19 years together: Harv and I

I bought Harvey, and brought him home, on July 8, 1997, in Chapel Hill NC.  It's our 19 year anniversary!

On the day of the purchase, his owners took him to a state finals horse show in Raleigh -- part of the sales agreement, she showed him one last time -- and we drove together to the co-op barn that would be his new home.

 The owner's dad was a terrible driver and even as an inexperienced horse owner I could tell that Harv was struggling in the back. Dad would slam on the breaks to stop, and jolt forward to go, talking the whole time and seemingly unaware of the cargo in back.

When we arrived at the farm, they discovered that Harv had broken the chest bar of their relatively new trailer. He was frantic and sweating, and as he backed out his tail was up and his head was giraffe-like in the new surroundings. Several of the co-op members had come to watch, and one of them said, "Well, he's pretty but he's nuts. I told you guys he would be nuts." I was too preoccupied to reply, but she later turned out to be one of Harv's big fans -- she trailered us all over the place, and helped out when Harv needed surgery.

Anyway, so Harv went into a stall and an appaloosa was stationed next to him as the other horses were turned out.  He settled right in.

To be continued...