JJ: Other Nags I

Since Cutter had such obvious defects, when Bec went back to "Bahston" to visit her mother Susan and I went shopping for a replacement/supplement. This resulted in a beautiful dapple gray Arab mix named Misty being added to the farm menagerie. Misty was waiting in the corral for Bec when she got home, bedecked with ribbons and a new saddle personalized with an engraved nameplate on the cantle. The saddle outlasted the horse. Misty was, um, spirited, much like Cutter, and needed a pretty firm hand. She had a cute little habit of turning a lope into a series of crowhops when you weren't expecting it. Susan coped with her with skill, I coped with her with a combination of what Uncle Paul always referred to as "main strength and awkwardness." In other words, I'd hang on for dear life with one hand and use the other to smack the crap out of her with the lead rope. Whipping the the buckle of the lead rope against her neck and shoulder seemed to get her attention and settle her back down into an easy lope quite nicely. "Her" meaning Misty, of course. I didn't dare try that with Susan. Anyway, Misty proved to be too much horse for Bec and ended up being sold to Alex Vezane to use in the wilderness. Misty and Alex turned out to be a good match. I suspect that if Bec hadn't just gone through an emotional grinder visiting her mother things would have worked out better with Misty. She came home with a fresh set of scars and an attitude that was hard to deal with. Anyway, Cutter stayed and Misty left. (Me)