Backstory

I was able to take a couple of short videos the other day while I was working Casey. Frame by frame and screenshot pics below. 

When I first got Casey, there's a funny story. I was shopping online in a place where you are not allowed to post or sell animals. Yet there she was and her ad had been up for almost 3 months. 

There were only 2 pics with the ad and I obviously inquired. "Yes she's still available." Something just struck me about her. I looked at those two pics at least a few hundred times.

I tried to be objective. What did I see that I did not care for? Could that be dealt with? Could that possibly change? With time? With work? 

The only three things I could fault her on from those pics were 1) she has more white than I care for. She's such a colorfully marked pony and it suits her well.  This made up, personal taste "issue" does not in any way make her run any faster or not, jump any higher or not, play any harder or be any more or any less anything. 

2) The second thing I could see that I wasn't too sure about was her heartgirth area. It looked shallow. Gotta remember she was young. She's 3 and this could change. Besides- who knows how long ago the pic was taken and if she was in a funky growth stage? She could be shallow but wide. Who knows? 

3) The third thing I found was her hind feet had too much heel. Could this be dealt with? Certainly. Would this change how she is built? A little. How she moves? Absolutely! Soundness? Yup! Would this take time? It should with a good farrier, which I have. 

Her owner seem to act like they could not get her out of there fast enough. Looking back- I never even asked what her name was? When I assured them that Yes, I do want the horse, picking her up was the issue- when could I make it??? They even offered to deliver her, but that fell thru. I was asking people if they could go get her for me as I had plans that could not be changed- business trip to the east coast. 

One of the guys from the barn agreed to go get her for me. Funny enough we were both coming home the same day. 

In the few days leading up to my trip the guy going to pick her up asked me- When I get there, is there anything I should look for that would be a deal-breaker? Wait. What? I hadn't thought about that. I thought about all the horses I had over the years that I bought or picked up from looking at a picture and some not even seeing a pic at all. 

I knew in my gut that she was a nice enough pony/horse and may or may not come with issues. I could deal with her issues and baggage. Deal-breakers?  "I guess if she only has 3 legs? That would be a deal-breaker." 

Clearly she has all four. Whew! 😊 

Pics? Yes please!

The mares got turned out the other day while the weather was nice and the sun was out. They just had their feet trimmed and were definitely feeling good.

Casey showing her super chill western horse side before she cuts loose and kicks it into gear.

I'm just really diggin' on how nice this filly is turning out to be. She has the sweetest personality too. 

She has really filled out nicely and her coat is so soft and smooth now since all of the skin peeled from the rain rot she came with. 

And she definitely, Definitely has 3rd gear now too! She used to just walk off and doodle around once the halter came off. Now she turns and walks off a couple steps before she rolls into a lope and then fires up once safely away from me. 

I can't possibly forget about Mazy! Mostly because She would Never, Ever let that happen. 

That beautiful trot and all that natural shine to her coat- she wouldn't possibly go unnoticed. 

She definitely has the moves to go to the top. Now if I could only manage to keep up. Lol 

Uphill movement?  Check.

Big stride? Check. 

Attitude to match? Definite Check! 

Untapped power? Absolute Check!

Always saving the best pick for last. I just love this shot of her and how open and free her movement is. Such a powerhouse pony

Confo shots

A friend of mine was recently asking for confo shots of Casey. I may have a few.... Pics of her from the side. 

Of course it's easy to get them to hold still when their head is shoved in a bucket of feed. Am I right? 

Of course as a now 4y/o, she is still slightly a bit butt high.... 

and what a Butt that is. Casey is really developing quite the motor on her.

And the angle of that shoulder. Booyah! 

This last shot her neck still looks thin in comparison to the rest of her body, but look at the muscle development at her elbow and forearm....

Her front legs are no longer looking like they both come out of the same hole.

She does look like she toes out a touch

From behind she's pretty well stacked too and her back legs no longer look like they come from the same hole either. 

Since I haven't posted about Mazy much lately, here's a few shots of her too. Do you see what I seen? 

Even with her not so fuzzy winter coat.... 

Mazy still has dapples showing thru. 

Maybe not

When I first seen and then later got Casey, I was thinking she is a western horse. 

As I started working her, I was thinking she might be a cute little reining horse.

But the more she develops and comes into her own....

I'm thinking reining may not be her game. 

I mean look at that movement. 

She can really stretch those legs out when she wants to. 

She's balanced and there's cadence in her gaits. 

And she has developed quite the Body on her too. 

Quite the Not so western horse like I had originally thought. Lol

Playtime!

The girls got to really stretch their legs and have some fun. 

Casey coming to a stop. Looks like a reiner prospect to me. 

Then she started to crank it up and show some movement.

She showed she really does have 3rd gear. 

Both ponies at about the same place in their stride. 

Still that trot.

Boing! Into the air Mazy goes.

Obviously saving the best for last. Casey is showing some serious moves! One of my friends said - "I think that pony is going to be pretty amazing for you." Yeah I think so too. 

Really Mazy?!?!

The farrier was coming and the ponies have been cooped up for a couple days because of rain. I was able to put them out for a bit before he showed up and this is what I came out to find- 

Head to toe covered in mud. 

Since she was the last to be trimmed, the farrier got a break while I hosed her off. She was so filthy and of course so proud of herself. 

Growing Up

I have been working Casey in the long lines and while she is coming along nicely and doing well, I have noticed a few things about her have changed. 

She has started to grow back the hair she lost with the rain rot. Some of it came in more of a bay color brown than her spots. Nbd just interesting.

For one thing she has finally gotten a neck on her. It's no longer pencil thin like when she came in. 

She's really light in the bridle and as the pic above shows she has a lot of reach in her step, even in her turns.

Casey has also been developing her motor too. She's been packing on not only the weight but muscle too. 

You may have also noticed in the pics- she's wearing a saddle instead of the surcingle. This was the 2nd time and since a couple of the rings came off the surcingle- why not?