VCMBH: Interested Parties

What made you interested in your current horse that lead you to buying them in the first place?

I've mentioned in several comments and on Facebook (Orange is the New Black: Celebrating Chestnut Sporthorses) that Dassah mare is homebred. That's right, confession: I was a backyard breeder. 

No excuses, it was not even remotely a responsible thing to do. It was the opposite of responsible. (You can tell me in the comments how irresponsible this was - I can take it. )

Because of that I take ownership of Dassah very seriously. She's my responsibility - not a mistake to be pawned off on someone else. She's a great horse though and we are learning so much. She's made it pretty easy to be a responsibility. knock on wood. 

So, why did I decide to breed my Appendix mare to an OTTB stud? There must have been a logical reason in my young adult brain. Because young adults are logical and thoughtful and filled with wisdom. Bwahahahahahahaha. 

Let's see if we can go back 11 years and try to dive back into my Y/A brain (which sends shivers down my spine).  I was a coming college junior WHO WAS STILL STUPID (I majored in history, not common sense). 

PQ (Precious Queen) was a 14 year old chestnut with the SWEETEST disposition. She was solid, conformationally correct, game-for-anything, and a general pleasure to be around. The only frustration I had was riding on trails - her previous owners spent their riding time galloping around trails. I did not know eventing existed or we might have channeled that energy into something productive! Also, had I been remotely aware, I would have realized we were dealing with saddle fit issues - we rode bareback quite a bit around our fields. 

We lived remotely and only participated in the 4-H show "circuit" - the end of the year county fair was the highlight of the season. OTTBs were unheard of - horse adoptions were unheard of, and I was concerned I'd never be able to afford my dream horse (like anyone can!). So, when a family in our 4-H group got an OTTB stud (and ignorant me didn't ask them - hey, how'd you get that super-awesome-gorgeous-drool-worthy horse?), I immediately thought, "What's cheaper than a stud fee?" (well, LOTS of things actually). 

Pittsburgh was a gorgeous chestnut TB. He hadn't raced much as he had ran into something and damaged his wind-pipe. Bought by this 4-H family he found a new vocation as a dressage mount. He was stunning. Giant cannon bones, solid hooves, beautiful conformation and movement. His personality was sweet and gentle and easy-going. Honestly, if he hadn't been around, I wouldn't have bred PQ. Every other stud around us was an overstuffed, 4-beat loping QH. No way. I might be naive in some areas but my eye for horseflesh wasn't completely inane. 

We popped PQ in a trailer and brought her home a week later. Ultrasound later confirmed PQ was preggers. (My mom actually brought me a baby-rattle as a big hint when she came to tell me the results). 

I wish I had pictures of PQ and Dassah-baby but those were the days before digital and my mom has them stuffed away in a box somewhere. Dassah came out the cutest filly ever. My sister, about 8 at the time, ran in from morning chores to tell Mom that it was foaling time - Mom didn't believe her so she ran and grabbed a picture book to show her just where PQ was in foaling (sac was just peeking out). 

Dassah was adorable. omg. As is with any foal she was all legs. She performed tempis, canter-pirouettes, airs above ground, and chased the other foal around (Mom bought a Quarter pony in foal to a Dartmoor (apparently that's a Dartmoor Sport Pony) and she foaled a couple weeks after PQ). She was irresistibly cute (and still can be). 

Just before weaning, PQ colicked severely and had to be put to sleep (or PTS as I've learned). I got the call at school. The hope a foal brings helped temper the heartbreak a little. PQ was a wonderful mare- she took to mothering immediately and it suited her - she was so peaceful as a mama. After PQ passed we decided to put Dassah out with the other mare and her colt. The other mare "adopted" Dassah but did not have the disposition of PQ - the other mare was sour and possessive - no amount of coaxing or treats or lovin could sway her to stop giving mare face to everything and everyone. I'm certain Dassah's mare-faces now stem from learning them from that mare. 

I have no pictures of PQ or Pittsburgh so the best I can do for either of them is to link to their allbreedpedigree listings - http://www.pedigreequery.com/pittsburgh2 - and http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/precious+queen. If you look under "reports" you can select the photo option and that's where I can lose so much time. All the photos or paintings available of their ancestors are there and I can just sit and daydream forever. I love delving into ancestry and I'm pretty proud of Dassah's. She's got some great lines in there - my equestrian goal is that she would be admired and make her lineage proud. 

the end.