I recently purchased a horse from Courtney after looking at some very lovely horses in the U.K. in October (16 in fact!) and in the United States as well. None of which were quite what I was looking for. As an adult amateur, I wanted a smallish attractive gelding with good enough movement to do pure dressage and scope for a two star.
Most importantly, my horse had to have an honest, willing, easy temperament. I keep my horses at home and am often taking care of them and riding completely alone so the most important quality is temperament. I simply cannot compromise. I tried a couple of horses at Courtney’s that were very very nice and one was almost the right fit but not quite. Courtney videoed me while I was riding and then sent those videos on to her partners in Ireland with a description of me and my needs.
Within days, Courtney had been back to Ireland and had several good options which she forwarded on to my trainer Kelli Temple. Between the two of them they were able to narrow them all down to one special horse which Kelli then forwarded on to me. I loved him at first sight but was hesitant to make an investment without meeting my horse in person and getting to know his temperament. Courtney understood how important it was for me to have time to get to know the horse before making a permanent commitment. We then signed a contract stating that I would purchase the horse, Kelli would try him for me at Courtney’s farm and if she agreed he was a good fit for me, Kelli would bring him to my farm where I would have some time to see if he and I got along and how he fit in to the environment. If either Kelli or I did not like him for any reason at all, Courtney would sell him on or swap him out for a different horse. This agreement gave me the confidence to take a chance and move forward with the purchase. Courtney was so confident in both the quality of this horse and its suitability for me that she was happy to offer me what I needed most, time getting to know the horse.
And she was right. Kelli loved the horse for me and was excited to bring him to my farm the night before Christmas Eve. I was thrilled when he arrived.
He was exactly the type of horse I had been searching for and over the course of the first week he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt he was was also the temperament I needed. I now call him Saint Nick due to his Christmas arrival and his saintly temperament.
This horse is my next forever partner and I could not be happier with the match. Thank you so much Courtney for hearing me so clearly and for meeting my needs so exactly and for working so positively and professionally with both my trainer Kelli Temple and with me every step of the way.
Recent Comments