Six months after we were married, the company I worked for decided to move their corporate offices to Phoenix, a city I swore I would never live in. There were rumors of course long before that the company would move to either Phoenix or somewhere in California. I warned Rudy of this, and we decided if given the chance we would move wherever. I being very insecure did not relish the idea of looking for another job (I was terrified in point of fact). When the time came I convinced my boss that if I took on Fixed Assets as well as being the Accounts Payable supervisor, it would justify an increase in salary making the move possible for us, and profitable for the company. Yeah they got the better end of the deal, but I avoided the dreaded job search, and I continued to work for a company I liked. While I recognized that ultimately it was all about money we were an environmental company, and I liked that. In addition I liked the Chairman (Chester who everyone else was terrified of), George (our CEO), and most of all Slivy (then controller).
Chester is a tycoon or shall I say typhoon. He is one of those men that everyone is aware of the moment he enters the room. There is a magnetism that some people have that puts them apart from everyone else. That is Chester. I adored his over 6’ tall son who I swore I would adopt if given the chance. I came up to his waist, but for all his stature he was at the time I knew him one of the sweetest kids (ok, maybe not a kid, he was going for his MBA after all). It didn’t matter that I was a nobody and they were wealthier than I could ever dream of being, to me they were my friends, not in a social sense (I’m not stupid you know), but in the sense that co-workers become friends for the period of time their worlds intertwine.
Slivy one can compare to an Opra Winfrey. She had a poor background, and rose to the top of every industry she worked in. She had several degrees including that of an RN. Each time she got as far as she could in a particular field, she tried another one, and rose to the top yet again. A truly kind and gentle spirit, I consider myself lucky to have known her. I suppose she still lives in Tucson, where she finally settled down. It is a rare combination to find such an astute business mind with the qualities of a truly caring, and loving individual. That is Slivy.
Phoenix offered us many opportunities. Rudy for instance, went back to school, and got his teaching certificate. Years of doing hair, and training horses, were beginning to take its toll on his body. Also, he did not relish the idea of starting over building a new clientele. Teaching for him was an exciting career move. I got back into Fixed Assets, and the General Ledger, we had 1.19 acres of land between Buckeye and Goodyear, and we had Sarashea. Yes, life was good.
Like many young girls when I saw National Velvet, and Pie, I dreamed of jumping. Let me give you a word of advise mid forties is not the best time to learn to jump, unless you have lots of riding experience to begin with or are a little daft like me. Rudy knew I wanted to learn to jump so when he saw a flier for an auction near us, we looked for my first horse. All the horses were in stalls so the most we could see were their heads. There were two gray geldings stalled next to each other that caught our eye. One was a Khemosabi grandson, and one an Aladdinn grandson. I had no clue who these stallions were, but Rudy had trained decedents of both. He was partial to the Khemosabi grandson, and I of course wanted Moraddinn. We found someone working there and he took the Khemosabi colt out for us. I looked at the horse, and in my mind I thought no, he’s not that good of a horse. The only thing I had to draw on was my artistic sense of balance. I knew nothing of length, or free moving shoulder, properly angled hip, short back, all those things I learned about later, all I knew was that he didn’t look right. Thankfully that sense of what looks right held me in good stead because Rudy took one look, and asked to see Moraddinn (yes!). Even at not quite two Moraddinn was tall and straight. He was a little long waisted, but I just knew he would be able to jump.
Moraddinn was skinny as a rail, but not because of neglect. I swear his stomach was like a deep dark black hole. No matter what we put in it, it just disappeared into nothingness. He was a growing boy, and I do mean growing. At the time I was 5’6”, and had only ridden Quarter Horses (save Sara), so a tall horse didn’t bother me. I had ridden tall, medium, and short horses, and it really made no difference, but in the back of my mind I’m thinking tall horse, good jumper. Ok, I have already said I was very ignorant when it came to horses, and am only slightly less so now.
