Aw, shucks you guys!

The other day I got the nicest mail from HorseNet Horse Rescue. It was a letter and a postcard from Chris, their excellent Adoptions Coordinator, saying thanks for adopting Gobie!

I'm not going to lie, you guys, the letter was super sweet and I even had to flick a tear.

On the back of the postcard it says:

"Saving the life of one horse may not change the world but the world will surely change for that one horse."
- Author Unknown

I'm really glad that Gobie and I found a good match in each other, and I was able to adopt him. He lucked out as much as I did: he got a good owner and I got a great pony. I'm also really glad that rescues like HorseNet Horse Rescue exist. After all, they say when you adopt a horse you're saving two lives--the horse you adopted, and the horse that can now take his place at the rescue :)

Of course, not everyone is able to adopt. But you can donate, sponsor, or even volunteer and I have to say, that's pretty rewarding, too!

What's in a name?

I've been thinking about calling Gobie something else. I know! This is kind of controversial. It's a hard decision to make because on the one hand he's been "Gobie" at the rescue for years and that's what I've known him as for months. On the other hand, this is a new chapter in his life. And, from a superficial stand point his name makes me think of two things:

Neither of which I feel particularly tied to!

So in the spirit of that I've created a poll including potential names that you can vote on. Also feel free to submit suggestions in the comments. Here they are:

Gobie
That's right! One of the options is to keep his name as Gobie.

Ash, Smokey or Punk
These names are all homages to my first horse, Cinder. They are all names related to smoldering fires just like Cinder was. Ash and Smoke as pretty self explanatory. Punk is defined as: as substance that will smolder and can be used to light fireworks, fuses, etc. Plus, I'm sure he will be a bit of a punk :)

Gotham or Salem
Whenever I have something to name, I always turn to names of place. It started when my sister named her dog Melbourne after a trip to Australia. Gotham would be after my favorite comic locale, and Salem would be after my honeymoon destination. I also think "Gobie" could be a nickname version of Gotham (a stretch, I know...)

Nottingham
This is also the name of a place, but it's also related to my dog's name, Locksley. Themes! I think it could be also shortened to Notti (sounds like: naughty) which is kind of cute.

Pan, Pipkin and Skelly
Pan would be after Peter. Pipkin and Skelly (or Skelton) would be after a character in Ray Bradbury's Halloween Tree. Literary themes!

Let me know what you think--I'd love your help!

We're adopting Gobie!

That's right! After volunteering at HorseNet Horse Rescue, falling in love with Gobie, and sponsoring him for months, we've decided to take the plunge and adopt him.

From his adoption papers:

Gobie came to HorseNet in 2004 from a horrible cruelty case in Washington County. It took him a long time to trust people, and will continue to need reassurance. He is a super smart boy and should be a fun project. Gobie requires training both on the ground and under saddle.

Breed: PONY
Sex: GELD
DOB: 2001
DOR: 2004
Weight: 715
Height: 14
Training: UNTRAINED
Coggins: NEG
Markings: star, stripe, snip, right front pastern, left front fetlock, left hind coronet.

I'm excited to have a horse again, though I know having a rescue will be a lot of work. Fortunately I enjoy all the bonding that goes along with training--even if we never get to the point where I can ride him. Wish me luck! I plan on documenting the process of bonding and training Gobie on this blog, so stay tuned.