The new mare, Pistoya, is home. She’s a little bigger than Firefly, the mini-horse. Two opposite ends of the horse-type spectrum: he’s little, quick, and electric; she’s powerful, long-strided, and calm. She can jump a big fence, and she has a great mind—and those expressive, kind eyes. In the barn, she’s affectionate and patient. In the arena, she concentrates and tries to do whatever you ask.
We bought her in France when we were there for the World Equestrian Games. Her excellent Selle Francais bloodlines have us dreaming of foals. Her sire, Dollar Du Murier, is by the great Jalisco, whose offspring include Quidam De Revel, legendary sire of show jumpers. Her dam is by Cor De La Bryere and out of a Galoubet mare—two more world-renowned bloodlines. (I bred my mare Labelle to another of Jalisco’s sons, Epsom Gesmeray, who cruised around the Athens Olympics for his Korean rider in classic style, then trotted out on a loose rein, ears forward, as if on a leisurely sunny-day trail ride. Our resulting filly, Eloise, is three years old.)
After flying to the States, Pistoya stayed at Kit Miller’s vet clinic, ten minutes from our farm, for her required three-week quarantine. (All horses are quarantined on arrival—geldings only a couple of days, mares and stallions longer.) We’d been riding her there, but we were eager to bring her home.
Yesterday was her first ride at our farm. We worked the two horses in the arena, then took them for a stroll through the back fields—a pleasure all around.
