The fairy tale

One thing I did not mention in either of yesterday's long 2025 recap posts was the amount of time I spent scouring the Colorado countryside looking for Olive's replacement.

That was a big part of the first half of the year.

Also, surprisingly, not a good part.

I really, really, really wanted each horse to be the One.

None of them were.

It was depressing and frustrating.

"I just want the right horse to find me," I complained to Seth after another unsuccessful outing. "Like Olive did."

"Well," he said gently. "Olive was the fairy tale."

"Yeah, right." I scoffed. "The kind of fairy tale where the kids get eaten by the big bad wolf at the end."

That is how I felt in the moment, but over time, I realized that Seth was right. Olive was, in fact, the fairy tale.

She came to me exactly when I needed - and was ready for - her.

She looked exactly the way I wanted her to look.

She even had the best name.

Under saddle, she was the perfect combination of really easy and really challenging.

I could have ridden her for twenty years and never been bored.

Our story even had perfect three-act structure.

Act one: the set-up. Olive arrives.

We spent a lot of time getting to know each other.

I bought a saddle.

Then another saddle.

We went on a lot of rides, both in the ring...

and on the trail.

Blah, blah, blah. This act was just all the normal new horse stuff.

Act two: Confrontation, or in our case, unsoundness.

I spent this act coming to terms with Olive's limitations, which seemed significant right up until the moment when they weren't.

After Olive's surgery, we jumped into Act three: Resolution.

Personally, I refer to this act as triumph.

With the help of so many people, I was able to save Olive.

Olive aced rehab.

Then she went right back to doing all the things she did best.

She still had the same limitations, but they no longer mattered to me.

Just having her was enough.

I don't think any horse has ever been more appreciated than Olive was during that time.

We were living the fairy tale.

Olive was the fairy tale.

One year ago today, my beautiful Olive pony colicked for the second time. We tried very hard to save her, but this time, it was not meant to be. She died with her head in my arms early the next morning.

Rest well, sweet girl. I miss you terribly.