Kadance started out as a stallion prospect, but ended up in several bad homes before a friend rescued him at the age of ten years old and gave him to me to retrain.

His story is a long one; by the time I got him, he was so nervous that he jumped when we tried to pet him and was impossible to catch. By the time we rebuilt his confidence, I had made a commitment to ensure that he always had a safe home with lots of love and attention.

Gavilan has been my main riding horse for years, but I always own at least three horses, so I free lease my "extra" horses to close friends or people I know will give them the love and attention horses crave. I can't sell horses once they become family..

The young lady in these pictures is Cody, who leased Kadance for most of 2004. Cody had a dream of owning a horse, and Kadance was the answer to Cody's dreams.

Cody's family was very poor. Her mom struggled for years to earn enough money to live independently. She couldn't afford a car, much less a horse, but she still encouraged Cody to pursue her dream of owning a horse.

I met Cody when she came to my Mendocino County tack store asking if I knew of any good but inexpensive horses that were for sale. She announced proudly that she had saved $200, and while she knew it wasn't enough, she was hoping that she was getting close close.

I explained to Cody that good kids horses usually cost $1000 or more, but that sometimes people were looking for good homes for horses that meant a lot to them and would free lease or sell the horse cheaper if it was going to a good home. I suggested that Cody make an ad on an index card and put it on the bulletin board, and added that I'd keep my eye open for a suitable horse. Cody lived in the woods outside of Willits, and wanted a horse she could keep in her small back yard, so we also talked about that and identified several reasons why it wouldn't be a good place for a horse to live. I suggested that she investigate inexpensive pasture with good fencing and shelter near her home, and offered help once she had narrowed her choices down.

Over the next few months, I got to know Cody and her family well, and introduced them to people who could help Cody's dream come true. Several members of the local horse community offered her hours of free lessons and riding time, and their support and encouragement turned her into a fine rider. Her dream horse eluded her, but she was becoming a good rider and horse person.

Finances were Cody's chief hurdle. Cody's family was very poor. Her mother depended on welfare to supplement her low caregivers income and the family didn't have a car, so buying a horse seemed very impractical.

But her family all felt Cody deserved a horse. Cody worked hard in school and got excellent grades; she befriended less fortunate young people and took a strong stand for what she believed in. She worked hard around the house, and baby sat to earn money. She also kept track of the families bills and appointments, because her mother's severe Attention Deficit Disorder made managing simple tasks very difficult.

Her mother desperately wanted her to achieve her goal of having a horse.

I felt bad listening to Cody's dreams, because I had Kadance at home in pasture. I couldn't let him go into a situation where he wouldn't get adequate care, though, and Cody lived too far from us to come to my place to work with Kadance. I also worked long hours in my startup retail business, so I didn't have the freedom or extra money to help them. I wanted to free-lease Kadance to Cody, but I wasn't confident that they were ready for him yet.

Then one day Cody came into the shop with great news - a relative had promised to help her buy a horse! And a local boarding stable had been so impressed with her that they offered to board her horse for what it cost them in feed.

This was what I was waiting to hear. I asked about the stable, discussed costs like worming and vaccinations, listened to their strategy for getting Cody from her home in the mountains to the stable several times a week and agreed that they were ready for a horse.

I offered them Kadance, complete with a new saddle, tack and grooming supplies, on the condition that I could coach Cody for a few months so that I could make sure this worked out right for both of them.

Cody's Mom started crying, I joined in, and Cody... well, I got the worlds biggest, best, hug. I live for days like that.

Cody was outgoing, hardworking and responsible - she was as mature as most adults. She was also an excellent rider with gentle hands and great balance. Best of all, she loved Kadance.

Cody and Kadance learned to compete in gymkhana events, Kadance taught Cody about Natural Horsemanship and Parelli methods, and they joined Gavilan and I as we explored the local parks and the redwood forests of Mendocino County.

I was trimming my horses feet, and asked Cody if she'd like to try to learn it so that she could maintain Kadances feet in between trims, and she replied enthusiastically that she'd love to try.

Martha Olivo planned to tape footage at a local clinic in preparation for a video. I mentioned Cody's interest in trimming, and Martha generously donated the clinic fee of $500 so Cody could attend.

I explained to Cody that Martha started with a lecture covering the history of hoof care, then dissected a cadaver hoof to illustrate hoof form and function. After that, all clinic participants would be given cadaver feet so that they could learn to trim and handle tools.

"A dead foot?" Cody asked, looking worried. "Yes" I replied, "we get them from rendering plants, where people take dead horses if they can't bury them. Will you be okay with that?"

"Ummmm... I don't like dead things, but I want to learn so I'll be okay." Was her answer. I didn't think much about it after that, but when I picked her up before the clinic, her mother took me aside and warned me that Cody "passes out when she sees blood and had trouble looking at uncooked chicken. I wanted you to know! She may be okay - this means a lot to her - but she may faint or throw up!"

Cody did great, she had a few tough moments, but took a deep breath, looked at the very unbalanced cadaver foot she was to trim and swore "I'll never let my horses feet look this bad." Cody learned a lot. She did a little trimming under my guidance, but the real benefit was that she learned to recognize when Kadance's feet needed work and could describe the condition of his feet in precise detail.

After eight months of "owning" Kadance, Cody's family finances took a turn for the worst, and Cody let me know she needed to let Kadance come back to me. She's a super young lady, and I know Kadance will always miss her.

Kadance went to live with another family after that, but he had trouble maintaining his weight in an unprotected paddock over the winter, so was taken to a friends pasture in Potter Valley.

At 23 years old, Kadance still races around the pasture when he sees people coming, tossing his head and kicking his heels up.

If you feel you could offer Kadance a good free lease home, please contact me for more information. I'm very picky about where he lives and how he's cared for, because he deserves a wonderful life with people who appreciate his vibrant personality and energy.