Why I am MADLY in loff with my...

[pintopiaffe]

Puffy the Majik Pinto Pony... :winkgrin:

Just a 'freezebuster' thread I thought I might start. A Little early for valentine's I guess... but...

I love my little, sparkly horse... because he is the most affectionate horse I've ever known--I am SO NOT a muzzle kisser. Um, except HIS. I can't help it. :o :lol:

I love him because he is impeccably honest, and has more work ethic and 'try' than any horse I have ever, ever met in this lifetime. I love him because he passes that on to his kids.

While not entirely *comfortable*, I love the stretching and learning and changing and GROWING he has led me to on this <sometimes meandering> journey to "upper levels."

I love that he's an easy keeper, in a small package, with the most beautiful head I've ever known, blonde forelock and all.

I really love that if the temps did not have a 'minus' sign in front of them, I could hop on bareback, with just a halter and one lead rope, and even though I haven't been on him for a month or two, go romp in the snow.

NEXT....

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

Post a pic of your loffly boy!

We all know how much I love mine. My horse, my teacher. That's it in a nutshell.

[Leena]

PICS PICS PICS !!!!

[springdaisy]

I loff both "my":

QH 3 year old. Palomino, adorable little mare. She jumps with a nice bascule, and is very responsive! I'm working on low level dressage with her (leg-yields, half-pass, shoulder-in, collected trot...) and she has the best gaits! I swear, she is a mini WB or something. Floaty trot when I ride well and have her under herself and working, amazing canter. The nice rocking horse feeling!

TN Walker mare! Complete opposite from other mare. Used to have NO respect for me, we really had to work on that. We had had a small connection, but then I broke my collarbone falling off another pony, and couldn't ride her for 4 months. (I would have ridden a bit, but my mom would kill me, and this was when Brat was in an out-of-control stage, I would have flown.) Then, about a month ago, it clicked. I had "it" with her! YAY. Well, she jumps anything. So far, I haven't really jumped anything higher than 3'6" (And it was bareback. The highest I had jumped before that was about 3 foot. Haha. No need to say that I loffed it!) But hey, it's a work in progress, and I only started jumping her-seriously anyways-about 7 months ago. Love her jump, and her gallop. :D When we fly, it's just AMAZING. (Not to be cliche or Disney...which I probably sound like. ;) )

Well, I'm cutting off the rambling here, you get the picture. :D

[pintopiaffe]

:( 200 + views and only two other 'players?'

I was hoping the abundance of warm, fuzzy gush would help... it's -20 standing air right now...

So... these are my favorite winter pics of Puffy. He's only Puffy the Majik Pinto Pony in winter. In spring, summer and fall he's quite dignified. But in winter, he's my childhood dream come true ;)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/pintopiaffe/df62ade7.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y6/pintopiaffe/eb54f05b.jpg

[Trixie's mom]

oh...he is so cute!!! I can see why you loff him...

I loff Trixie because she keeps me honest with myself...plus she just loffs MY kids...
http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=04KR006J040000&po=0

[Samantha37]

Cute horses!! I love the roached mane, PP :)

I loff my TB, Verreaux, because he is really fancy and athletic, yet I can give pony rides to my cousins on him. He tolerates my mistakes graciously and is always willing to work hard for me. He has a super jump and my trainer keeps telling me that she "wants one". He just turned 5 and was given to me as a late 3 year old... hopefully if he can keep himself out of trouble this year we will do a TON of local shows and a few recognized events.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r222/ssilver3722/Vereaux/S5001748.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r222/ssilver3722/Vereaux/100_0613.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r222/ssilver3722/Vereaux/Pony%20rides/verreauxjake5.jpg

Even when I am in the fetal position, he is perfect!
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r222/ssilver3722/Vereaux/S5001842.jpg

[FriesianX]

Oh, where to even start :winkgrin: I'm in love with my stud muffin because he's so darn cute - my trainer says he even has cute balls! She calls him the Breyer Horse - every detail is perfect...

I love him because he's got the sweetest personality - he always comes out of his stall (or pasture) ready for adoration from his "fans" - neck scratches, sugar cubes, whatever... And no one can believe he's a stallion.

I love him because he's got the BEST work ethic - he is always ready to try something new, and never gets flustered. He may not UNDERSTAND, but he's going to keep trying and trying for his rider.

