The Adventures of Oakley and Pistol Pete

Since we bought our farm and found out we were having Oakley, I’ve dreamt about getting Oakley a pony. I actually wanted to get her one for her first birthday, but she seemed a little young. I told our friends Santos and Madi, who train horses and ponies for a living, that they needed to help us find Oakley the perfect pony when the time was right. A couple of months ago, Madi said she found an adorable little pony and said she was perfect for Oakley. Her name was Boots! Andrew wasn’t completely convinced that it was the right time, but we still kicked around the idea.

A couple of weeks later, Santos called and said they weren’t going to give Oakley Boots because they found an even better pony for Oakley. This one was named Peanut and he was a paint pony that acted like a dog. We watched a couple of videos of Peanut and thought he was the right one for Oakley and said we wanted him!

This past Saturday, we made plans with Santos and Madi to come over and drop Peanut off. I was so excited, I kept looking at the clock to see how much longer until they arrived. I knew Oakley was going to love him! I saw their truck and trailer pull into the driveway and immediately got mine and Oakley’s shoes on. When we went outside, Andrew came walking up with a black pony. I was so confused but he was equally as cute. They introduced Oakley and me to Pistol Pete! Third ponies a charm, right? I remembered seeing videos of Pistol Pete on Facebook and thought he was perfect!

On top of giving Pistol Pete to Oakley, Madi gave Oakley her saddle from when she was little. How sweet is that?? I know Oakley doesn’t understand now but it won’t be long and I’m sure she’ll be proud to say she has Madi’s old saddle. Pete already had the saddle on him, so Madi and Santos took Oakley for a pony ride around the farm. She was so happy and smiled the whole time.

That day, we went and picked up some horse feed and treats for Pete. When we got home and fed him, I was instantly reminded of going to the stables with my mom when I was little. Every time I’ve ever came across horse feed, it’s reminded me of running around the stables while my mom rode. My friend’s grandma owned the stables and we loved to play together while our mom’s rode. I actually have pictures of the two of us in our first horse show at two years old.

My mom’s riding came to stop when we moved, but she put me back in horseback riding lessons. I took horseback riding lessons at different stables for a couple of years and really enjoyed it. I’m sure after all of this you probably think I am some expert horse rider, but that’s actually far from the truth. I feel like the older I get, the more timid or cautious I become. Even though I grew up riding horses and have been bucked off or fell off a handful of times, I get nervous when I ride now. I enjoy it once I relax, but I’m always a little nervous to get bucked off. I guess when you have responsibilities like a job and a child, you become a little more cautious? I’m the same way with roller coasters. There wasn’t a roller coaster I wouldn’t ride when I was a kid as long as I sat next to my dad. Now, there are definitley some roller coasters I think twice about lol.

Now let me get to the point of why I’m telling you my horse background… Our second day with Pistol Pete did not quite go as planned. It’s been really cold so Oakley and I bundled up and headed outside. I caught Pete with the halter and lead rope without any issues. We walked him all over the farm, from the barn to the garden. The dogs harrassed him and he didn’t even flinch. At this point, I was feeling pretty confident about my horsemanship skills. Note to self: Never get too comfortable lol. Anyway, I tied him up outside so I could run and get some gloves because my hands were FROZEN. When I came back outside and untied him, he was fine for a couple of minutes but then something startled him and he neighed. I didn’t think anything of it until he spun around really fast and I thought he was definitely going to kick me and I was going to have some crazy bruise and not be able to walk right for days. You know how fast (and dramatic) your mind works in situations when your adrenaline is pumping? I immediately turned him around, backed away, and yelled for Andrew. Turns out Pete is a real pistol. Andrew came running from the barn in a panic only to find me standing there, still holding Pete, with a deer in the headlights look on my face. When I explained what happened to him, he laughed, grabbed Pete, and took him back to the pasture. The whole rest of the day, Andrew continued to laugh at how much of a horse person I’m not lol. He said I should stick to goats or chickens, but I think Pistol Pete and I are just getting to know each other. He’s in a new place and I’m clearly not the expert horse trainer, but we’ll figure it out. I’m determined because I know Oakley will love to have a pony. I mean, did you see the picture of Oakley kissing him?Stay tuned for more #adventuresofoakleyandpistolpete!