... and then came Tino

My lovely time with Sol had come to an end, and I needed to find something to ride. Tino was, by far, not my first choice. However, I was thankful to have something to ride. I leased him for a few months. And let me tell you, after the first month, I was ready to hang up my spurs. Although incredibly honest, I found him physically taxing to ride. He came into the barn with little conditioning, and it took all I had to keep him going. 

At some point, I felt like I didn't want to toss away the progress I had made, and with my trainer's recommendation, I decided to purchase him. So now this Hanoverian is my very own. Yikes!! 

It was a big commitment that has brought me frustration and joy. Luckily, the joy has outweighed the frustration. To watch this guy blossom has been extremely gratifying. In the past few months, he has shown such progress. He is so intelligent and witty; he makes me laugh every day I am with him. My first show with him was at Sonoma Horse Park, in the A/A hunters, and he rose to the occasion, placing in all his classes and even tolerated an adult medal class. He is a horse that loves to go to town and put on his swagger. 

I am eager for the 2020 horse show season: the first stop, The Northern California Winter Classic.