I love that he's got three good gaits, talent for collected work and also the ability to sit down and EXTEND - that he feels so powerful under me! But when I get off, he's just a pocket pony, wanting his neck scratched.

I love him because he's flashy, so everyone notices him :lol: and I LOVE having a horse that is different - it is a bit of a vanity thing:sadsmile: I love walking into the restroom at shows and finding the judges talking about him :cool: I love that little girls gather around him (back to he is so darn CUTE) and I feel SAFE when they pet him and coo over him.:yes:

http://http://www.mysticoakranch.com/ourstallions/lshcadenceincolor.html

[pintopiaffe]

:winkgrin:

Now that's more like it!

Seriously, I'm surprized so many views and so few particpants... are we too stuffy in this forum to admit we're infatuated??? :uhoh:

Samantha, that first pic is one soooo many of us can relate to--what a great smile you've got. You can TELL. :yes:

Trixie's mom... that is the coolest shot. Do non-horse people 'get' it? I do.

FX... man oh man I have *plans*... :winkgrin: It is a blessing and a curse--I can completely concur that no one "misses" horses like ours. Thankfully I've never had cause to *regret* that. :lol:

[cyndi]

Ok, I have three horses, and like any good parent, I try not to play favorites.

But my pinto mare, Flying Colorz (Fling) that I bred, and who's coming 9 now, is just the most wonderful riding horse I've ever had. Her momma was The Equine Saint (TM) who I owned and loved for 18 of her 19 years, and although Fling can sometimes be a pill with other people, she makes me go all mooshy over her incredible work ethic and absolute joy in her work. She is the kid on the front row in class with their hand (hoof?) waving wildy in the air going "ooh, pick me, pick me, I know!" Plus she has THe most kissable little muzzle I've ever seen. See for yourself - look at the head shot here - is that not a face just asking for smooches or what???
http://www.donerailfarm.com/fling2003.html

[Bugs-n-Frodo]

I am madly in LOFF with my TB mare, Bugs because she has taken such good care of me through the years. After taking such good care of me, she had a baby, my other horse. Bugs is patient, motherly, my best friend and very forgiving. I loff her with all of my heart.
Bugs, my sweet retired TB mare. (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=648942&l=a0dae&id=617389791)

I am madly in LOFF with my Anglo Trakehner gelding, Frodo, because he is a dream come true. He's so affectionate and so willing. I have done all of his training myself and he has been so tolerant and wonderful to work with. He was a great baby, easy to start and has been so agreeable and fun throughout his under saddle training. I LOFF him with all of my heart too!

Frodo and his smoochable muzzle. (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=927119&l=e637a&id=617389791)
Frodo and I at our last lesson, I was getting tired, my trainer worked out butts off. :lol: (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=995053&l=a778d&id=617389791)

[TBDQ0328]

I LOFF my guy because he's my guy!!! He's the first horse that I've ever actually owned and he really tries very very hard to be good....unless you put on his blanket...or take it off....or even look at it thinking that you might touch it.....

I LOFF that he is Mr. Personality!!! He knows that he's cute....He'll wait for someone to walk him by while he's in the cross ties and then will arch his neck and stand up very tall.....waiting for someone to give him a treat. Or how...when learning something new.....he'll throw a really big "BUT THIS IS SO HARD" tantrum and figure it out and then go "Oh that's what you want me to do??? Well let me show you how well I can do that!!"

I LOFF him because even though he's a thoroughbred who is built like a tank and is built down-hill - he doesn't move like anything like you think he would when you look at him and a good day he can trot the pants off most of the warmbloods in the barn. I love his heart that will try 110% to do whatever you are asking him to do....even if he's tired or its hard for him. He's the horse that no one though would be able to do anything and we're now schooling 3rd and will go up as far as he's confortable going.

I mostly LOFF him because he's my boy......he talks to me when I come down the aisle, comes when I call his name at the pasture gate, and will come and just up his head in my chest and leave it there when something is wrong.

I love that he lets me learn how to train him and that we're teaching each other as we go along

[Vesper Sparrow]

All these horses are adorable! I love Puffy's expression--reminds me a bit of a paint we have at our barn who is my favourite lunge horse.

