Papers Don’t Always Matter
- January 3, 2025
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- Anna Foulger
Posted in: Featured, Horse Care, Horse Training
He is the smallest yearling out of three; a big bay filly and a tall sorrel gelding tower over him. Looking at the colts’ owners I say, “he’s going to be the best one.” As everyone looks at me like I am crazy, I reach out and pat his nose. He is something, I can feel it. Everyone around me goes on about the other two horses, talking about their breeding, their potential and how they love them so much more than the little, homely, Bud. His breeding was decent back on his papers, but nothing on his papers stood out as amazing, he wasn’t out of any big stud, or fancy mare, but soon we’d see papers don’t always matter. Leaving the ranch, I knew one day I would buy that little colt, even though he wasn’t for sale. I knew God had something planned for me and him.
Fast forward a few months and we are back, working on trimming the colts’ feet. I don’t really have a plan, but I know I want to be the one to ride that little, red colt. Walking up to the owners of the colts I say, “I’d like to make you a deal. I’d like half stake in that horse and I will train him for free. I will show him and when I sell him, I will double your money.” A handshake later, my husband is loading this little gelding into our trailer. Driving away once again, I mutter a little prayer, I hope I am right about him, I hope he is everything I see in him, I pray I won’t let these people (my dear friends) down.
Starting Bud was easy, not because of any grand skill I may have, but because he desired to please so much. My husband put the first ride on him and then I took him from there, every ride he seemed to try harder and harder for me. Like any colt, he had days where I thought he would never figure a maneuver out or be anything, but his stops became harder, his transitions smoother and soon enough he was a horse I knew I wanted to take to the show pen. Hopefully in the 2025 show season he will have his start as a reined cowhorse.
People don’t always see the potential in little, homily colts, but some people see magic where others don’t. That small, red gelding has never really grown up, he never really got any prettier to look at, but he has more try in his little body than any other horse I’ve personally trained. He can hold his own in the branding coral, slide into a stop with ease and moves with a grace and confidence that he has earned a forever home as my little, red horse and papers simply don’t always matter.
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Posted in: Featured, Horse Care, Horse Training
About Anna Foulger
Hey there! My name is Anna Foulger, I am a young mom of soon to be two; a toddler daughter and little boy on the way! Me and my husband ranch in Eastern Montana with his family and we love every minute! My background is in...