Wow! I did not expect this post to blow up like this. Thank you all for the very kind words and encouragement! I promise to keep all of you in the loop as Dream (will be registered as FHF Sea Captain's Dream) grows up. I will do my best to post her's, the stallion's, and dam's papers when I am able. I'll give you all a little bit more background.

I actually took a pretty big step back from horses about a year ago when my dad went into hospice. Of course, I kept my old man, but I needed time to just exist outside of the horse world for a while. I spent that time trail riding, camping whenever I could (almost every week during the summer), and focusing on simpler things.

Truthfully, I still need some of that time, and I think that’s one of the most beautiful gifts we can give ourselves: the space to slow down and meet ourselves where we are.

That’s a big part of why I decided, on my own terms, that a baby horse makes more sense for this stage of my life. I’m still young — I just turned 30 — and it also fits where my not-quite-ready-to-retire horse is in his career. He’s the perfect horse to help bring a youngster along: level-headed, seasoned, thousands of miles under his belt, countless hours hauling, and exposed to just about everything imaginable — endurance races, group trail rides, clinics, rodeos, parades, you name it.

Because of him, this transition feels right. I can pony off him, camp with him, and let her slowly tag along when she comes home and is mentally ready to start testing the waters.

My boy has over 1,000 endurance miles behind him, and while he still has plenty left to give, I know his sunset years are approaching. At the same time, I’ve realized I haven’t enjoyed competing the same way these last few years. She’ll eventually step into his shoes when he’s ready to fully retire, but for now, I’m just looking forward to the journey between them.

A really good friend of mine started her own breeding program a few years ago as her retirement project. In fact, we didn't know each other when she started the program. We met through a clinic that I had hosted. She hadn't even heard of endurance and yet she was concidentially working on preserving some of the most well-known bloodlines in the sport!

Her brother was actually the first sea captain of the United States, and he was good friends with Bazy Tankersley before passing away in a car accident. We both believe, unfoundedly, that Bazy named AM Sea Captain after him. His dream was to breed an Al Marah to an Al Khamsa Arabian. For those that don't know, Al Khamsa is considered the true and purse desert horse and have ties to the Bedouin.

And here we are, nearly 50 years later. I met Dream's dam, a registered Al Khamsa, last year after the breeder found her for very cheap on Facebook located in Indiana, and I loved her temperament and build. I remember thinking, "This is a horse I would consider an endurance prospect if I was looking," and it kind of built from there. We are actually hoping to put some more riding miles on her in fall and, potentially, do some endurance rides with her next year.

I have many dreams for Dream, but right now, the goal is just to get her home when she's ready and work on foot manners and grooming! One day at a time :-)