I love my 25 year old TB mare, Andy, because she is so communicative, wears her emotions on her sleeve and is always honest with me. We are always having a conversation, whether on the ground or in the saddle, and it makes riding her so much fun. I love how enthusiastic she can be, even at her age. She also totally takes care of me.

http://s408.photobucket.com/albums/pp163/VesperSparrowCOTH/?action=view&current=IMG_0014_1.jpg

My relationship with my young guy (Max, 4-year old TB) is not as developed but I love how friendly, open and level-headed he is. He really tries hard to please and he's my stalwart grey gelding.

http://s408.photobucket.com/albums/pp163/VesperSparrowCOTH/?action=view&current=DSCF0989.jpg

[Bayou Roux]

I loff my bay baby boy because he just can't help being utterly and totally himself. He doesn't have an ounce of self-consciousness about him; he's all out there, all the time.

And who he is, or who he believes himself to be is totally hot $hit when it comes to other horses. He will race, prance, bite, play-strike, and egg on any other horse on the place, all in the name of good fun. And good fun to him is to show off just how much handier, faster, lighter, smoother, elegant, and more handsome he is. He will challenge (to a race, to a playbitefest, to anything) and then prance off, shaking his head and flagging his tail saying, yeah, I'm cool.

But the second a human comes into the picture, he is all ears forward, attention do you want to work with me? Please? Me? Now? Let's go! and his playboy antics are behind him. He seems to know he is destined for larger things than the play in the pasture when it comes to his relationship with people. I've never seen an animal so able to compartmentalize his work and his play.

And he's only two this year... he's all potential right now...which is another reason I LOFF him so!

This is him on the right, torn between tormenting Stormy and seeing what we, the people, are doing:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/3143122630_1134073e42_b.jpg

[kahjul]

I'll play! I loff my girl because she has the cutest expressions...the 'no way mom', ears like an airplane, the 'hey is that for me' pushy smiling face, the 'death march' when she see's the trailer...too many to think of. Always willing, fun to ride. Can give me the rodeo of my life and go bareback in a halter-depends on the day. The thrill is reading her right! No matter what happens at home or work, she always meets me at the gate with a smile on her giant (drafty) face. If I'm at the barn talking for too long before I go up to get her she puts in a bucking sqealing run to remind me she's waiting. I actually laugh out loud at the silly things she does.

[FLeckenAwesome]

Awww, such cute smoochable muzzles... and all so dainty... Well...Mr. Fleck, not so much!!! He's got the biggest darn muzzle EVER!!! And I just can't help kissing it all the time!!!

I love Fleck because....he's just Fleck!!! He's like a big giant spotted golden retriever!! He's always in your face wanting to be rubbed, or scratched, or to lick you. He will do his "tricks" no matter what you want him to do or not do cause he wants a cookie... for example...trying to blanket him while he's doing his carrot stretches!! No easy task! I Love him for slobbering the giant green glob of hay cube mush all over me every night cause he just loves me so! Or thinks I'm a giant napkin! I love him for trying so hard, even when he was sore. I love him for having his little bit of Appytude but being a rockstar despite it. I love the fact that he's sooooo recognizable that we always make friends cause you just can't not notice him! I love that he thinks he's Top Dog and is a big show off! I love how competitive he can get. I love how fast he can gallop. I love his big brown eyes... I love the one little spot just under his throat and his one slightly off color brown spot on his side that looks like dirt but isn't. I just ADORE him... and...my husband thinks sometimes more than him.... SHHhhhhhh ;) Fleck is definitely a forever horse!

I also love miss Roany pony but for completely different reasons. She and I, well..... we have a bit of a love hate relationship!! Well, actually it's a very loving relationship if you understand her. I know she loves me cause while she bucks every ride, she doesn't buck ME off, and she doesn't kick ME when I blanket her, and... while she pretends she's not interested, I can tell her feelings are hurt if I don't go give her a hug, despite the pretend pinned ears. I love her big dark eyes on her white face...she's like Snow White. I love that my hubby gets on her and can barely get her to walk, yet I hop on and at age 26 the witch still takes off bucking and galloping! I love how comfy she is bareback. I love her whinny. I love that she taught me sooo much about riding and having fun. I adore her... She will always be my first pony and my forever pony!

Pics!!

