The Mare We (Impatiently) Waited For

The Marvelous Morgan! We are celebrating these horses as our April Breed of the Month on YourDressage!

Did you know that dressage riders who choose a member of this versatile breed as their mount are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program, as the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) is a participating organization?

Here, a Region 1 rider shares the story of the little mare she saw on a Facebook livestream, and how she has become the pony they needed in their family.

By Melodie Weintraut

Owning, caring for, and managing senior horses is a privilege. After losing my daughter’s beloved step-up horse, Peep, unexpectedly two years ago, we began searching for the perfect pony to fill the void. It was a long, discouraging journey filled with disappointment and heartache—made even more challenging by a modest budget.

During this search, I connected with Kaley at River Side Sport Horses on Facebook. She frequently had adorable minis and ponies for sale, so I kept an eye on her posts. One random Friday, I saw that Kaley was going live with a new horse. This was a first for her, and I was intrigued. We weren’t seriously looking anymore, but for some reason, I decided to watch.

And this live was special.

On the screen stood a little, skinny bay mare, quietly tied in a new place. She had a kind eye, and almost instantly, I realized—she was a Morgan!

I messaged Kaley immediately, both during and after the livestream. I just knew this was a mare worth taking a chance on, and I didn’t want to lose her to someone else. When you know, you know.

Over the next day, I learned more about her: She was AMHA-registered (R Anchor Octavia), had a foal in 2024 that had recently been weaned, and was severely underweight. Without Kaley’s help and connections, she was set to go to auction in the coming week. That sealed the deal. In typical Melodie fashion, I said, “Say no more, fam.” That evening, we hooked up the trailer, and before dawn the next morning were on the road to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The mare has since become affectionately known as WildStar. She wasn’t exactly the pony we had been searching for, but she turned out to be the horse we needed. WildStar has seamlessly stepped into her new role as a family horse, allowing me to do a little low-level dressage while quietly giving my oldest daughter the confidence she needs in the saddle. She’s as sweet as pie, standing patiently for grooming and soaking up all the love we can give.

My Starberry mares have reluctantly accepted WildStar into their herd. The youngest, Starberry Season’s Diamond, is about the same age as WildStar’s 2024 foal, and I think WildStar enjoys having a baby around again.

What This Experience Has Taught Me:

1. Follow your gut. I knew the moment I saw her on that Facebook Live that I’d do everything in my power to bring her home.

2. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Even if something doesn’t check all the boxes, it might still be the perfect fit.

3. Unicorns do exist. Sometimes, they come in the form of aged, bay Morgan mares.