This colt is a full sibling to
Gambler's
Bourbon Cream (aka "G3") - our future stallion.
He is everything we had hoped for: high-headed with commanding presence,
a bright mind and calm
disposition, a snappy front end witj a
head nodding gait as consistent as a locomotive. He'd be a
tremendous stallion prospect, flashy field trial mount or an
all around horse like his sire: rail to trail. He could be
homozygous for black and the agouti. We may adjust his price
once we test him to confirm.
His dam,
Shake 'Em Up, Sophie
comes from our good friend, Gwen Moberly, of Flying Horse
Ranch in Kentucky. Gwen knew we were looking for large, big
boned, natural gaited mares with older bloodlines, so she
reached out to us about Sophie. Sophie was exactly what we
were looking for. Her bone substance is superb. She's built
like the old-style walking horse. She has a big, well sloped
shoulder with great withers (actually, it reminded me of
Gambler's dam,
Image.)
Her back is of moderate length. The slope of her hip and
depth of her loin are what we love to see.
Sophie gets her tremendous size, bone and
stoic disposition honest. She carries the blood ofMidnight Sun,
Shaker's
Shocker,
Mack K's
Handshaker,
Midnight
Mack K
and Ebony
Masterpiece
as well as the lesser known but equally great Black Dust MR,
and
Eb's Frankley Mr Shankley.
She is certified with the
International Heritage Horse
Association as 100% Heritage.
Sophie had never been broke to
ride, but she has such a sweet, accepting disposition that at 19
years of age, Jarred decided to see how she would react to the
possibility of carrying a rider. We tacked her up and she stood
quietly, watching us with soft eyes. Jarred led her around with the
saddle and she couldn't have cared less. So I held her while Jarred
climbed aboard. Sophie didn't move. She turned her nose towards his
foot as if to say "what are you doing up there?" Jarred urged her
forward, but she didn't know quiet what to expect. I took the lead
rope and walked her around the ring less than a full lap when Jarred
said "let her go." I did. And she walked. I stood in the middle of
the ring and kissed to her to ask her to go. Jarred improvised and
made some funny noises to encourage her on from time to time and
bless her sweet, patient heart, she gamely tried everything that we
asked of her. She did not take a step out of line. This is EXACTLY
the kind of naturally willing, good minded disposition that we try
so hard to breed for. We are so thrilled with Sophie. What you see
here is no training, no muscle development, no experience
whatsoever...just Sophie.
On the top side of his pedigree,
Bourbon is the product of three of
our most beloved horses (Golden
Gambler,
Pippi White Stockings, and
The Tennessee Stud WF
) Her sire, The Tennessee Stud WF (G2), was carefully bred
and raised here at Westwood Farms. "G2"
is exactly what we've been breeding for. He has a wonderful
disposition: kind, friendly and respectful. From birth, he demonstrated
a keen intelligence and strong desire to please that I love
so much about his sire. He also has
the larger bone structure that I love about his dam.
Little Gambler has a true running walk with a great backend.
He will walk and shake at both the flatwalk and running walk
or you can tighten him up and do a smooth, sailing saddle gait
with considerable speed. He does these gaits naturally and has
never even worn a shoe at this point. He also has a beautiful
canter. He truly represents the versatility that the original
walking horse was bred for. He would be competitive in shows
and still be a comfortable, smooth and sane mount for trails
or field trials.
G2's sire is
Golden Gambler, one of the best horses
I've ever had the pleasure to ride. Gambler's bloodlines are
a unique blend of the western working bloodlines through his
sire,
Blue Gold (who goes back to Roy Roger's
own "Trigger Jr." aka
Allen's Gold Zephyr), and the old eastern
show lines through his dam,
Cindy's Image-GH. Image was known for her
true walking horse gaits and lovely disposition. Her sire was
by
Ebony Masterpiece and dam by
Triple Threat.
G2's dam,
Pippi White Stockings is one of the best
palomino mares I've ever found. I searched the whole country
hoping to find the perfect mare to breed to Gambler and try
for a colt to eventually replace him. Golden Gambler was getting
older (and while I sincerely hope to have many more years of
riding and memories) and the thought of not having a replacement
was really starting to concern me. I put out feelers and scoured
the web looking for a mare. Not just any mare, mind you...I
wanted a dark palomino or buckskin; at least one agouti; 100%
smooth, natural gaits; 16+h; STELLAR disposition; intelligent;
willing; good bone and muscle...no short order, but that was
what I needed. I scoured the country for five years before Lacey
Musselman called to let me know that her friends, Rick &
Lindsey Payette, were getting ready to move to South America
and wouldn't be able to take along their amazing mare,
Pippi White Stockings aka "Kate."
I immediately called and set up an appointment to go see her.
It was love at first ride and I bought her the same day. It
was absolutely love at first ride. Kate's easy, effortless running
walk was just perfect. She strolls like a walking horse should.
No shoes...no rider effort...just natural. She has a to-die-for
true running walk with a headshake that comes from reach, not
gimmicks. She is a lady in the truest sense of the word. She
has polite, genteel manners. She is never pushy or rude. Her
demeanor is just perfection: pleasant, content and calm. She
is a professional when it comes to riding. Even with foals in
tow and chaos around her, she stays focused on her rider. She
is out of a great minded, swingy gaited, enormous palomino son
of
Gen's Armed and Dangerous,
Gen's Armed & Golden TF, whose color
lines comes from the rare but excellent quality Wilson Strollin
Gold. Kate's dam,
Porcelain Rose was a square gaited cremello
mare from the lines of
Chance's Goldust H and the great
John A's Chance.