And Then I Found Surenuff

Actually it was my sister who found both Spook and Surenuff for me.

Once I told her that I wanted to get a horse too, she immediately began surfing the net and bulletin boards at the feed store for "a horse" for me. I purchased Spook when I spotted her while looking at a paint colt that Laura West had for sale.

Brenda and Jeanette were at Olsen's Feed Store in Chino Valley, Arizona when they saw a flyer for an 18 month old foundation bred quarter horse filly named Unaweep. (Personally I didn't find her all that attractive based on the photo on the flyer. But I decided to go have a look at her anyway)

When I arrived at Debbie & Gary's ranch, she showed me what a sweet girl Unaweep was. I decided right then and there to buy her. I call her Surenuff after her father.

We picked her up early Saturday morning August 11, 2007 and when we turned her out into her new corral, she ran over to the adjoining corral and immediately bit Spook on the nose! It's a good thing that Spook is a well mannered 12 year old mare who understands what brats little fillies can be! But one day, a short time later, Surenuff pushed Spook a little too far and Spook kicked her right in the forehead above her eye. Now Surenuff gives Spook plenty of room..most of the time anyway!

Here's a picture of Surenuff (wearing her new fly mask) & Scooter in August 2007.

A few weeks later, I got the "not so brilliant" idea to turn Surenuff loose for a run on the open land adjoining our property. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Young horses do not always respond to the commands "Whoa" and "Stop" and "come back here!"

Once I removed the lead rope, Surenuff saw some cattle about 1/2 mile away and the race was on! She chased those cattle for several miles while I frantically chased after her (to no avail of course). Eventually with the help of my sister and her husband Steve on their horses, they were able to round her up and get her back home!

Whew I sure breathed a sigh of relief to have her back home as my husband Don incredulously asked me "how long have you been around horses and you didn't really think she'd run away"?

This picture shows the very beginning of my horse operation. It was a start.