Looking at Mikey

I was going to make this post about my lesson this past Wednesday, but I changed my mind. Instead we're going to look at Mikey because I was running early for my lesson and decided to take a picture of him just standing.

He does not have short legs. He's 16.2! Why does he always look like he has short legs in these pictures? He does have a long back and long neck, which I'm sure amplifies it.

He's really not much to look at just standing. He's not downhill built, but he's not uphill built either. His withers are huge and shark fin like. Long in the neck and back. Neck attaches too low to his shoulder. Ewe neck that I'm trying desperately to get rid of (I'm sure a by product of too low neck placement and high withers). We're working hard to redistribute the muscle in his neck even though he's not built to have that nice dressage neck. Hind legs too straight for my (now) dressage taste. He needs to be fitter (in his defense on that one, he hasn't had the most intense riding year).

When we bought him, none of it mattered. He is honest as the day is long and he has an incredibly warm and loving personality. Even Trainer lets him get away with some shenanigans and has been known to give him extra scratches and even a kiss on the nose (she's not the lovey dovey type). He's now the steady eddy in the barn who can help give nervous babies confidence on their first trail rides, first trips down to the outdoor, and first water crossings.

The day I decided I wanted to own him, not just lease him, we were jumping. He had just learned to jump, and he jumped me out of the tack in a classic baby moment. I landed on his neck, completely out of the saddle, and instead of freaking out like a green OTTB, he stopped quietly about 20ft after the jump and just stayed still until I got myself back in the saddle. My parents fell in love with his personality, and it was all over (they had been saying for almost ten years, no buying a horse). He was a high school graduation present.

I love this horse. He's not built for dressage, but he makes up for it in heart and try. A reason I love OTTBs, 99% of the time, they always try and give their best. Even if they can be a bit misguided in their efforts sometimes. He's been my partner for the last 11 years.

Here's to you, Mikey.