A woman of about 30 drove up in a pickup pulling an older model, rusty red stock trailer. She stepped out of the vehicle and lit up a cigarette. I introduced myself, and she introduced herself, switching the cigarette to the other hand to shake. A man emerged with a small, smiling girl of about 4, who was dressed in a pink coat.

“We’re here for Harmony.”

Harmony is a beautiful bay (dark brown with black legs, mane and tail) mare. She has a big, white T-shape on her forehead and one white foot. At first, Harmony’s big T strikes one as a bit kooky, but it becomes endearing. Harmony has an exceptionally sweet and kind personality, loves to be groomed and handled, and tries to please her rider. She doesn’t like to have her girth tightened quickly (similarly, we do not always like to have our belts tightened!) but prefers it be adjusted in increments.

An all-around mare, Harmony knows about English and Western riding and jumping. We bought her in 2007 for our lesson program from a 17-year-old girl, whose thoughts had turned from horses to boys. Before that, Harmony was owned by a woman who trained her to be ridden, and before that by the man who owned and bred Harmony’s parents. 

Harmony has given countless lessons, patiently participated in our summer camps and has walked for hours with children at Pony Parties. Restructuring of our lesson program meant Harmony must be sold: she would have no one to regularly ride or give her special care, and it simply was no longer logistically or economically feasible to take good care of her. Harmony needed another home. And now that time had come.

Harmony stands in the summer sun.

Photo courtesy of Kathy Lundberg

Fate has blown some hard winds on Harmony. Born without enough white hairs to be registered as an American Paint Horse, she is considered “Breeding Stock Paint.” Undoubtedly, Harmony was a disappointment at the moment of her birth. Without flashy spots, she not desirable as a Paint, cannot be shown as Paint in many venues. Since her genetic background contains “color” her offspring may fare better if she is mated with Paint, and so she has potential value as a brood mare.

As a youngster, she became tangled in a barbed wire fence, resulting in a wound to her right back foot. Although it does not bother her or affect her movement, it is a blemish we humans do not like to see. Harmony was trained to be obedient to basic cues, but not well enough to win in a show ring, where primary colored ribbons (especially blue) are definitely best.

In 2008, Harmony experienced an injury to her front foot resulting in a condition known as “ring bone.” This is a permanent change to the foot, which often limits ability and may cause pain. Her jumping career was over, and she was restricted to walking and trotting under saddle, which kept her sound. The following year, Harmony was bred (artificial insemination) to a very nice Paint stallion, but for whatever reason, she did not conceive and was covetous of the foal her friend bore the following spring.

Harmony’s potential buyer is a horse trainer whose work entails buying, training and selling horses. Harmony was to be a personal horse for her husband and two young daughters to ride around on their property and to give some beginner lessons. They were looking for a healthy, quiet horse with a good disposition. Harmony fit the bill. 

Paperwork was completed, money changed hands, and Harmony was sold. She was gently cajoled into the trailer. We closed the doors, and off they went, Harmony rustling around a bit in the creaky trailer. We cried to see her go, hugged each other, and went back to our work, wondering how Harmony would fare in her next home. Would they love her? Would they take good care of her? Will she be as happy as she was with us? Will we see her on Craigslist sometime soon?

Horses change hands throughout their lives for one reason or another. Harmony at age 12 has had five different owners. She may have “hit the jackpot” and found a home where she will be loved, cared for, given appropriate work for her abilities and retired at a ripe old age. Did Harmony trade up or down this time? How many others will claim her before she closes her eyes in death, likely at age 25-30? Time will tell, but who that has known this lovely mare will be there to hear the story? Goodbye Harmony, we truly wish you well.

Kathy Lundberg is the owner of Scio Church Stables. Email her at scs@sciochurchstables.com.