Missy

Medium: Pastel
A portrait of "Missy", a horse I rode in my riding lessons at Haskins Farm. She was a wonderful horse to ride and learn with.

Though when I first saw her, I would have never guessed what was to be in store in the future. I saw her at a horse show at Haskins Farm. I didn't think much except I picked her out as one horse there at that show that appealed to me. Another day I came to the barn for one of my lessons, and one of the girls there was excited. She asked me if I saw the new baby just born a few days ago. I said no and I followed her to the barn. I looked in to see "Missy" with her newborn foal. I remember thinking she was really beautiful, but still thought she's probably just a broodmare at the barn. She was owned by the Co-owner of the barn. A few months later, she started to be used in the school program and was being ridden by students. One day my instructor told me to go and get her as my horse to ride. I still remember the surprise and excitement I felt at the opportunity to ride her. I continued riding her. I rode her in the 1993 Show Season and ended the year as Champions of the Walk-Trot Division.
Later, I saw and got to visit her and her babies that she had in the following years. She let me visit and pet her and her baby. She seemed to trust I wouldn't hurt her or her baby. I got a number of pictures of her with her baby out in the corral. It was wonderful watching them run and play and just relax. I made a portrait of one of her babies and her.
She developed a stifle problem after her last foal. It was slow at healing and would weaken the area permanently, thus they retired her from both the school program and from breeding. It was for her health and quality of life.

I have her portrait on a T-shirt of my own. I have my Petportaits signia on the back.



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