This is the last day of Summer Raffo’s Bucket Fund which will go towards aiding the 19 horses she left behind…
I thought this occasion would be perfect to tell a small world story.
You see, a reader sent a COMMENT telling me that she had purchased a foal from Summer over the Internet, sight unseen… and the baby grew into the most wonderful horse!
What a great way to conclude Summer’s month – by showing the seeds of her passion and how one has grown into the perfect horse for his owner.
THE STORY
Here is the first comment I received from the reader after reading my first story on Summer:
Comment:
I live in Pennsylvania ….usually,when we think about how small the world really is and how interconnected we all are it’s a good thing.
I waited all my life to buy a horse and chose 1 ( via a picture on the internet) that had been born at Summer and Rae’s farm. He is 1 of Shera’s sons and I have a photo of Summer in the stall with him shortly after he was born.
When I heard about the mudslide,I had the passing thought that I hoped it wasnt anywhere near where Reggie came from because they seemed like nice people.
Then I heard the devastating fact …..
I feel humbled and small every time I think about what happened.
My horse brought with him the kind, gentle and loving spirit of this family and I will honor the memory of this person who I never met forever………praying for some small measure of peace and a way to begin to heal.
I THEN ASKED FOR PHOTOS…
I wrote to this reader and asked if she bought him sight unseen… and if she had any photos.
She replied:
Thank you… You can probably tell I adore him! Yes… I bought him on the Internet. Crazy amazing beginners “luck “as he is my first horse!!! I found an ad that Rae had placed on Dream horse.com…. I started communicating with her via email and like the answers she was giving me. So I sent her a money order and she sent me a colt :-)
He was eight months old and he just turned eight years on April 12
He is 93% Arabian.
He is very light and very responsive to ride with tons of energy just under the surface:-)
Many people who have seen him say he is a lovely mover, I don’t have a lot of experience so I will believe them. He looks lovely to me.
He is generally very levelheaded and interested in whatever is going on but he has sent me flying a few times because of an incredibly fast duck and spin maneuver when something scares him;-)
I just purchased a more secure saddle and I’m really looking forward to putting some trail miles under our feet this summer….
This was the photo she sent…
This is the photo the reader sent to show me the horse who once was the foal she purchased sight unseen (off of the internet) from Summer Raffo – out of her favorite mare, SheRa.
“WOW! A PAINT ARAB? Can you send more pics?”, I asked…
So I wrote back and asked if she could send more photos and the reader told me that she even had a pic of Summer with her horse when he was just born!
Summer with her favorite mare, She-Ra and her new colt – that soon became the reader’s new foal!
SheRa and baby Reggie!
He was born with a heart on his head!
The heart close up.
Even safe for the grandkids.
Summer has left a legacy, for sure.
This is the last day of Summer’s Bucket Fund!
This just tugs on my heart. What a wonderful story about the life of Summer. She left a mark in the world as will her horses and family.
Wow what an amazing story! AND an even more amazing horse. He is just beautiful, and the reader did luck out! Thank you for sharing.
Pinto Arabian (unless the 7% is indeed Paint Quarterhorse but looking at that gorgeous Arabian face, likely not!). There is a line of Arabianhorses descending from Abu Farwa, which is an English (Crabbet, specifically, then Crabbet/Maynesboro/Kellogg in this country) line, with a lot of white – high white legs, belly spots, baldface blazes, and chestnut with flaxen manes/tails. The belly spot allows entry into the Pinto registry. Some people breeding for color who want to keep the Arabian look will keep outcrossing with Arab-cross pintos (with lots of color) having started perhaps with an Abu Farwa-bred mare, that would be Abu Farwa back about five generations but the color pattern gene seems to carry through, you can spot the Abu Farwa line horses pretty accurately. Sometimes the outcross for color is spectacular when the outcross is with spotted Saddlebred mares crossed with Crabbet-bred stallions. Many national and international winners with that nick and the bonus is the wonderful Arabian temperament, so trainable and people-oriented. It is so much fun to have the mind and the color too!
What a beautiful amazing tribute for this wonderful woman who was lost in the tragedy in Washington. The woman who purchased this gorgeous boy is so very blessed to have him. I hope the bucket fund for April is overflowing for the horses and caretakers that are left to learn to live without their wonderful owner. This story has really touched my heart
Dear Dawn. This tribute and love of her horse has really touched my heart. Besides his being drop dead gorgeous. I do hope the April bucket fund is overflowing. What a sad loss for the Mom, brother and friends and her beloved horses who are left to grieve and carry on her legacy.
Dawn–what a wonderful ,amazing story. Thanks so much for posting.