My next sight of Flossie Came after I'd returned home and gave just about ten seconds thought
to the matter. On the ride home, Cyndie Lu and I discussed the possibilities of this horse. I must
say this was the most beautiful mare I'd seen in years. Her Coat, even after being pastured so
long and at the mercy of her foal was a short rich chestnut. Her tail a multicolored, but chewed
upon predominately Chestnut. Her mane matched perfectly. A more beautiful mare I could never
imagine. Her conformation was what I'd consider to be, had considered and still consider close
to perfect. Hard to fathom with a horse so large. 16h3 and body mass to match her height.
Cyndie and I mused over the possible fence conquests all the way home from Solvang.
Just seeing her had saved a horrid day of horse hunting. I'd almost wanted to give up on the
whole process after finding one loser horse after another. From one end of LA County after
another. The one horse I saw that had promise was pitched at thirty five hundred and bucks, but
when I got to the facility I found an accomplished "A" circuit horse for thirty five thousand
American dollars, instead.
Rosemary, my wife, was waiting when I returned. Cyndie and I began chattering immediately
about the beauty that was Flossie. One horse after another. It was almost humorous the way we
talked over each another in our haste to inform Rose of the beauty and splendor that were Flossie
that afternoon. My lovely wife knew how I'd longed to find another candidate to replace the hole
in my heart left when Celestial Trail had been taken from us in a training accident not so many
months before this day. She was certainly as excited as I.
We talked it over for about 15 minutes and the decision was made. Monty and Pat Roberts were
practically giving me the horse. I liked the thought that it was out of compassion. Certainly the
price was below my wildest expectations. As soon as I awoke the following morning I was on
the phone to Crawford Hall, the ranch manager at Flag is Up and told him I wanted to investigate
a bit more. Crawford said, "Come on down today and I'll have an exercise girl show her to you."
I told him I'd be down before lunch. I called Cyndie grabbed Rosemary away from her work
projects and away we went. It was only a 70 minute drive. Monty would be there. Crawford told
me that Monty had a couple of other horses in which I might be interested as well. I didn't know
it then, but my heart was already set on Flossie Bob.
When we arrived, getting in the gate was no problem, the remote operator was waiting for us.
We drove up to the barn where Crawford's office is and found him surveying his midmorning
work with his Jack Russell close behind his wheelchair. He extended his hand and summoned
the young woman, a German, who would show us Flossie, a/k/a Very Light. Gretchen appeared
and we were off immediately to the stall where they'd already moved Flossie. I followed as
Cyndie and Crawford talked about old times and old friends.
When we got to Flossie's stall, she was almost a different horse. She'd been groomed to the
max. She had been washed and fluffed. Her long eyelashes were the first thing that reached out
and grabbed one's attention. There was no guesswork when it came to wonder about how she
got her nickname. Her socks were brilliant white and her blaze was almost ready to jump off her
face right into my retina. She came to the bars of the stall and sniffed me as I pushed my face up
to it. I think we were already in love.
Gretchen told me to go check out the Big Grey TB down the aisle. I did so. I can't remember his
name, but Monty had acquired him from Germany where he was competing PSG level.
Unfortunately he had a splint injury and was healing slowly. Gretchen had ridden PSG in her
past and felt strongly that this horse had much potential. Still I was ready to get right to
campaigning and this horse seemed like he needed a lot of time off. I looked at one or two others
and still my mind drifted back to Flossie Bob. I ambled back to Flossie's stall and watched
Gretchen finish tacking her up. The first time this horse had ever been in long stirrups. She put a
French racing snaffle in her mouth and Flossie was complacent throughout. I thought to myself
that this was a very good thing.
About this time Crawford rolled up with a laughing Cyndie Lu at his side and Butkas his Jack
Russell, following behind. "Ready?" he asked. I was, Gretchen was, but was Flossie. We were
soon to find out. She hadn't been ridden since being retired from exercise duty. Gretchen led
Flossie out to one of the many bullpens at Flag. The horse didn't mind being lead. Cyndie, Rose
and I climbed the steps to the observation deck that rimmed the top of the bullpen. Though there
was a ramp Crawford stayed at the door to the red-covered structure. Flossie and Gretchen
entered it and closed the door behind them. Flossie suddenly became sure that this wasn't where
she wanted to be. Immediately she began to climb the walls running hither and fro. It didn't take
too much energy for Gretchen to catch her and clam her, but as soon as she mounted the fun
began. Flossie wanted out and being ridden for the first time in two years obviously wasn't what
she wanted to do that day. Eventually she stopped climbing and took to acting like a horse.
