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Gomer Please note that the first part of this page is the same on three horses, as three horses currently at Cedar Lodge came from the same place. If you have read this already, just skip to the part that says the horse's name again. Going to horse auction is certainly not a new activity at Cedar Lodge, but it does seem (happily) that it is an activity we are feeling less and less in need of. Committing more time to training the horses we have, committing more money into their yearly care and having more people at the stable year around to ride the horses that need training, has left at least some of the needs of the auction to the way side. But time marches on. Chris and I feel strongly about holding on to our seasoned campaigners as long as we can. Many we have for 10, 20, even 30 years, and with that reputation, sadly it means that some times we will have to replenish for our losses. 2006 was just such a year. Suddenly, it seemed that I looked around in April and realized that we were 4-5 horses short for the camp season. Yikes. We watched the horse ads and talked to friends. We borrowed a couple horses the summer, we bought one locally, but come June we were still short 3 or 4 horses. And so, aware of the Shipshewana auction I made plans to take the venture down once again to see if I could find suitable horses for Cedar Lodge.      Though we were short camp horses, that does not mean that the stables were empty. Our year around boarder population had gone up, and Chris and I still owned over 30 head. It was just that our programs had become more demanding. As it was, I don't think Chris was overly thrilled with the possibilities of my trip to Shipshewana. Truth be told, I have a bit of a reputation  about horse auctions. Something about having a 6 horse trailer and the urge to fill it, even though I was only suppose to buy two........but never mind. Time goes on, and I have gotten at least a bit wiser, or at least cheaper as I have aged. So it was that Chris and I were sitting at the lunch table right before I left with my trailer. As usual, I had asked Chris what she felt our weaknesses were in our program. What kind of horses that I should look to buy. "NO PONIES!" was the resolute answer. (A surprise, because the year before she had wanted ponies....I guess I got her enough...) Then the list went on. "Needs to go walk, trot, beginner canter. Must be well broke. Big bodied. Nothing smaller than 15.0-15.1. No young horses. No show prospects (she always says that). It went on and on. It was quite a laundry list  and I listened patiently, knowing that in my heart, I would be lucky if  I found one of all those things in the horses that I would be offered. I nodded and got in my truck. As Shipshewana is an hour drive from camp and I prefer to not haul horses alone, I asked my good friend and backpacking partner, Craig if he would like to accompany me on my trip. Craig, always up for a new adventure, said, "Sure." After all, he had never been to a horse auction. Gomer: It was near the end of the day. I had already bought 3, and though there were indeed 3 spots left in the trailer, I was determined to not fill them all. In fact, I was content with what I had bought so far and considering going home. Craig had had enough and so had I. Too many old, lame, under nourished and ill handled horses for one day.  As Craig and I discussed vacating, a smallish chestnut entered the ring. I was aware of his presence, but not interested. He was small, obviously young, thin, and dull eyed. I brought Craig's attention to the ring. "See," I said, "this is exactly what I can't buy if I expect to meet Chris's approval. He is small, not even 15.0 hands, I think. Small boned, too. Skinny, probably not broke and definitely young. THIS horse would get me in trouble."  Just about that time, the the little chestnut picked up a trot across the small auction ring.  "4 years old, thoroughbred gelding, no papers, 30 days break training. The bid is at 300.00 dollars." Claimed the auctioneer. I raised my hand in bid. Craig looked at me in disbelief but said nothing. 6 bids later, when they claimed my number as having the winning bid, Craig finally spoke up.  "Maybe I understood your wrong. Didn't you say that this horse was exactly everything that Chris DIDN'T want in a camp horse?"  I nodded. "Yes," I said. "But then I saw him trot." All rules have some bending and Chris and I have an unspoken agreement (sort of). When something is dumped in your lap that you feel that you definitely will regret passing up, pick it up, intentions be gone, and run with the chance that your decision will pan our right in the end. The chestnut was that kind of horse. He was young, he had only been backed for 30 days (I don't think they had taught him to canter yet), he was small, and he was DEFINITELY NOT A BEGINNER CANTER HORSE! What he was, was cute, had potential, had a beautiful trot and looked to me like he could jump. That was enough for me......and oh, did I mention? He was cheap. The summer of 2006 Gomer worked a light schedule. We kept him in the intermediate and advanced jump classes on non-jumping days. He only worked one hour a day, with minimal cantering. Gomer (short for Gomer Pyle) was young enough and inexperienced enough that we were concerned that he didn't have and things happened to him that would scare him. Then fall 2006 came. Gomer was first on my list of horses I was dieing to get on. Our first couple weeks were not impressive. He didn't know how to go forward, turn, stay on the rail OR stop, and that was at the walk and trot! I didn't think we would ever get to the canter! But we did, (mainly because I was getting bored) and eventually, after about a month of 5-6 days a week of intensive flat work, Gomer started to show signs that he was getting it. Gomer might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he certainly does have potential. Shortly after he was walk, trot and cantering consistently we started to jump and it was obvious from the start that Gomer was a natural. He may be small, but Gomer is built well for jumping and has a ground covering stride. With in a month  or two, Gomer was cantering 2'3" courses, and by the time he had his shoes pulled to start a much deserved break, he was starting his flying lead changes. The most pleasant thing I noticed after that first winter that Gomer spent with us is the look in his eyes. By March, 2007, Gomer no longer stood  looking at the corner with his head drooping towards the ground. He seeks out the humans, head out his door, checking out what's going on in the barn. When out in the pasture, he seeks out his pasture mates and plays with all the gusto a coming 5 year old should. His back and neck are well muscled and his haunches are well rounded.  We have big plans for Gomer. It may take a year or two of part camp, part professional rides. Certainly some showing needs to be added under his belt and there will certainly be some lessons left to be learned, but I think that in a year or two Gomer will be a super show team, intermediate and advanced jump horse. In the end, who knows? Gomer just may end up being that walk, trot beginner canter horse as well.