The move to California is complete. Finally. The last and biggest hurdle was shipping five equines from Texas to Southern California, which Equine Express did in 24 hours. By far the toughest trailer ride of their lives, but over and done in a day. Now they’re here, still taking many naps, drinking every sip of water I can offer, and making me feel at home.
Nisha and Hondo strapped in for the long haul
Choosing a shipper
My mom and I hauled four horses from Washington to Texas in 2021. We had to move our trailers down there anyway and we figured how hard could it be? We spread the trip over 3 stops. We first stopped in northeast Oregon and it was too short of a trip, then we headed to Utah, then Colorado, and finally Texas. It was a killer to do over four days and three nights, but the horses did fantastically all traveling together.
This time I had five all on my own, my mom had one and a donkey (who isn’t halter broke). The situation was much different, as I have an Airstream trailer, no house, one pasture bifurcated.
I knew I wanted to have my horses shipped this time. I talked with a few people but felt like Equine Express was going to get them here the fastest. Because this time I have an orchid Thoroughbred prone to colic, speed was of the utmost importance. Please read Ode to a long wet fart. I needed him here fast so he could drink and not die.
Equine Express was wonderful. They were communicative, on time, friendly, gentle. My mother sent an Apple Airtag with the horses so we could check on their status without pestering the drivers every two hours. The Texas to SoCal route is a common one. Geno of Equine Express was familiar with my closest major street (which is not wide across and a bit dippy in places but they made it fine). But he still called me to run through the directions to get to my place. Thank goodness he did, because one doesn’t want to get stuck with a giant rig. Ain’t no way he can flip it around if he makes a wrong turn.
Arriving in California
The horses came into SoCal late morning on Saturday and arrived at my street (close to it at least) that afternoon. Just 24 hours after having been loaded in Texas.
I may have cried a little bit seeing them again after so long apart.
I hadn’t seen them since January, and it is now April. I was a little beside myself. These horses are a part of me.
A bit sobby saying hello to Ransom who wasn’t teary-eyed at all. I know he was crying buckets on the inside.
And then Dante came off the trailer. Dante is my first horse. He’s 27 now, the only horse I have who I know has been to California before. Since he lived with us. I got him when I was a sophomore in high school. That’s my Dante. It was so crucial that he make it here to California. Because this will be his final stop.
I’ve had Dante since he was a yearling. 26 years. The longest relationship I have ever had with anything outside my immediate family. I was petrified that he would just decide to go without me present. He’s at that age where every day is a gift. He’s also the easiest, most steady and calmest horse anywhere.
When we got all the horses off the trailer, there was no hand left to take photos. It took four people to take six horses up to my place. My dad decided to lead Dante, I took the two hot Arabians who were ready to hit at least 30 miles on a ride. My mother took Cat and Hondo, who was annoyed that he wasn’t winning the race to the pasture.
We got them all inside the pasture, fed them a bite of food, and let them chill the fuck out.
And then it proceeded to rain the next two days!
From left to right: Hondo’s ass, Nisha’s ass, Ransom, Dante’s shoulder. And right: Dante chillin.
Moving to California
If first knew I wanted to move back home to California in Summerish of 2024, after completing a gorgeous ride week in La Vita, Colorado. I’d lived out of my horse trailer for a week, washed myself from a bucket, and missed Texas not at all. When I crossed back into Texline (yes, that’s the name of the city in the Texas panhandle bordering New Mexico), I felt sad. Not helpful is what Texline is shit ugly with a junkyard right there. A better metaphor I cannot find.
At first I thought maybe I needed to move to Colorado. I’d loved it there. My skin fell off, but my goodness was it pretty. The more I researched it though, the more I longed to go back home. If I was going to move out of Texas, move all of my things and animals, why not finally go where I wanted? I was done with compromises. I adore Colorado, but it wasn’t home. For more on my California journey, check out
- I finally moved to California… it’s been a nightmare.
- Finding my California dream property after a year of searching
- Burning down my old life to start anew