There will always be a few things you aren't good at, or wouldn't voluntarily choose to do. Some things fall into both of those categories. Learning to drive stick was something I didn't choose to do for a long time and chose not to do when I found myself living in Florida with no choice of vehicle other than a huge F350 diesel with 4 on the floor. I eventually did it, begrudgingly, and found that I liked it and was good at it. That was a rare occasion, because I'm usually right about whether or not I'm going to like something, and it usually has something to do with whether or not I'm going to be good at it.

Sales falls into the never-wanna-do-it, never-gonna-be-good-at-it category. More than once, people have tried to push me into selling things but I'm not going to give. But there come times when, because you bought so much stuff or want to buy other stuff, you have to get rid of some of the stuff you already have. Giving things away is wonderful. It makes you feel good, and makes other people feel good too. Selling stuff, on the other hand, sucks. Some things are worth too much to give away, so they need to be sold.

The owner of the farm I live on wants very badly to have a fancy horse that we can take to the Quarter Horse Congress and compete with, and the ones we have just aren't good enough. I've had one of them for sale on the Internet for about a month and a half, and I've been answering emails and fielding phone calls and entertaining visitors. They ask a lot of questions, and I answer them. That's where not being good at sales comes in. I really want them to know what they are getting. I don't want someone to take this thing I sold them home and then find out later that it isn't what it was made out to be. I would starve if I were in used-car sales.

I had a few people walk away because I was as honest as I could be. This horse has few faults, but I feel that to be fair they need to know. Finally today, the people who asked the most questions and were the most thorough took him home. Last week, I nearly wrote a book answering their list of questions emailed to me after they saw his website listing. Today, the father spent time leading him around from both sides, backing him up, picking up his feet, touching his ears, then watched me ride. He asked me what the worst thing was that the horse had ever done. He rode. Daughter number one rode. Daughter number two rode. I saddled another horse and we rode through the woods, through the creek, and then in the field to see how he behaved galloping. My horse spooked at something in the woods and he scared Gunner, who spun around and thought about heading home. The father quizzed his daughter on exactly what the horse did when he spooked.

They were an interesting bunch; so quiet and patient that I could feel it in the air. I knew they didn't need or want to be sold on the horse, so I relaxed. Gunner must have felt it too, because he was an angel for them and even let the man handle his ears. I told him how he's afraid of people he might perceive as hurting him, but he never showed it. The father told me he has a horse at home who he can ride bareback and bridleless outdoors, on trail, and even over jumps. All three of them were gentle with their cues and seemed to have a way with horses.

Must be luck, because I didn't have to try to make the sale. Just told them how it is and let them shop. I really didn't think this would happen. I figured he wouldn't sell and we'd end up taking him to an auction, not knowing just where he would end up. Now I know that he'll have 3 horsie friends and a 5 acre pasture, treats before dinner and a compassionate family. I can breathe now.

Tomorrow, I have to take pictures of the next horse and list him on the Internet. *Sigh*