I also LOVE that Ralph Hill loved him too!! (It's taken off a video but heck yeah!)
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i211/FleckenAwesome/10-08ralphclinicjumping3.jpg
Check out that big giant schmuzzle... that much more to love on!
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i211/FleckenAwesome/1-08OMGnewbridle.jpg
and lastly... one of my FAVE's... he's such a curious little goober!
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i211/FleckenAwesome/8-06roomforonemore.jpg

me and the roany pony!
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i211/FleckenAwesome/5-04sleeping10.jpg
more roany pony
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i211/FleckenAwesome/10-04playin.jpg

[Bayou Roux]

Fleck has the schnoz of a manatee! I'm not a great fan of the spotsy horse, but he's damn cute!

[Filly85']

I love Chucker because I grew up with him. My mom bought him as a yearling for me as a Christmas present when I was 14 (wonderful mom). He is now 11. My parents were going through a horrible divorce at the time that tore my life apart. I went from having straight As in school to failing classes like keyboarding. I skipped school all the time and got 0s on tests because I refused to take them. Chucker saved my life. If it wasn't for him, I might have been lost forever. He taught me the most important lessons that I think life has to offer: love unconditionally and fight back when things are tough. Never give up. Because of Chucker, I was able to get back on track. I worked really hard riding him, training him, showing him, and competing for the NC 4-H Horse Program in national educational competitions. I went to a community college after that and received straight As. I was then accepted into a top public ivy league and am doing great. I still volunteer extensively in the NC 4-H Horse Program. And next stop...a DVM/PhD so I can give them back what horses have given me...life. My bond with that horse is deeper than any words could ever describe. He will be with me until the day he dies. It's funny how a horse can affect your life. They are everything to me.

Here are some old pics of him, and excuse my bad dressage position in a few of the photos. He was a hunter back then, but he has become a dressage horse over the winter. I'm sorry that I don't have any recent pictures of him training dressage.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/kentuckyrosesinmay/Chucks.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/kentuckyrosesinmay/Copyofl_52c3c1ea181cd16311180012fee.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/kentuckyrosesinmay/l_e8dd51b1e0bf23a9fc175ea4dfee1a2d.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/kentuckyrosesinmay/l_9f8cc27c7c16f6c5461097d8f3e09b27.jpg

I also just purchased a wonderful 4 year old OTTB mare. She is very cute. She will probably not cut it as a dressage horse, but she will be a very cute hunter. She was so cheap that I had to just bring her home with me. Even though she is fresh off the track, she is the sweetest horse I have ever been around. She needs extensive retraining, but she has not offered to buck or play when I have been on her at all. She doesn't spook at anything. She is a doll.

I don't have any pictures of her, but I do have a video of her. Excuse the music, I wanted to use a different song than this one, but youtube wouldn't upload my video with that song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6QgrUkZkhY&feature=channel_page

[FLeckenAwesome]

I KNOW!!! My friend didn't believe me but then she can't fit her halter over his big ol' honkin' nose!!!
And people scoffed when I had to find a 6" bit. "But he's only 16.2...." Trust me... I KNOW!!! It's humongoid!! But I LOVE it! Especially his little triangle spot on the very tip!

Bayou... your guys' face is Priceless!!! He looks like he is trying to decide what's gonna be more fun... let's do both!!! Adorable!!

[EqTrainer]

I have fallen madly in LOFF with my four year old over the last two weeks.

See, he has a septic coffin bone. So he's been up in the barn being treated for it. And he's just an absolute DOLL. Never testy, never impatient, always cheerful and happy to see us, even when we are going to put the torniquet on his leg again!

My vet keeps saying what a good baby he is.. and he is.

And.. he's cute as hell. That always helps!

And.. he really likes to be kissed right above his mouth, next to his nose. You can just grab his head and mash and mush and kiss on him and he loves it.

I have fallen truly, madly, deeply in LOFF with him all over again.

