| xhaustion turned to exhilaration when the foal finally | | | | exasperated with the severe winter weather. I knew I |
| traded its dark warm shelter of the last 11 months for | | | | had to make a change. |
| the subtle lights of the foaling stall. The mare, Merry | | | | I was sharing my feelings with my girlfriend who was |
| Heart, was exhausted, as was I. When the diminutive | | | | searching the Craigslist category horses for sale in |
| jet black filly with a perfect heart on her forehead | | | | Florida. She was looking for a hunter with which she |
| struggled to her feet, my beautiful mare immediately | | | | could compete in HITS in Ocala. She came across an |
| found the strength to raise herself from the straw. She | | | | ad reading “North Central Florida Horse Farm |
| proceeded to gently nuzzle and lick the foal until she | | | | for sale.” |
| greedily started eating. I breathed a sigh of relief. This | | | | It sounded too good to be true. Thirty beautiful, quiet |
| foal, I knew, would be the future of my breeding | | | | and secluded acres out in the country but still close to |
| program here at my new Florida horse farm. A co | | | | shopping and a school for my daughter, who was |
| ownership with a local dressage trainer had been in | | | | entering her first year of dressage competition. As an |
| place since the breeding. | | | | extra bonus, the farm for sale was 5 minutes from the |
| A dream was finally realized. A dream I had since | | | | Canterbury Equestrian Showplace, where many |
| childhood; to breed, raise and train my own hunter | | | | dressage trials are held. |
| jumpers. This was a miracle in more ways than one. I | | | | I knew she would be bounding out of the house any |
| fully realized how blessed I had become. The sun was | | | | minute in anticipation of the glorious event which had |
| just peeking over the yellow and orange salmon | | | | unfolded in the previous hours before dawn. My |
| colored clouds when I realized I had been up for more | | | | husband had left earlier for his job at Santa Fe |
| than 26 hours. Funny, but I wasn’t a bit tired. | | | | Community College, a short commute of twenty |
| My stallion, Blazing Light, was running back & forth | | | | minutes. How happy he was not to be making the |
| in his pasture enjoying the cool crisp morning air of the | | | | forty five minute drive to the University of Minnesota |
| mild Florida winter. His magnificent coal black coat was | | | | through ice and snow. |
| shining while the last remnants of the early morning | | | | Finding my dream Florida Horse farm was purely |
| dew flew off his mane like drops of crystal. I | | | | accidental as are many of the blessings we receive |
| remembered him running through four feet of snow | | | | throughout our lives. The previous owners had recently |
| only the year before. I was so grateful that he would | | | | changed directions in their life and were offering the |
| soon be warmed by the Florida sun as age was | | | | 30-acre farm for sale at a great price. It’s |
| creeping up on him. | | | | country location and its close proximity to town, |
| Horses in Florida in the sun in the dead of winter. I | | | | schools and shopping were certainly appealing. When I |
| never would have believed my good fortune a short | | | | saw and the gorgeous Live Oak trees draped with |
| few years ago. I was finally able to purchase this | | | | Spanish moss I was won over immediately. |
| magnificent animal due to a neighbor’s health | | | | I’m sure I will not make a fortune but the |
| situation. Finding the Florida horse farm for sale was a | | | | deposit on the filly and the $8,000 balance due will |
| stroke of luck. | | | | definitely make things easier. I know I have many days |
| One day, trudging through the snow and driving sleet | | | | of hard work ahead and I accept the challenge with |
| from the barn to the house, I found myself totally | | | | open arms. |