By Charli Ann Stevens

Have you ever met a horse that was absolutely destined to be yours—yours not only once, but twice and forever more?

My abilities and show ring desires had outgrown my first horse, and at a mere fifteen years old I was already on a search for my second. Being from a middle-class family we didn’t have a lot to spend on my future show horse, but I was looking for an Arabian who was at least 15 hands high and had the potential to be an English horse. While the task seemed daunting to all of the adults I knew I was not to be deterred. For two years, we searched for a horse—calling almost every classified in the local papers and seeing a good number of horses. All of the horses were in our price range, but none of them fit the bill until one day when I read an ad that listed several horses for sale. As I read through the list, I stopped when I got to the description of a chestnut named Fire Site (a.k.a., “Apollo”) and I knew we had found “my” horse. We scheduled a visit and went off to find my knight in shining copper.

When we arrived at the farm my Mom and I walked into the barn and started down the aisle. As we paused to read the names on the horses’ stalls a chestnut horse approached his door and started “blowing” at my back. I turned around and looked at him, then at the name on his stall—Fire Site. I said to my Mom, “If this is truly Fire Site, this is my horse.” They took him out and let him loose in the arena so that we could get a better look at him and see him move. A 15 hand high, chestnut with two hind socks and a star, strip, snip, he had coloring, charisma, and movement to burn.

The purchase was not a straight-forward matter, and at one point I had almost given up hope of getting this horse. For three more months we continued our search. After looking at several more horses I knew I had to have Apollo—no matter what. Friends of ours came forward to assist us in his purchase and at last he joined me for the first segment of our lives together. Quickly my beautiful horse started competing and winning tough classes both in-hand and under saddle. Although the gelding was catching a lot of people’s eyes my parents had promised me that I could take the horse to my first Arabian National show. However due to my ensuing future in college and our meager financial status I was told that he would have to be sold immediately after the show.

During the summer of 1987 we earned many honors at both “A” rated Arabian shows and at Regionals. When it came to the Nationals I was upset because Apollo had to be sold, and the sale posters went up. A true buyer’s dream he was sold before the show was even over. I cried on his shoulder that fall day in Albuquerque with the beautiful mountains in the background, saying my last good-byes and clipping some tail hairs to keep for always. I promised him that some day I would get him back although I had no idea how that was going to happen. He had been sold for a lot of money, more than a young girl could afford. When we got back home my parents put almost all of my equipment and riding suits up for sale—everything but my cutback saddle and Apollo’s full bridle. After all, I was told, I was now “O-U-T, out of horses” and had absolutely no legitimate explanation for how I was going to get any horse—let alone that one—back.

I became pen pals with his new owner and even visited him at a horse show in Springfield, Illinois. I will never forget visiting him at that show. It had been nine months since we had sold him and everyone told me that horses aren’t able to remember people like people remember horses.

When I found the stalls everyone from their barn was up at the show ring except for the groom. Their groom was a very nice southern black gentleman whom you could tell took good care of the horses. As he walked me down the aisle to show me “my horse” he talked the whole way. All I did was walk along and nod my head. Other than my footsteps, I didn’t make a sound. As we approached Apollo’s stall I could see his rear end was closest to the door and that his head was down as he munched on his hay. As we got closer I could tell that Apollo had paused while eating his hay. He was listening and thinking that he must be mistaken. When we arrived at that stall I said hello to him. He spun around so quickly to face me that the groom said, “Missy I ain’t never seen that horse turn around that quick for no one. Let me go and get you some carrots before he takes your arm off.” ‘My’ horse clearly had remembered me.

After that show I continued to keep in touch with his owners throughout 1988. Then their communication began to slow down and then finally it stopped until one day in 1989 when we got a phone call from them. Being that the new owner’s parents weren’t horse people and the trainer loved the horse so much that they didn’t feel she would really try to sell him the family donated him to an all girl’s college. They assured me that they did a lot of research and selected the one they felt would be the best home for him.

That was it! My college education was suddenly changed and I was going to transfer to a different school. If I couldn’t own the horse I could go to school with him! So we scheduled a visit to that campus and started all of the paper work involved with becoming a transfer student. When we arrived for our visit I couldn’t wait to get to the barn to see “my” horse. I am sure one of the first questions I asked when we got to the barn was “Where is Fire Site?” The college told me that he was out on lease. He was not very good with their beginner riders—he kept running away with them. I was crushed, but continued on with my plans to attend that college.

Well, fate can have a funny way of working itself out in a person’s favor—even if we don’t see it at that exact moment in time. Another friend, whom I had not known too long encouraged me to call to find out if the horse was for sale. I was now nineteen years old and I was so scared. I knew how much he sold for and I knew what he was worth, but I made that call and the horse was actually for sale. I’m sure to this day the horse trader that had him thought he pulled a fast one on me. He paid a mere $250.00 to get him out of the school and was selling him for almost fifteen times that! I on the other hand thought I was getting a great deal on “my” horse.

Of course seeing that I didn’t have all the money for the horse at the time I had to ask my parents to co-sign a loan for me. I sat my Father down and at first he was sure that I’d bought a car. He was relieved to find out it was only Apollo I was after. Then because of the new “low” price he asked if the horse still had four legs. I told him I guessed he did, and if he didn’t I really didn’t care. He was and is my buddy and I wanted him back!

So, the gallant chestnut gelding returned to my life. We showed successfully, finishing his Legion of Honor and earning a Canadian National Top Ten, riding and showing for a couple more years before arthritis got the best of him and he had to be retired. He made many friends for the Arabian breed as a boarded horse in three different states. His arthritis requires special stall set ups which are hard to find in a common boarding setting, so in order to help him be comfortable and have a longer life in 2001 I purchased a small farm and set up the barn to accommodate his special condition. He now lives a happy, well-earned life of leisure and retirement, and he’s still my best friend. Friends for life.

Charli Ann Stevens