Wednesday, September 4, 2013

An Old Friend

I got some photos of my old mare Suki a few days ago.  She lives up in the Adirondacks now with a friend of mine (Forest Guy), having a very cushy retirement.  She is 24 or 26 now (I can never remember if she was born in '87 or '89).  I retired her a few years ago when her knees started getting bad and her back started to sway.  She would still be up for some easy riding, but the rough terrain and steep hills I ride on got to be to much for her.

Not that she would ever admit that.

Suki is true Alpha mare, a genuine leader and super competitive.  I knew she would never stop on her own so I had to do it for her, which was hard for both of us.  Suki was a great horse to have around and I still miss her and miss riding her.  She was such fun, always eager to go and very forward, but never spooky and with the lightest neck rein and the smoothest gaits you can imagine.  She was not always an easy horse to ride as she never failed to have her own opinion, but always fun.  Riding her was a constant conversation between us and that was one of my favorite things about her.

She goes on trail rides now the way Emma did, running loose behind/around/in front of her buddy and has great fun doing it.  Going out, carrying nothing but lunch, on the sandy trails and easier hills of the southern Adirondacks.  Retirement is not so bad.

Such a pretty color too, one of my favorites.  Look'n good Suki-Loo!

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12 comments:

  1. TexWisGirlSeptember 4, 2013 at 9:12 AM

    glad she has a great life.

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  2. Cathy RSeptember 4, 2013 at 9:41 AM

    She really is beautiful!

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  3. Mary AnnSeptember 4, 2013 at 10:14 AM

    You can see the sway in the second picture, but she is a pretty mare, all the same. So nice of her owner to send you pictures!

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  4. UnknownSeptember 4, 2013 at 12:03 PM

    She is a little swaybacked, but then aren't we all as we get older? But gosh other than that, she looks fabulous for her age! What a sweet girl.

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  5. TerriSeptember 4, 2013 at 12:23 PM

    She obviously has a great home and looks great. She's at the age when she should be just a big spoiled pet ;)

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    1. The Dancing DonkeySeptember 4, 2013 at 2:36 PM

      That's exactly what she is doing. She wasn't thrilled with the whole retirement idea at first, but she's quite enjoying herself now. I wish I could do the same:)

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  6. AnonymousSeptember 4, 2013 at 1:46 PM

    What do they call that color? She looks like she's made of fine mahogany !

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    1. The Dancing DonkeySeptember 4, 2013 at 2:30 PM

      I've always called her a seal bay. She changes color quite a lot with her winter/summer coat. She is growing in her winter hair, which is very dark, almost black. In the summer she sheds out much lighter. I posted a picture of her from a few years ago here (it's the second photo down, the first photo is the horse in the motorcycle picture, Sprinkle):

      http://thedancingdonkey.blogspot.com/2012/10/some-history.html

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  7. The Three MuleteersSeptember 4, 2013 at 3:01 PM

    Beautiful old lady who still very much has spirit in her eyes, sounds like a lovely retirement!

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  8. ChristineSeptember 4, 2013 at 10:37 PM

    She is a lovely colour and looking well!

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  9. Val EwingMarch 4, 2014 at 12:01 PM

    Her coat reminds me of both Badger and Siera! Bays are such beauties, although any color looks well on a good horse.

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  10. Delrene in Carlsbad, CaliforniaMarch 4, 2014 at 7:16 PM

    Look at those gorgeous dapples! She still has lots of oooooomph! in her. Landed in a nice retirement situation.

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