Mikael's place

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with Mikael's Arabians. I took this photo while driving on the Valley Freeway on my way. Mt. Rainier was shrouded in a blanket of cloud.

She had told me that her horses would surprise me--she was right.

Don't go to her website, go meet them in person, they are altogether lovelier than the photos show. I should repeat that, it's the rare photo that comes close to reality, what a shame.

I thought, 30 horses, they can't all be friendly, but I was wrong - every last one of them loves people and yearned for our attention.

I met some of the boys first, and although Reflection was just as beautiful as his video, Suede shocked me. He has a regal presence and I felt like he was looking right through me.

Rhet. You have to meet him to believe him. I've read his stories and I admit I felt ambivalent about him, but when you first see him, you can't help but gape. He's all that he thinks he is. If only his photos showed his beauty, they just don't. And he's lived with Mikael long enough to be just as friendly as any horse raised on her farm. She went in and removed his blanket and led him out to show me. As soon as he was clear of the barn he danced and cavorted circles around her, leaping and pawing, but careful not to get a hoof in Mikael's space. He was at the end of the 6 foot rope saying, "I'm Rhet. Take notice!" Then he reared straight up in the air, pawing the sky. He dropped to the ground and then reared straight up again, almost standing on his rear tiptoes. "Look how BIG I can be!" He never came close to Mikael with his feet. Then he posed for me and the whole time I thought "camera" but it just didn't seem appropriate at the time. I noticed he had a better shoulder than the photos could show, the angle that is.

Storm surprised me because he was bigger than I expected. I thought a horse with his amount of type would have to be tiny. Well he's not. His neck is so long if you rode him, you wouldn't be able to touch his ears. He had the warmest blanket on of all of them because he doesn't grow much coat. Touching him feels like running your hand across a satin sheet. Mikael said he was skittish of people when he returned from that other barn, but there was no evidence of that. Even later when he was eating, he was happy to have visitors in his stall.

Dave came out and chatted with us, and I saw what I'd read about, Dave is the "good cop" and the horses adore him.

Before I came out I had notions of which horses were my favorites. Mikael said that might change when I meet them. I thought I'd like Solidare's bay fillies best, and any horse with a name starting with P. I have a list of which horses I'd buy if I were wealthy. Percy was one of them and he gave me an unforgettable moment.

I just stepped into Percy's stall and I remember Dave was hugging Doc across the aisle. I was standing in the stall with my back to the wall by the door, and Percy was standing a few meters from me staring at me. I just stood there and Mikael laughed, "Oh, he loves attention and you're not doing anything, and he's so curious why!" Later she told me she wished she'd had a photo of Percy staring at me wonderingly. I just stood there, if you want attention, come to me.

Suddenly he was right at my side and he put his muzzle up to my ear and exhaled. My glasses fogged over completely, and he just held his nose there. I have no idea - I just burst into tears. All the stress of the past week, month, I don't know. Mikael and Dave stood there silently probably thinking, "What the heck is the matter with her?" and I couldn't even talk, I tried. Finally I could manage a few words, and they were something like, "I needed this."

I doubt Percy had ever seen a person fall apart completely, but now he has. I just stood there with him nuzzling me and I could have stood there all night.

Now that I look back, there would have been more moments like that, if I'd only had more time.

Mares. Lilly is exquisite, I knew she would be simply due to her pedigree, and she has these fleabitten freckles around her eyes that make her look even more exotic. She has big soft eyes and a dished face and a contrasting black forelock. I'll take her.

The twins are attention hogs, I said, "You're famous" when I met them. Moving past their mother I met a horse I'd never read about or even thought about. Her name is Echo and she is exactly, exactly the color Baasha was when we got him when he was 3. So dark grey it is almost black, and her face is light with burgundy patterns. It's an awkward color stage. In fact Baasha's first papers said, "Bay grey" due to the blackness of the mane and tail, just like Echo.

Echo was different than the rest. She wasn't just like Baasha in color (22 years ago). Hm, hard to describe. It was her expression. When a horse is so socialized they are completely relaxed around strangers and almost sleepy around people. I know nothing about Echo but she wanted me to scratch around her ears and she wouldn't let me go.

So I circled around into Gypcy's stall and while Dave hugged Gypcy, I went to the window to keep petting Echo. Mikael came in and Gypcy stepped back, giving up her space. Mikael called her and Gypcy was shy with me there. Interestingly, as soon as Mikael turned her back and started petting on Echo and the other mare (?) next door, Gypcy said, "Me, me, me!" and touched Mikael. I didn't even realize Gypcy was touching me too as I was cuddling Echo.
See someone peeking through?

Gypcy is one of the horses whose picture on the website is nowhere near reality. Gypcy is a dream - you have to meet her. While Dave was hugging her he admitted she is his favorite.

The three gray mares around the corner (Mikael help me with the names) were all stretching and bobbing their heads, "Come meet us!" They made quite the picture, all beckoning with their pretty dished faces and big eyes.

Look at that face, I want to take you home with me!

Mikael gets to look at these faces every day.

I met Heiress next - don't believe her website photo either, please. Bey Aana was just as lovely as I expected.

Here is Bey Aana looking over at me saying hello to Dancer.

Dare is Mikael's favorite, or vice versa, as far as I can tell, and Dare let Mikael kiss her nose and cuddle with her.

When I met Tango I felt the sadness of my bad timing, a few months ago I would have been able to meet Solidare, *sigh*. Tango was the only horse who kept his distance. Mikael asked for him to face us and he's learning her cues. She showed me his injury but it's really hard to see. He is a great big foal and his face was exquisite. I am not into babies but his face, oh my. Big doe eyes and the tiniest muzzle! You have to meet him, there is no way a photo can capture him.

Patriot. Patriot is shockingly beautiful, and he stood there like a statue, neck straight up, ears pricked, his forelock parting just so, he towered over me and I stood there gaping at him. I think I said "Omgosh!" repeatedly. Patriot and Suede both did that to me - standing perfectly still, looking through me, ears locked forward. But Patriot is bay (my favorite) and exuded confidence without vanity. Everywhere Patriot goes in his life, people will stop what they are doing and look. Can I touch him? Does he know he's a dream horse? I have no idea. I stood there and I guess we must have been talking because Patriot did that thing Baasha does when you just stand around, he placed his muzzle on my shoulder and opened his lips and pressed his mouth against me very gently but insistently. (I'm confused about this photo because although I think it's Patriot, my camera is lying to me. He's many times more beautiful in real life so I'll need Mikael to assure me who this horse is.)

Legs came out of his stall and made the farm-wide announcement, "I'm out!" Mikael said, "manners" and he stopped talking and walked politely.


Dandy. I'd read so many stories about Dandy I felt like I knew him already. I went right into his stall and OMGosh he's huge. His withers are over my head I think. I told him he's not supposed to be so big, *lol*. He has a different look about him than the others (but not so different from his full brother Legs). Dandy has a gorgeous hip, and Mikael agreed that he would have made a great stallion. I looked at Dandy's legs and knowing his age, asked, "Is he sound?" and Mikael said yes. I said, "Well let's go ride!"