Lad

I had loaned horses in the past, but none of them was quite like Lad. I had given my latest horse I had on loan up the year before as I had become unemployed and was going back to college to complete a degree. Of course I couldn't remove the love of horses and the riding completely from my life so I carried on having lessons - it allowed me to still see/ride my old horse and keep in touch with everyone at the yard. 

In 2014 a couple of new horses came to the yard and I was eager to learn more about one in particular. The first time I saw Lad I fell in love with him, the first time I rode him in the lesson I loved him even more. The second time I rode him I knew I had to have him. I had recently been offered a job through my college placement, so I was earning again. I went home, discussed things with my mum and worked out my finances and from that day on I was again loaning a horse.

In 2016, a couple of months before our two years together, I received a message from his owner asking if I wanted to buy him. Of course I shouldn't have questioned it, but there were a couple of things which I admit held me back. At the time he had just turned 23 and I had heard a number of people say never buy an older horse for many different reasons. He had one or two health issues against him, but these made more inclined to buy him. At least I could give him whatt he needed to live happily and healthily. 

The day I was asked I lost my nomination bracelet. I searched everywhere for it, turned my room upside down, even got my mum involved in the search but it was no where to be seen. When I made up my mind and accepted the offer I found it the following morning on my bed. I tell myself it was Lad's way of saying he wanted me to buy him.

Lad has been amazing since I began loaning him. He's been there for me through thick and thin. In January of this year I lost my grandfather, he had always been a big part of my life and I found it difficult to cope with him gone, making the last few months very hard to cope with. Lad has been my rock through it all, the one thing that kept me going.

He's the first horse I have owned and I feel so lucky and priviledged to own the most amazing horse. For that reason I felt it was right to order my very own piece of Tail End Jewellery so that I'll always have a little bit of me where ever I am and when times are hard.

Alex, July 2017