the hunters located in… Kansas.

Sale pic

Well. I didn’t really want to drive 10 hours, but I also didn’t really want to get on a plane mid-pandemic. Which meant… social media to the rescue? I tracked down his previous trainer, who happened to be an eventer, and then a friend of a friend (okay, so acquaintance of an acquaintance?) who is an undergrad at KState went to go see him for me. She came back with good reports, the owners offered me a trial and so – he got on a trailer and came to Indiana.

Day 1

And that’s how we meet Archie, a 9 year old solid Paint gelding, registered as Impressive Red Raider, but newly registered with USEA to show as Here to Party.

He hasn’t really been expected to have manners and behave like a grown up adult horse except for maybe 7-8 months of his life, so it’s not exactly surprising he thinks he’s a toddler. Add on to that needing teeth done, ulcers and limited turnout – I was willing to forgive some of the issues. Within a week of being at the barn, getting acclimated to turnout (on grass! with friends!) and being on ulcer meds, he was already a happier horse.

Not so sure here

He’s an absolute JOY to jump though – and it only carried over into his very first XC school where he didn’t step a foot wrong. Everything I pointed him at, he was game and acted like he’d been doing this his entire life. I was about to explode with happiness by the end of my lesson. You know, just in time for him to trip walking back to the barn and pull a shoe.

Like, does it get cuter?!

Of course.

So – that’s the latest chestnut gelding with a white face around here, and will be for a good long while. I’m excited to event him, we are already well on the way to get him happier and enjoying his job and of course – we’re really just here to party.

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