This image came up on my newsfeed the other day and I was kind of floored by it. I thought of all the great people in my life and the people I talk to regularly. There are a few coworkers or classmates that I still am friends with but 90% of my contact/friends list are horse people or people I have met because of horses. I am blessed to have met so many wonderful people because of horses that I can't even begin to list them all. I'm guessing that many of you that are reading this blog are here because we met through horses.
I've met people and fellow competitors horse showing that have become like family. We have vets that have become friends, feed store people, massage therapists, tack store owners, farmers who sell us hay, trailer dealerships, random folks from the internet, you name it. But the truth is some of the best people in my life I met because of buying and selling ponies.
Take buying ponies for instance.
It starts out innocent enough.
You send a message about a pony for sale and start talking.
They send you pictures of their pony.
Maybe a video.
You start talking about your goals for the pony.
Then before you know it, you've bought 3 ponies from them, used their farm as a weekend getaway, shared recipes and talked moonshine, bred to their stallions and you're even messaging them at midnight excitedly sharing your newborn foal's arrival into this world.
You may be thinking to yourself, "that doesn't really happen!" Oh yes it does. Ask my friend Jess. She probably regrets answering that first Facebook message looking for a stallion for sale. lol
I've met some amazing people buying ponies. We wouldn't have discovered our love of Dutch ponies and truly POAs in general if it weren't for buying ponies. Libby and Sophie wouldn't be the horse people they are today if it weren't for Rye, Cutie, Peach, Cher, Sully, Mercy, and Reba (I'm probably forgetting a Dutch pony or 7). We wouldn't have had Anne and Kevin in our lives, met Alise and Dacia and gotten to be a part of the Sweet Memories family.
If it weren't for buying ponies we wouldn't have made our many trips to The Pony Farm, have our bestest boy Nugget and met Jess who has been a lifeline for me for the last 3 years.
If it weren't for buying ponies we wouldn't have met our good friend Meg. I wouldn't have had Fi or Elsie, Sophie never would have had Pepper and I wouldn't have a person on the other end of the internet to laugh, cry, scream and vent with. I'm forever thankful for Meg. She truly gets me. (It's scary how much sometimes.). It's probably a good thing we don't live closer to each other or the commune life would have been for us.
Along that train of thought - buying ponies and Meg led us to Dammon POAs and The Silver Kid. I've shared on many blogs how thankful we are for that relationship.
It was through buying ponies that I met Linzy who loves dill pickle flavor (and moonshine) as much as I do.
It was through buying ponies that I met some of the best people in Missouri - talented with ponies and woodwork, leatherwork, and photography.
It was through buying ponies that I got to hear an old lady say "twat" like it was part of every day conversation - that memory still makes me smile.
Buying ponies led me to become friends with the POA historian and I've learned so much from him.
I could go on... but obviously, buying ponies is a great way to meet incredible people.
Then there is the flip side of that coin. You see - I will often complain about the crazy people you meet when you are selling horses. There have been a few. A gal from Alabama comes to mind.... oh and that one from Montana... (or was in Wyoming...). Cwwwaaaaazzzyyyyyy..... They definitely are the ones that stick with you but taking a minute to reflect on selling ponies brought so many wonderful people to mind.
BUT anyway... I have met far more wonderful people than the other version. Through selling ponies we made a few friends out in Michigan, Florida and Indiana that we are lucky enough to get to see at the big shows throughout the season but are all only a phone call away.
Through selling ponies we met an amazing family in our very own state. We don't get to see them as much anymore - but every show we share with them we try to connect.
We've also met families in our neighboring states of SD and WI that are good people who have kept us in the loop on our ponies. That is a huge factor right there in what I call good people. People who realize how important our ponies are to us and how much we love hearing that you are enjoying them!
Through selling ponies we have connected with trainers all across the country. Sara, Sarah, Jena, Sami, Mandi and Kerrington, Travis, Tory, Courtney, and so many more. I'm thankful for meeting every single one of you!
Through selling ponies we have met friends that became like family and family that has grown even closer. We have been very blessed to have so many great people in our lives. We are thankful for everyone that invests in the future of one of our ponies, but some just become your very own people. I'm not sure some of our most recent buyers knew what they were in for when we added them to our Berry Sweet family. It wasn't just a figure of speech. They are stuck with us cheering them on and hugging them every chance we get. We wouldn't trade them for the world.
I guess my take away is that as much as I complain about selling ponies (and buying them), I wouldn't trade our horse friends for any amount of money. I bet anyone who has been in horses for very long can relate. What are some of your favorite horse buying/selling connection stories?
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