Baby (Rum Runner)

Baby is an Andalusian-Quarter Horse cross.  We used to call him a teenage, punk Andalusian, but now that he's over 20, we just call him a punk because of his uncouth tendencies..  I would not be surprised to come out some morning and find that he had dyed his mane magenta.  In the Parelli horsenality terminology, Baby is a Left Brain Extrovert - confident and with a high play drive.  He thinks maybe it would be a lot of fun to irritate and annoy, yet if you get angrry with him, his feelings can be hurt.

I have had to take back all the disparaging things I have said about Baby's behavior.  He really can be awfully sweet.  On one occasion,  some friends came out to ride.  Julia was in the process of climbing on Baby when he accidentally stepped with his front foot, on the leg  of Minnie, our miniature pinscher (who is now in dog heaven).  Minnie started screaming and twisting around and Baby instantly shifted his weight to the other front foot.  Unfortunately, Minnie spun around such that he stepped on her hind leg.  Minnie continued to scream.  Baby was horrified and reared up to take both front feet off the ground and in an effort to avoid Minnie, went down to his knees in the front.  This was all pretty interesting to Julia, who won our approval for staying firmly seated in the saddle.  Minnie had a sore hind foot but it was not broken, a tribute to the sturdiness of her tiny bones because Baby is at least 1200 lbs. 

Baby loves Dolcezza, our small Arabian mare.  They are so devoted to each other that I alway take them out together.  I ride Baby and pony Dolcezza along, or  unclip her and let her run along with us.  Other times, I train Dolcezza in hand and Baby follows along.   If we meet someone on the trail, I clip  the lead rope on the loose horse.  They enjoy browsing on the grasses, various trees, guavas, passion fruits and java plums as we go.   They even have favorite places where they love to eat the red clay.  There must be something irresistible about it because Sygnet eats the same red clay, even though she has never been out on the trails with the other two horses.

Baby and  Dolcezza walk ahead of me on a narrow forest trail.

Baby and

Baby comes back to us after a short  detour on the trail

Liz on Baby a  few years ago.

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