Meet and greet

Once my application to adopt a mustang from Wildhorse Outreach & Advocacy was approved, the next step was to set up a meet and greet with the two most likely candidates: Ruby...

and a soft eyed buckskin named Amber. 

WHOA is located in the small mountain of Guffey, which is a two and a half hour drive from Aurora. After a couple weather related postponements, Seth, Piper and I made the trek a couple days before I left for California.

We misjudged the drive time and arrived ridiculously early. Fortunately, we were able to kill some time hiking in nearby Guffey Gorge.

Then - finally! - it was time to go to WHOA.

When we arrived, Ruby and Amber were out of their pens and standing quietly on a highline. 

Amber was just as cute as could be, but my eyes went straight to Ruby.

Before we officially met the horses, Stefanie and her helper, Taylor, asked some specific questions about what I was looking for. I said I wanted a sweet mare with a lot of sass. They laughed and said simultaneously, "Ruby."

After that, it was pretty much only Ruby for me.

I walked all the way around her, studying her from every angle. 

She's not a perfect physical speciman. There are definitely a few things I'd like to change, but overall, she's pretty solid. And that color! I am obsessed!

Stefanie untied her and put her through her paces, both in hand and on the lunge line. She is a lot further along than I'd expected. Any doubts I'd had about the wisdom of adopting a young mustang disappeared completely. 

At this point, I was pretty smitten, not just with Ruby, but with the entire WHOA program.

I was ready to write a check right then and there, but Stefanie told me to sleep on it.

I gave Ruby another kiss and told her I'd back. Then Seth and I got in the minivan and headed down the mountain.