Good-bye to Santana and Tanner

Amy on Santana


The summer after my junior year my family (after talk for years) bought our first horse- Santana. Since then we have bought and sold many horses (at some points owning 13 or more at a time). Amy and my dad became the big riders in our family, spending time together training, riding and building relationships with the horses and each other. Summers were spent with Amy competing in games, mom watching from the stands, and dad being the one in the arena setting up the poles and barrels as each rider came through.


Amy on Tanner



The rest of us joined in cheering Amers on as well as going on trail rides around our area. With so many memories it is hard to pick just a few but...

• We loved riding to the pit in the summer wearing out suits under our clothes. After arriving we would take the saddles off the horses and ride them into the water.


• Going for a ride right at dusk- leaving with enough light to see all that is around you and returning when it is so dark that you just let the horses lead you home under the stars.


• Bringing kids to ride and hearing them laugh as you run while leading the horse and they bounce around a bit thinking it is the greatest.


• Having a tough day and being able to just go be with these sensitive animals and letting the day wash away.


• All the rough moments that have turned into great stories- like Santana and I getting stuck in the Railroad tracks and our MANY middle of the night trips trying to catch the horses after they had decided to take a field trip of their own.
  

Amy on Tanner, Me on Santana

All along as the horses came and went, Santana was always here- our favorite. She had three babies, one of them being Tanner- the other horse that we would always keep. Over the last few years we have decided to get down in numbers as all of us kids have moved away from home and the times that we go riding are less and less.
Tanner and Amy, Santana and Me


Finally after not having ridden at all over the last 6 months we knew it was time to take a break from the horses. However we could not let our babies go just anywhere. One of those kids that came to ride as we ran with the lead rope has now become a great rider herself. Emily McHugh has been riding Santana for 5 or 6 years now and loves her almost as much as we do. We knew if the time ever came that we would have to sell these two horses the McHugh family would be where we wanted them to go. When we called they were great enough to say that they did want them and so today was the big day. Amy and I headed to the farm after church to spend time with them and go for one last ride here at home before our country horses became city horses. It is so great to know they are going to a place where they will be ridden often, given a lot of attention, and loved like we love them. Yet it is always hard to say good-bye, even when you know it is for the best.

Amy and Tanner, Emily and Santana

Their is no way to explain the bond you build with your horse. This is especially difficult for Amy and yet I know she will always treasure having grown up having the friendship she had with both Santana and Tanner. The connection is like no other.

Now it is Em's turn-

Santana and Em

We are thankful to know that we can head down to the cities anytime to ride. We love that the McHugh's are letting us still "share" Santana and Tanner with them. We also know Santana and Tanner are going to bond with Emily is a special way and will thrive in their new home.

Emily and Tanner

We have our memories and now new memories and friendships will be made with the McHugh's.
THANK YOU McHUGH FAMILY!