Happy Birthday to Desire!

My beautiful White Wonder, GE Blazun Haatdesire (Desire), turns 16 years old today! She came into my life only a year and a half ago, arriving at the end of our driveway in January 2011 in a big transport trailer with a load of other horses destined for locations all over California. She was 8 months pregnant with my future filly, Sheza, but marched off that trailer with a purposeful stride I would soon come to love.

Arrival, January 2011

We got know each other over the next 3 1/2 months and then, at 11 pm on April 14th, 2011, Sheza Blazunhaat Xpres was born in the corner stall of our little barn. I found Desire with Sheza's forelegs just popping out and my husband and I helped deliver the filly and wiped her off:

Desire was very puzzled by this eager little thing and had to be haltered for the first two nursings as she wanted to keep that filly up front where she could keep an eye on her! She soon relaxed and got the hang of it and became a wonderfully tolerant mother who never minded us handling her and the baby, together or separately.

I started riding Desire in the fall, ponying Sheza off of her

Riding momma Desire with last year's pumpkin crop:

After a very mild winter that allowed for lots of training, Desire and I traveled to Cuyama Oaks XP for our first 50 mile endurance rides together. We rode days 1 and 3 and were foot stomping and bit chomping all the way to the finish both times. Phew, okay, lots of horse under me, time to work on the brain a little!

Cuyama Oaks XP 2012, Day 3, photo by Lynne Glazer

On Sheza's 1 year old birthday, April 14th of this year, we completed and Top 10'd the very rocky Whiskeytown Chaser ride in Redding, CA. We had a fantastic solo ride and I had no idea we were near the front of the pack. I just enjoyed flying along my mare and was completely surprised to be asked to weigh in and show for BC after finishing. Desire rocks!

Whiskeytown Chaser 2012:

We've had 2 more successful 50s since then followed by an unfortunate lameness pull at Day 2 of Hat Creek Hustle in June. Seems in the end she was just footsore after lots of rocky roads but after a perhaps conservative 6 weeks off she is back in fantastic, trail grabbing, tail flagging shape. I am looking forward to many more years and miles with my White Wonder mare! Happy birthday Miss D!

Hat Creek Hustle 2012