Introduction

Precious Declaration, aka Opal

4-year-old Palomino Mare,

High Rock Herd Management Area,  

BLM Litchfield Facility

I  was told of the recent BLM online adoption auction a week before it closed.  Due to the recent retirement of my hunter jumper Spring Break, aka Snooky, (NO, I am NOT a fan of the Jersey Shore show, my horse has had that name for 17 years now) I was in the market for a new mount.  

Since my current mustang Ehawee (pronounced ah-ha-way) does English riding, I decided I wanted my next mount to be able to do western, trail, trail trials, and maybe in time parades.  I had a very specific set of characteristics I was looking for, as well as conformation.  

The BLM holding facility in Litchfield, California was 200 miles from where I lived.  Several horses there were stunning, well built, and had the potential to meet the criteria, but how to choose from pictures?  My Mom and Sister grew up in the horse world, so I enlisted their help as an outside opinion to build a list of 4 horses to focus on, because lets face it...if I could get away with it, I'd take every one of them home with me.

Once out in the pasture at the facility with the auction horses, I began to get a clearer picture.  Some horses photographed exactly like they looked, others were way different, either larger in size and body type, others were smaller and more refined.  Tangled up tails and manes only added to their beauty.

Spotting the top 4 horses I began to study them and taking pictures to study before placing bids.  Those who have judged a horse class in 4-H will understand that the horses in a class are usually labeled 1, 2, 3, 4.  My class list was 1(a chestnut mare), 2(a black mare), 3(a palomino mare), 4(a buckskin mare).  

The chestnut had the height going for her standing close to 15.2 hands, but was built like my Ehawee, compact and english looking.  

 Ehawee free jumping in the round pen.

The black mare was big muscle wise with refined legs, high withered and a bit of a chunky neck.  The palomino  was sweet, had a kind eye, and well built, good conformation, well muscled, curious and interested in the kids in the second row of the utility vehicle they were sitting.  The buckskin was on the younger side of the group, good muscle but being younger, I was unsure if she would get tall enough for me to ride and not look too tall for her.  The decision was made and my class list placement ended up being 3, 2, 1, 4. I was going after the palomino.

There had been some conversations on this little mare; her online profile pictures did not flatter her.  She had her ears back in all of them and several people thought she might be angry, aggressive or have a bad attitude.  

 BLM Auction Profile photo

 BLM Auction Profile photo

 BLM Auction Profile photo

Having studied them it seems more likely that she was listening or concerned about something behind her.  People were so focused on her ears that many didn’t take the time to see how she was carrying them or how her confirmation was.  

Closing time for the auction approached, bids were placed, and I won the auction for the palomino.  No one else bid against me, YAY!  Later that day I read a Facebook thread about my newly adopted palomino in regards to her pictures.  I posted pictures of her in the thread and several people were surprised by them.  There was even talk about if she wasn't adopted, having her taken out to Ithaca for the adoptions there next month.

 Opal's pictures taken during my visit to Litchfield

 Opal's pictures taken during my visit to Litchfield
 

What’s in a name?  All of my horses have come to me with names, so my girl was going to need one.  There’s a name I’ve been saving for a special mare since 1998.  Precious Declaration would be the show name and Opal the day to day name.  Back in 1998 I heard a song called Precious Declaration and thought it would make a lovely name for a mare one day. As for Opal, well its my birthstone...so I think I have the largest opal in the world now.

Opal is waiting for my arrival at the end of this week to be brought home to Kickin’ Back Ranch where I board my horses.  While Opal is newly adopted, and her journey with her new family is just beginning, it will prove a great story for the both of us.  

I have been showing and training horses well over 20 years now.  I have trained horses from every age range and of every ability, but Opal will be my first form start to finish…that is if you can ever truly be finished training.  

This is the start of her story.

 Opal's pictures taken during my visit to Litchfield