Back to Moraddinn. By the time Moraddinn was ready to ride I was ready to ride him (remember that 25 year expanse of time with no riding whatsoever?). When Rudy felt he was safe, I began riding him with Rudy coaching me. It really was great because it was the first time I had ever ridden a green horse, and I was the one who was going to have to teach him what I wanted him to do. In a way we learned together. We learned how to understand one another. I learned what he could, and could not do. For instance he had a straight neck, and I do mean straight. That combined with his longer back made him less flexible, and quick than for instance Marina, who naturally arches her neck, and collects herself. Moraddinn was a totally different story. He was not only stiff, but a klutz as well. It wasn’t his fault, he just wouldn’t stop growing, and of course his growth wasn’t exactly even all the time. I spent hours working on flexing exercises. We put special shoes on him so he wouldn’t forge so badly. I tried numerous bits to get him to properly collect finally deciding on a Pellum, and a Kimberwick.
We went to one show in Phoenix, a Paint show actually, and I rode western. It was all I knew then. The first class I think I got like 6th place, but with each class we did better, and I finally got a blue. Boy was I impressed. Mind you I was terrified the whole time, but we managed to do quite well. I was very proud of my boy.
It wasn’t until we got to California that I learned to ride English. First Rudy found me an old military saddle to learn on. Oh how I loved that saddle, unfortunately you can’t show in an old military saddle. They are so picky about things like that. It’s a horse show not a people show after all (one of my favorite gripes). Anyway, I did finally get a real English saddle, but I had to give up my military saddle to get it. Oh well you can’t have everything. I showed in practice shows in Gilroy and finally worked up to getting a blue.
Still I hadn’t tried jumping. One day Rudy came home with wood to make some jumps. I was going to learn how to jump, finally! Marina loved it, Moraddinn not so much. I’ve never fallen off a horse, at least not until I got Moraddinn. Rudy told me “you aren’t a real horseman unless you have fallen off a horse”. Pooh on that, but yes I finally did, twice. I worked hard at jumping, and it wasn’t because Moraddinn couldn’t do it, he could. He was racing around our pasture one day when he took a turn too wide. The only choice he had was to jump our fence, our 5’ fence, and he cleared it easily. The problem was me. I wasn’t really comfortable in the English saddle even though by then I had been riding English for a couple of years. Still, that really wasn’t the problem. I just couldn’t figure out how to set him up for the jump. I couldn’t get the timing right. When we moved to Auberry we didn’t have a flat area for jumping so I sorta just stopped trying, thank you Lord.
It was in Auberry that we finally got into breeding thanks to Sandy, and we decided to try to sell Moraddinn or trade him for a mare. One day a lady called, and sent us a picture of a gray mare in foal that they were interested in trading for Moraddinn. They were endurance people, and Sadie just wasn’t an endurance horse. She was too hot for one thing. We traded videos, and then found a place halfway between the two of us to trade horses. Moraddinn was nine by this time, and a whopping 15.2 hands (I told you he was a growing boy). Lynn oo’d and ah’d over Moraddinn, and I did the same over Sadie. It was the best thing for both horses, and people. I loved riding Sadie who is a great brood mare, and Moraddinn found his calling. He and Lynn are devoted to each other, and he has excelled in endurance. She told me that one day she was riding with a veterinary friend of hers, and he commented that Moraddinn was perfectly built for endurance. He could canter for miles, and his trot was the most efficient trot for endurance that he had ever seen.
I still hear from Lynn, and she always sends me a pic. I love Moraddinn, he was my very first horse after all, but he’s where he belongs. He taught me the most important lesson of all. Regardless of what you want a horse to do, they will only excel in the discipline they are meant to do. Every horse is different, and you must treat each according to his or her individual talent, and temperament. You must find what they love to do, not what you want them to do. For Moraddinn it’s Endurance, for me it’s breeding. We are both where we belong.
AB Moraddinn 11-26-10
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