In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we thought we’d introduce you to our four Irish-named foals.
Like all our horses, they’re beautiful spotted Appaloosas. We love our Appaloosas because they’re just awesome horses — they were originally bred in this very area by the Nez Perce Native American tribe and are known for being naturally suited to rocky mountain terrain.
These lucky little foals were born last spring, and we started working with them when they were only one month old. At first, we just walked them around the pasture, getting them used to being around people. But as they near their first birthday, we’ve been training them more intensely, weaning from their mothers and even trying them out wearing some saddles. The older these guys get, the clearer their personalities become!
Time to Meet Our Irish Dream Team.
Galway Girl
Dam: Shooting Star
Named after a hit tune from Ireland by Steve Earl and Sharon Shannon, Galway Girl is definitely one determined little lady. She’s very focused during her training sessions, always looking toward the end goal, and we guess you could even say “business-minded.” She’s a tough one, and she’ll make a great pack horse.
Blarney
Dam: Apache Lady
Unlike the strong-minded Galway Girl, Blarney’s a little more of a follower. If she could talk, her motto would probably be “slow and steady wins the race.” She’s dependable, always a good listener, and great with large groups of horses and people — definitely a solid addition to the team.
Dublin
Dam: Boline
There’s always one weirdo, right? Guess that keeps it interesting. In this bunch, it’s Dublin. We can’t quite figure Dublin out. One minute, he’s excited to see us and trots right up to say “hi.” The next, he’s so shy he will hardly come up to you. He’s your typical class clown who goes from picking on his cohorts to playing the loner to championing the training arena.
Shamrock
Dam: Brooke
As luck would have it, we’ve got a really friendly guy in this bunch. Shamrock is a stud who’s pretty much everyone’s buddy. He loves people, horses, dogs, bunnies…you name it! He’d follow you around all day if you’d let him, and while it could be the tasty treats we’ve got him hooked on, we like to think he’s just happy to be a part of the Nine Quarter Circle ranch family.
*Note: a “dam” in equestrian lingo is a foal’s mother.
