Happy Birthday Scotland Yard!

Here is an old photo of Scotty as a raw unstarted two year old

It is hard to believe it has been years ago when I first went to look at him out east on a potatoe farm on Long Island, where we used to live.

I had been told about him by a friend . Half Clydesdale and half Thoroughbred.

His sire Sea Fire was a son of Nashua. His mother was an import from Scotland.. There he was out in a large pasture , surrounded by Clydesdales, Thoroughbreds and crosses like him. He was a rough diamond. Mane and tail tangled in dred locks a Rastafarian would have been envious of . No handling to speak of . I was in love the moment my eyes met his. His best field buddy was a HUGE 17. something hands Clydesdale named Barney. Scotty would lay his head over his back and Barney would just let out a deep sigh. His nostrils fluttering contentment on exhale.

 I have an old picture someplace of Scotty that day I went to look at him. He looked like an old plow horse, not a young and growing two year old.

After we got him home I cleaned him up and trimmed some blubber off him is the picture you see above of  him now looking like he was owned and loved by someone. That would be me of course!

Scotty was a great guy to start and train. He was really coming along and he would have made one heck of an Eventer or Dressage horse...His older full sister was showing in A rated Grand Prix jumpers at five years old. The talent was there. But at the time he was getting good I was getting much more interested in working and training border collies to be sheepdogs.

Scotty sort of got put up on the shelf. He could care less and he has led the life of Reilly. I am hoping riding and working with Diamond will jump start me with the help of Nola and Rachel (hopefully) to get him back into light work. He really is a kind and gentle horse. A team player and I think he would enjoy a nice hack now and again.He always enjoyed being ridden, though at times he was lasy. He never gave me a hard time, ever. I just lost interest, somehow.

He loves it up here and I feel I owe it to him to get up on him again.

Here are a few photo's of him as a matured horse.

Happy Birthday big boy.