Meet Vladimir: The 20-Year-Old Belgian Who Stole Our Hearts (and Our Budget)

Meet Vladimir: The 20-Year-Old Belgian Who Stole Our Hearts (and Our Budget) This past Saturday, I set out early with one goal in mind: finding a cheap, used 36" cinch. So, we packed up our goblins and headed off to a tack sale, completely oblivious to the surprises waiting for us. Turns out, not only was it a tack auction, but it was a full-blown horse auction, too. Now, I’d never been to one before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I figured it’d just be a fun way to spend the morning with Tanner, the kids, and our very, very modest budget. But then, fate had other plans. As we wandered around, my eyes locked onto the saddest horse I’ve ever seen—a 20-year-old Belgian with a look so forlorn and body condition that screamed neglect. He stood there, unsure and vulnerable, with those deep eyes that just kind of… shattered my heart. And like any sane person married to a practical man, I looked to Tanner. His answer? A resounding, unmistakable “No.” I accepted defeat (or so I thought) and tried to keep going, but I couldn’t get that old guy out of my head. A little while later, horse number 66 walked into the ring. And just like that, my heart was back in pieces. I was watching this poor old boy being trotted out for auction, and as my eyes filled with tears, I saw Tanner sigh. Before I knew it, he was raising our bidding number. My practical, ‘no way’ husband was bidding on the horse he’d just told me we couldn’t have! Someone else started bidding against us, but Tanner didn’t back down. He just kept raising our card until finally, we won. I couldn’t believe it—my damned horse was coming home with us. Later, Tanner said he knew from the moment he saw my face that horse was coming home, whether he liked it or not. There’s something about a man who truly knows his wife, who sees her heart break and decides to put it back together, even if it means an unexpected—and, let’s face it, expensive—addition to the family. He may not say it, but his actions do all the talking. Of course, not everyone understood our decision. In fact, I was accused of buying this old guy for meat, which honestly just about did me in. We all know that Vladimir, as we’ve named him, is here for a good time, not a long time. But that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t have a soft place to land, to be loved for however many days he has left. Everything and everyone deserves love in the end, and Vladimir is no exception. As you might imagine, it turns out that finding anything in Vladimir’s size—be it a harness, blanket, or cinch—is almost impossible. He’s like some oversized fairytale creature with needs far beyond our expectations. He’s a big, wonderful, expensive accident, but I wouldn’t trade him for the world. He has found his place here, amid the happy chaos of our lives. And that chaos? It’s not just a funny anecdote. It’s a way of life. People hear our stories and laugh, nodding in agreement at the madness of it all. But sometimes, I don’t think they know how close a line I walk every day—between passion and practicality, between “I must have this old horse” and “how on earth are we pulling this off?” There are days I wonder how we manage it all, but then I look at Tanner, who is setting the most beautiful example for our children. Our kids are watching as we make room in our lives for the broken and the forgotten, showing them the importance of loving what others might overlook. They see us finding a way, even when that way isn’t obvious. And I hope they’ll grow up knowing that love and compassion don’t wait for convenience; they act, they save, they bid on an old horse that no one else wanted. So yes, I’m walking a fine line most days—one that might sometimes look like chaos from the outside, other times might look a little more like divorce, But thanks to Tanner and our growing, unconventional family, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Vladimir may be here for a good time, not a long time, but for now, he’s here. And he’s ours.