[IrishDeclan]

I completely LOFF both of my guys. First there's Jasper (aka The Big Easy) who is a Percheron/TB cross gelding. He was the horse who brought me back into competition gracefully and safely after several years away from the horse show scene. We won three horse trials and then placed 4th at the Area Championships. Unfortunately he developed some arthritis in his hocks so I decided to retire him from jumping. And now comes the reason why I LOFF him most.... he is now a wonderful dressage schoolmaster for my Mom. My Mom, who two years ago could hardly sit at the canter, is now performing lovely lengthenings and very acceptable lateral work. Jasper's wonderful temperament has allowed her to learn how to be a RIDER, as opposed to being a PASSENGER. He has given her the confidence to progress with her riding, and for that reason alone I will always love him. Here are some pics:

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/jjakes7018/Horses/Jazzy.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/jjakes7018/Horses/SnazzyJazzy.jpg

Next we have my current horse. Declan (aka Patrickswell Stonehaven) is a 5 yr old Irish Sport Horse/Selle Francais cross gelding. I LOFF him because he is a complete hot mess who never fails to make me laugh. He's very talented, but combines it with a wonderful personality. He always keeps me on my toes and life with him is never boring. We're still teaching him how to balance himself on the flat, but he gives me incredible confidence over fences. The word "no" is not in his vocabulary. Here are some pics:

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/jjakes7018/Horses/DSCN0676.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/jjakes7018/Horses/DSCN0683.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/jjakes7018/Horses/declan-1.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg282/jjakes7018/Horses/Declan.jpg

[pintopiaffe]

Now THAT's more like it.

I'm actually pretty gushy... see, I KNEW there was some warmth here, INSIDE, despite the OUTSIDE... :sadsmile:

:D :D :D :cool:

[keana]

Some lovely horses on here for sure :)

[tempichange]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v401/tempichange/Sinari%20Poulin%20Clinic%2008/P1030925.jpg

This is my mare, Sinari. She's honestly the best mare I've ever sat on. Tries so hard every time out, and is brilliant. My favorite in and out of he barn. Showing second, schooling most of the fourth, it just feels like its a matter of time till we hit the top.

I kiss the ground for whatever karma brought her to me, and allows her to remain here.

[STF]

he has led me to on this <sometimes meandering> journey to "upper levels."


That made me giggle

[cherish the moment 07]

What an excellent thread!!! And what gorgeous horses and ponies! They are all unique and beautiful :)

Well I am definitely in LOFF with my 22 year old morab Cherish. I was always one of those little girls that lived and breathed horses. I started taking riding lessons when I was 8 or 9 years old and I've been hooked ever since. I always dreamed of getting my horse and I used to look up different horses online that I wanted :lol:. Cherish was nothing like the horses that I wanted. She's only 15 hh and when I first met her she was skin and bones and had a crack in one of her hooves. It was love at first sight! She's not perfect, but she's perfect to me. She is the horse that I will have forever and she will always hold my heart.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff127/cherishthemoment07/DSC03904.jpg

[coloredhorse]

Hmph! I would have posted much, much sooner, but this thread wasn't here when I peeked in on COTH this morning.

Anyway, I loff my grrls. I loff Fannie Herself. I love her beautiful spotted coat (a redhead like your handsome gent, pintopiaffe!). I love her toughness (though her stoicism has led to some injuries not being caught as soon as ideal). I loff the way she loves to show, or even just hop in the trailer to go ride in a different place. I loff her cuddliness; the old gal is always ready for hugs and kisses, and all sorts of pats and skritchies. I loff tha I can put anyone on her and she will give the appropriate ride: the small children or those with special needs get the utmost of care, as are non-arrogant, non-riding adults or teens; those who are more advanced in their riding ... or who need to be taken down a peg ... may be subjected to some well-targeted naughtiness, nothing dangerous, just enough to point out that they are not quite as smart as they think they are (and certainly not smarter than Herself).

And I loff Sally, aka Little Bay Boss Mare. I loff her silly opinions, and the way she tries so hard to find acceptable ways to express them. I loff the fact that she is sensitive enough to make it very clear when I do something wrong and kind enough to let it go when I correct my mistakes. I loff that she plays up sometimes in public just enough to make me look good. I loff that she hateshateshates cuddles, but will sometimes press her muzzle to my arm and grant permission for a quick head-hug. I loff that she loffs Mr. CH and will allow him any liberties at all. I loff that she made my eldest nephew feel special at a trying time in his life by making it clear that she liked him right away (she's friendly, but not quick to really warm up to people). I loff the dainty way she accepts tribute in the form of carrots from the children that visit.

I'm also not a gushy person, but there is definitely a mushy bit inside when it comes to my horses! I'd love to throw up some pictures, but have no earthly idea how to make that happen.

