Good things come…in very large, furry packages and also to those who work hard, scrimp and squirrel away every penny earned toward the adoption fee of said large, furry package. Such is the case with Landon, the handsome Thoroughbred, and young horse lover Tarah Potts.
Landon came to Red Bucket after a fellow rescuer alerted us to his plight and asked if we could help. He was a tall fellow (16+ hands), about 6 years young and in good shape both physically and mentally; the only thing lacking was some basic training and a sense of purpose. As far as we could tell, he hadn’t been ridden in some time, but the facility where he was being kept wasn’t willing to invest anymore money into his upkeep or further development. Suddenly young Landon, through no fault of his own, came face-to-face with a one-way ticket to auction.
Doesn’t quite seem right, does it?
Whenever we can help out a fellow rescuer who is trying to do the right thing and save an animal in need, we’re happy to do so. Thus, Landon came to Red Bucketwhere he settled in nicely. We soon discovered that he is a giant (literally!) love bug with a huge desire to please. He had exceptional ground manners and an even temperament. During training we worked on his insecurities among other things (dare we say he was a bit of a scaredy cat…?). While it was evident that he enjoys people in general, he seemed to long for that one special person who would commit to him as fully and wholeheartedly as he would to them.
Enter a very special young horse lover named Tarah! Horse-crazy as many teenage girls are (the author can certainly relate!), Tarah was taking riding lessons in Huntington Beach where Red Bucket was located at the time. It didn’t take long for the young girl to fall head-over-heels for the handsome bay gelding, and viceversa, if we may add. Once she turned 18, Tarah started to volunteer for Red Bucket, and it was soon clear that she desperately wanted to adopt Landon! Susan Peirce agreed that they’d make a wonderful match. However, nothing in life is free and lofty goals are seldom achieved easily. Before she could even think of making this furry love bug hers, Tarah had to raise the money for his adoption fee.
Determined as she was to do just that, she got to work, literally, and started saving. After many months of hard work and perseverance, her dream was finally within reach; she’d saved up enough money not only for the adoption fee but also a new halter, a pile of toys, grooming kit and everything else a new horse owner and their horse should have. Susan remembers quite fondly the day we delivered Landon to his new home. She says: “Tarah had his stall all ready, full of fresh, clean bedding and toys all around. The whole family was super excited and welcomed their adoptee with open arms! It was such an emotional day because this was truly a very special adoption!” Landon instantly came to life in Tarah’s company and simply blossomed. The feeling was mutual. Tarah was so happy to have him; she even created a Facebook page for him with regular glamour shots and updates. Not that it’s going to his big head, but in Tarah’s own words, “he is spoiled rotten!” As is often the case between the rescuer and the rescued, Landon’s deep appreciation for everything Tarah and her family do for him is evident. He already repaid their love ten-fold by being a faithful companion, patient listener and big furry shoulder to cry on during some very dark and difficult times for the Potts family.
Over the years Landon has helped Tarah hone her skills in the saddle and develop into a confident young rider. At the same time, his unconditional love of and trust in her allowed him to overcome some of his insecurities and fears and become the reliable, confident horse he is today. Together they molded into a perfectly matched pair of horse and rider.
During their daily exercise they either ride Western Pleasure in the arena or go out on the surrounding trails. Landon also continues his work on the obstacle course where he encounters such “scary” objects as cones, shopping carts, and fake ducks all for the purpose of getting horses used to things they can easily run into in the real world. Susan gets regular updates from Tarah in texts, emails and pictures that leave no doubt about how perfect this match was and how much joy these two BFFs find in one another each and every day. Adds Karen McGarrah: “They truly are a loving match. Landon cannot take his eyes off Tarah when she’s around him. He totally trusts and adores her; they belong together forever!” We couldn’t agree more!