Seeking Information About Patrick, Our 5-Gaited Saddlebred
Posted: Thursday, July 14, 2011
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
We call him Patrick. He’s a horse who’s been living with us for about six years, loving his days if leisure.
When Patrick came to live with us, he was stabled for a short time in Stonington, Connecticut. I bought him as a family Christmas surprise. Mostly, he’s been lounging around, living the good life and relearning many horse behaviors.
We know he can slow gait and rack like a well-trained gaited horse. It took Dave Arnold of New Venture Stables to get him perking again and flip the switch that makes this Saddlebred tick. He’s got flair, flash and speed even without a show foot or help from special shoes. We figure that in his younger days, Patrick was quite a mover. Put that bridle on him and ask for head set, brilliance and motion, and this old boy becomes a showman.
These days, we figure Patrick is about 18 give or take a couple of years either way. Hard to tell at this point since he definitely does not act like an old fellow. He has learned to mind his manners, tolerate and even like men, look forward to thorough grooming sessions, stand still on concrete for baths, shoeing and tackup.
Patrick will probably never abide a pair of clippers, especially around the ears. Well, I’ll give him that – he gets his whiskers shaved with a special horse blade that does the job. He allows us to get him looking presentable; all he asks is that we take it slow and gentle.
This horse has shown us a delightful disposition, and is trustworthy and exceptionally careful around my granddaughter and me. In fact, Patrick simply adores her. He leads like an old trusty plug when she has the leadrope, plays with her in his paddock like a colt, runs to her when it’s time to come in, puts his head down obligingly for bitting, bridling, haltering and ear fondling – Patrick is good to me too but it’s not the same - he is crazy about her.
Patrick has made a good home for himself with us. We often wonder about his background – did he get to shows with all that talent? Who were his dam and sire? Are there any pictures of him? Who trained him to perform those marvelous gaits? What might have caused Patrick to go through a horse auction, or did he? We do know that he was in a riding stable in Rhode Island for a time, was purchased by a Percheron owner, and found himself in a private stable when I bought him.
Here are his vitals: He is a 15.2 hand red chestnut gelding sporting three lovely white stockings; he has an even blaze that starts upwards of his eyes and extends down across the center of his nose, between the nostrils. Patrick has three white hooves and one dark one. He carries exceptionally strong hooves, barefoot or shod. There is what appears to be an old injury or depression on his left side, mid-belly, that has no scar tissue or white hairs; it is noticeable as a slight dip like a sideward seven. His mane and tail colors are a collection of chestnut, gray, silver and flaxen hairs. Patrick carries a proud tail, and it was set.
His trotting and racking gears are powerful with naturally gifted motion, and he moves squarely off both ends. His mouth remains soft, his attitude is pleasant without unnecessary spooking, his ears are attentive and never sour, he aims to satisfy and he’ll turn himself inside out to please my granddaughter. He travels soundly but he has a slight bone enlargement about 2 inches below his right hock.We are hoping that you can have a close look at this fellow. The pictures are backyard snaps showing him totally relaxed, looking not at all Saddlebred without a care in the world - our gift to this remarkable horse. He’s fat and sassy and loves every moment of his life, we’re sure.
We’re so enthralled with Patrick’s personality, his kind nature and his sweet ways. It would be wonderful to connect with Patrick’s breeder to say thanks. We love this horse.
Probably not the best shots of Patrick, since he looks less Saddlebred and more like a roly-poly. But the pix show his color, stockings and even his old belly depression. Do you recognize this red horse?
This Article has been viewed 670 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.