We got Osisris (aka Sie) as a 9 year old. A boarder at a barn where I worked was giving him away due to navicular and an extensive ( expensive ) dental diagnosis from a vet. He was the first horse that our daughter Claudia showed any interest in after losing the wonderful mare she grew up on. We had lost Cloud to cancer a couple of years prior. I knew how to fix the lameness issues but I had the owner get a second opinion from an equine dentist on the dental issues. The dentist sorted out his mouth in one floating for $125 and she changed her mind about giving him away. As we were leaving, I didn’t see the point in pursuing it any further, but Stephanie twisted my arm and made me go back and tell the lady what she needed to do to cure the navicular issues as well. She didn’t think the woman would follow through. I reluctantly went back and gave her the list. Her face fell a bit. Then we left. About an hour later she called me back and said that her farrier offered to buy him for $400 but she’d rather that he go to us. Stephanie told me to offer her $450…Claudia had a new horse.

As soon as we got him home we pulled his shoes and set him up to go barefoot. Claudia was riding him within a month and has been riding him since ( he is 18 now ). He has lived with Claudia through her adventures in AZ, CA, NM, and currently working with her on a ranch in Amarillo, Texas. He is learning to be a ranch horse and doing a good job of it.

Sie’s gift and lesson is adaptability…which just so happens to be another quality of good soft tissue.