My Crystal Chandelier

Sounds fancy, doesn’t it? My. Crystal. Chandelier. 

Ooooooooo.

It’s a mouthful, too, so instead of all that, everyone calls her Chancie.

Don’t be fooled, though. Chancie knows she’s got a special name, because she’s a special horse, and has been treated like a special horse from the moment she was born.

Chancie is a Leopard Appaloosa. Instead of a white blanket and some spots on her rump, she is spotted all over. She’s white with black spots, except for one little brown spot on her right leg, which makes her even more special because she’s not “perfect.” (Don’t tell her - she won’t believe you anyway.)

The Spot

She was born to be a show horse, and she has the ribbons and awards to prove it. She spent the first 27 years of her life with her person, Nita, and although Nita had other horses, Chancie was her favorite. Unfortunately, Nita has dementia and can no longer care for her horses. Chancie was the last one to be rehomed. We were so fortunate to be the family who gets to keep Chancie into her golden years, and we’ve had her a little over a year, so she’s 28 now.

All of that attention makes Chancie several things: well-trained (although at her age she has nothing to prove); a real people horse - she looooves people and attention; an awesome coach in our coaching program, which she took to immediately and is always the first one to put up her hoof to work with a client; and a bit of a diva.

Chancie in her very own space. Just the way she likes it.

In her former life she spent a lot of time separated by a fence or wall from other horses, so she does not play well with others if they’re sharing space. She has her own paddock and shelter.  But she likes other horses, and if she can’t be close she gets very upset. At our place she can touch noses across the fence if she wants, and we’ll often see her standing near the other horses. To be in with them is just too much, though.

She always thinks she knows best, and is quite demanding when it comes to her food. 

She squeals and will flash her heels at the other horses. This is fine except when humans are around, and she seems to forget sometimes that we are more fragile than her equine friends. “Hey! I’m standing here!” Has become a mantra with which she’s very familiar, and she listens. She always keeps an eye on the equines though, ears pinned in case they decide to run at the fence or something. You never know. She’s hilarious.

She doesn’t look her age, and frequently doesn’t act it, either - although she does pay for those silly-filly moments the next day. The soreness doesn’t last long; she’s still very well cared for. 

Chancie in her current career as coach. She loves it!

We are so lucky to have Chancie with us, and I even got to have a short ride on her one day. We don’t ask her to do anything extreme, but to sit on her and be led around is something she can handle. She loves it! She loves crowds, she loves noise, and most of all, she loves when we tell her she is as beautiful as her name, My Crystal Chandelier. “Of course”, she acknowledges. “I know that. I’m glad you do, too.”