[mortebella]

I loff mine for being the hardest working boy I ever sat on...EVER. :D Forward enough to scare somebody who hadn't ridden in almost 30 years, but sane enough never to lose her. Now if that isn't a combination! (And I will say I probably didn't scare as easy as some might have after that time, because I was an old jumper rider. He also scared 15 year old barn rats who could actually ride, too :lol:) I didn't want to be bored with a horse, and I thought I wanted to get something that would still be fun as I eventually learned to ride again...well, it's been over a year, and I still haven't BEGUN to ride him like I should, but he's still patiently waiting for me to be able to take him where he can really go. He's a handful, but he's smart and cooperative, just a real pleasure to work around on the ground. He presents like a grouch, pins his ears back a lot, and intimidates people although it doesn't seem to be that he's really trying to be dominant - I think he's just the horse equivilent of a natural scowler. What has been very touching for me is to watch him relax with me and get to a place where this naturally non-demonstrative horse has become almost...affectionate! He actually will come to the pasture gate when he sees my CAR, not just when he sees me and thinks I have treats :D And he knows it always means work, too. I have had him come up to me in the pasture on a 95 degree day to be caught when I didn't know somebody else had just ridden him and turned him out (miscommunication, generally nobody ever rides him but me so please don't worry about his welfare :lol: I also usually don't ride when it's that hot but I had just taken a board exam and my head was about to explode so I needed to decompress with a ride!) And...did I mention he's really good-looking and has fabulous hunter movement? ;) He has just the hugest chunk of my heart I can remember a horse having, because we have had this journey in the past year...because he has always been a pretty hot horse, the reasonably good rider who had him before me had a pretty sharp bit on him. He was tense and stiff and unyielding, and I felt, uncomfortable all through his neck and mouth and jaw, and although logic would dictate that weak rider (me) plus weaker bit on a hot horse would equal disaster and probably significant time in traction :lol:, that was exactly what I did with him. His former rider thinks I've ruined him because he'll walk on the buckle now. To each her own I suppose. My eq sucks, but here's my pretty boy.

http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f296/cocreate/?action=view&current=CrumleyJuneTrot.jpg

[Taska]

I love my handsome Dallas
http://s548.photobucket.com/albums/ii341/MJArden/?action=view&current=Dallas.jpg

because he gave me back my confidence after a bad fall off another horse. He is a kind-hearted, solid boy who tries so hard to do everything I ask of him. I love him even more because my husband has fallen for him too. :)
http://s548.photobucket.com/albums/ii341/MJArden/?action=view&current=dallas_gerry.jpg

[dressagetraks]

Aww, he's cute, Pintopiaffe! I love the perky ears.

Okay, here goes:

I love my new Troy mare, here less than a week. I love the way that her worried and unsettled look - lots of changes for her lately - is already starting to disappear. I love watching her do freestyle in a blanket in the pasture as I dream of our shows and of actually riding this year.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/PixieHead011809.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/PixieArrivesJan152009020.jpg

I LOVE my new Veneziano mare for her mind. She's black with chrome, which is a bonus, but the mind is incredible. The most thinking, analytical, regal, slightly aloof, but imminently huggable horse. I wish I could ride her; she would be so much fun, but she's status post a very bad injury, with her riding and competition days over, and I bought her to try to get a few foals. Her first filly will be a keeper and will be named in honor of my Mom. If Mom were still at the farm, this horse would probably be her favorite.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/TwisteratSunset.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/HorsesandtheArrivalofTwister016.jpg

I love my Vincent mare, for teaching me all the joys and disappointments of breeding, for giving me two spectacular (and sold) colts so far, and for the way that she sighs and closes her eyes when I brush her forelock.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/FreedomandKateRunningFree.jpg

I love my CB/Trak cross for her dramatic power, her majesty, and for reminding me that I ALWAYS need to think.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/Kate011509.jpg

I love my little Silver Yearling for his attitude, which is a constant invitation to the world to invite him to its party, for his ears, always up, for his color-of-the-month over the past 20 months which was so much fun to watch, and for the pleasure he gave Mom, as the first, and last, of her "grandfoals" she got to see from day one.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/ToccataResting4.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/PureJoy-Toccata.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/Toccata.jpg

And finally, and always, I love Missy, my little Mustang, who taught me that trust must be earned, and who then taught me how deep it runs once it has been.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/MissyHead.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/Missy.jpg

My herd. I love them all.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk8/dressagetraks/IsItFeedingTime.jpg