Tomorrow will mark the one year anniversary of one of the best “test rides” ever, when you brought MCF’s Comanche’s Moon to Montana de Oro State Park for me to ride with the West Coast Rockies on their monthly birthday ride. A month later “Moon” became my horse and I am overdue writing this testimonial!
I had been riding another gaited breed for over 20 years and wasn’t really thinking of getting a Rocky until I started to realize that my riding pals with Rockies were all having so much FUN and I was missing out! When I finally hit the wall with some of my horses’ behaviors (always having to be up front, too fast, too hot, or too bonded) my best pals conferred with Mindy about which horse would be right for me. Mindy had Moon picked out for me when I went to her ranch for my first ever ride on a Rocky. Everything seemed SO different at first and he was SO young (3!) I learned a lot on that first ride, all trails and gaiting, and left with my head buzzing with thoughts of “Can I make a change after so many years?”, “What about all different tack? What about such a YOUNG horse….?.” But I couldn’t get Moon out of my mind after that first ride so I came back for another lesson and things began to come together. Then Mindy offered to bring Moon to Montana de Oro for a larger group ride because she knew I was looking for a horse who would be calm in large groups in addition to being very sure footed AND well gaited. It was a magical day and it was on that ride I realized I had found my dream horse. Several more lessons, including riding trails in Santa Barbara where I live, and nearby Montecito, Moon became mine.
Moon and I have since set out to do all sorts of different activities, from beginning dressage to campouts, beach rides and parades. We ride with lots of different riding groups proving just how versatile Rockies are. As Moon and I come up on one year together I am more excited every day about this great horse and this wonderful breed.
Thank you Mindy for training Moon so well, for helping me to learn to ride a Rocky (and improve my riding skills) and for doing your matchmaking to perfection!
Sally Cushman