I care nothing for appearances--even less for other's ideas of how a thing should appear. I do not care if a horse looks like it has great endurance or wonderful gaits. I care even less if a horse's grand mother looked like she had great endurance or wonderful gaits.
The test of a hammer is in the driving of the nail.
I happen to find Feather to be exceptionally beautiful. That is of little significance to me. Holland is one of the greatest horses that I will ever ride. Others might consider him otherwise, but I find him to be no better looking than a rumpled brown paper bag. But he glides. He carries me where I want to go, at the speed that I want to go, through whatever terrain I want to go through, in what ever weather I want to go in.
And then the next day he does it again.
This is how Feather will be. Jen and KC rode her yesterday. They gushed when describing her movement and willingness. A winter of trotting and gaiting with me on board will build muscle and bone that will make her body lean and hard.
She might even become as great a horse as Holland.
She is about 13.2 hands and regardless of what a superstar she becomes there will be many who will feel that she simply "looks" too small for me to ride. Worst of all, many of those people will actually believe that because she "looks" too small for me I should not ride her.
And the odd thing is that many of these people do not "look" ignorant. In fact, if they kept their mouth's shut no one would ever know how little they know. Forrest Gump's mother had it right. She did not say that "Stupid is as stupid looks."
No, "Stupid is as stupid does."
If you must judge yourself or your horse judge based on reality, not on appearance.
Spectacular is as spectacular does.
Throw rocks at our little horses if you want...but my offer stands...I will race any modern bred horse from any background.
ReplyDeleteBut we are not going to race around a pretty sand track...or an arena, or a pasture...or across a corn field. No...we are going right through and we are going far and fast right through .
Best you put fresh shoes on 'im...would not want him to get a stubbed toe.
And when we get back, I will gladly put a seven year old child who has never seen the back of a horse on her...and take them into the woods with absolute confidence in the child's safety.
She is a mustang...mesteno...mutt horse. Maligned as useless by those too narrow and shortsighted to see...she is built like a coal stove...round in the belly, narrow at the hip and chest...smart as a whip and gentle as a lamb...and she will carry a load many will not believe possible...and do it with graceful elegance. And she puts fine foals on the ground.
Little red horse a few posts down...the one about these comments...
Open your eyes...there be treasure here.
-Lloyd
She is a fiiiine girl.