We watched her work the circle for about 20 minutes. I noticed that Gretchen used little leg.
That was probably a good idea with a horse unused to long stirrups. After she had calmed it was
time to take Flossie for a test drive. The moment I'd waited for since the day before. Gretchen
rode her out of the bullpen, steering her into the covered arena. This giant facility must be six or
eight thousand square feet. It stands, regally adjacent to the exercise track. Now this had
Flossie's attention. It had been sometime since she'd been breezed, but it was an activity she
knew and sorely wanted to again participate. Her head was chronically bent in the direction of
the busy track.
Gretchen dismounted and hand-walked Flossie to our position. Cyndie had breezed this horse in
the past and was anxious to again ride her. I nodded in Cyndie's direction, "Go ahead, darling
take her for a spin for old times sake." In a flash Cyndie mounted and they began to go through
the paces. Still it was difficult to keep Flossie's attention away from the track where horse after
horse galloped by us. Rosie and I watched as the regal horse went into her trot, her canter and
yielded to Cyndie's leg without incident. The only flaw in her way of going was a bit of a
paddle. Her hooves were panned out and only basic trimming had been done. Nothing to
improve he mechanics. She also had a pretty nasty bit of white line disease in the left front hoof.
But one could tell that someone had been working on trying to keep it cut out.
After about ten minutes of examining her gait, Cyndie brought her to a halt and dismounted.
Finally it was my turn. I found her 16h3 frame a little tall with the stirrup leathers adjusted to the
shorter frames of the previous riders. After mounting we adjusted the leathers and away I went.
Her gait was so different from Celeste's, but smooth and almost the feel of a glide. I gave her a
bit of leg and she immediately bumped up into a smooth trot. I found her a little resistant to the
bit, but I figured that eventually we'd work that away with simple collection. Cyndie yelled at
me to canter her, as Rosie and Crawford chatted. I put one leg back led out a bit with the rein
and with a kiss she moved up into a lazy canter. He attention now only occasionally diverted by
the racehorses still zooming about the exercise track.
We attempted a figure eight with perfection. Racehorses are just so smart when it comes to
flying lead changes. I was sure the folks on the ground were getting bored as I rode for what
seemed like three quarters of an hour. Time had simply stood still whilst I rode this beautiful
creature. Finally Cyndie or Rose called to me, "Get off that horse it's lunchtime." So reluctantly
I brought her to a halt down through the transitions until we gently came to a halt. Her legs we
askew and totally (NOT) squared, but that was something that we'd just have to fix. I hopped
down from her and Gretchen took her back to the temporary paddock.
Crawford and I chatted for a time about just about anything else. Monty came down from the
house about then and greeted us in his usual friendly manner. He asked what I planned to do
with the horse. I explained I wanted a Combined Training candidate. He beamed. That's what
this horse was born to do. We've never jumped her, but Cyndie and you can train her easily. He
chuckle, "She's just not a racehorse." I was happy for that, smiling to myself.
Now it was time to get down to business. I told Monty and Crawford I'd decided to buy her.
Monty excused himself having other business on which to focus. I think he was happy that
Flossie would be fining a home. Crawford and I went into his office as Cyndie and Rose took a
little tour. We haggled a bit, but the price was already so fair I couldn't get another dime out of
him. It was difficult to negotiate on something I'd already had my heart set upon. We did settle
on knocking off the sales tax off the total price. Everybody was happy.
Just about that time Cyndie and Rose appeared at the door. We all had work to finish back in Los
Osos. Cyndie said goodbye to Crawford and I made arrangements for the pickup date. There was
so much preparation to be made before we could get through all this..Crawford told me he'd
have her trimmed again. All he needed was a check for the agreed upon sum.
From Flag is up we drove immediately to The Red Barn. It's a local favorite hangout. In those
days I still drank a bit of hard liquor and the Bloody Mary's there are famous. We deserved a
good toast to the wonderful new acquisition. Of course, one of us needed to limit ourselves to
one. I was glad that person wasn't me.
More in later Flossie Editions...
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