Meritable Millie

Millie and Barb

Nicknames: Miss Millie, Millers, Damn-It-Get-Out-Of-The-Way!

Millie was bred by Barb and came to live with me when she was a year and half old. Barb has been drifting through her own personal hell and wanted Millie to go to a good home. I didn't have enough horses, so Barb brought her to me.

Until the day Barb pulled in with Millie and her barrel horse Chester, we'd never met in person. Never talked on the phone. We communicated through e-mails. Since there was a barrel race in Walla Walla that weekend, I pitched to Barb, "Why not come and stay here, then after the race, you can drop me off and head home. So that's what happened - Barb showed up, I fell in "love", and now I have a friend for life. Oh, and I had a new filly too. LOL!

I didn't tell Mike that Barb was giving Millie to me. He knew Barb was coming, we were going to a barrel race, and Barbwould be staying here at the house. When Barb left, she asked if I'd told Mike yet. I said "No. I'm kind of curious to see how long it will take him to figure out you left one of your horses here." It took him about and hour and half, but by then, Barb was LONG gone! Mike's reaction - "Aw crap!"

So Millie moved in and pretty much took over! There's not a whole lot that I've done with her. I lunged her one, then called Barb and told her that Millie still remembered it, that it'd taken a few minutes, but then it came back to her. Barb said, "Um...I never lunged Millie."



Last summer, Barb came over for the weekend to hang out and "get away". She ended up falling in love with Maya (used to be Larka), a young blue heeler that had adopted us. It was a match made in heaven - for both of them!

Barb and I also saddled Millie for the first time. I thought Barb was going to get run over, but she survived. Millie gave us a 20 second impression of an NFR Bronc, then quit, stood there, and looked at us like we were idiots. Barb and I just looked at each other and grinned...like idiots.

Aside from getting her feet trimmed, getting out a couple times, and a whole lot of getting in the way, Millie has had a life of leisure. She spent a couple months bossing the boys around out in the arena before moving to her own private stall next to Jinx.

A month or so ago on a nice day, which Mike and I wasted picking up manure, I turned Millie and Jinx out on the pasture together. For the most part, they avoided each other - politely ignoring each others' presence. Then Millie decided that she was the boss and was going to have a little chat with Jinx about it. See, Millie was just a week or so out of the arena and bossing the boys, so she was pretty sure she was still top dog, erm, horse. Jinx said "Yeah, don't think so you little snot" and proceeded to kick the snot out of the snotnosed brat! It took her twice to get her point across, Millie was THAT sure of her own self-importance! Both times, Millie instigated it. I'm pretty sure they're buddies now...

When I brought the horses up to the barn that night, I was certain that I would have a wounded filly to doctor. I had pretty much resinged myself that the damage was done, and a filly that wasn't even started under saddle would be maimed and lamed permanently. Not a mark on her. Not even so much as a scuff in her fluffy chestnut coat.

Have you ever watched a horse, either out in the pasture or perhaps under saddle, and just KNOW that the horse is smooth as silk to ride? That perhaps she's a diamond in the rough and when finished is going to be spectacular?

That's was I think when I see Millie move. It's incredible!

She will be three years old this spring. I can hardly wait to get her started!