DappleGray's Horse Photos

In the words of DappleGray's friend, WhiteMane&Tail:

Sunday April 14th. A day at Heritage Auction...

We started watching Dennis ride some horses (boy can that guy RIDE) and there were two that really caught DappleGray's eye. One was a 15 year old 15.2 hand black registered QH that was really nice looking but had a little too much motor for DappleGray and her niece, but we kept that one in mind.

The next one he was riding was a 15.3 hand, big boned, big bodied chestnut QH-looking gelding (not registered) but only around 7 or so. This one was perfectly suited for DappleGray and her niece. There were three other interested people that were all asking Dennis questions about him. Dennis took him out but didn't know if he was going to put him through the sale because he had a little swelling (not hot) in one of his back ankle/pasterns. He did keep saying that he knew he was going to go sound, that he had just been shipped up from Texas in a 32 horse trailer that only had 30 horses in it and had gotten kicked or stepped on. He told everyone there that was interested that he would take him back if he didn't go sound.

So anyway the horses started about 4:00, (tack was due to end at 2:00, but you know how that goes) and they went fast and very, VERY cheap! There were a lot of English horses and ponies there. Highest bidder was $2500 today.  The black horse that we had seen went only to $1850 and Dennis did a no sale.

The chestnut that we were interested in was one of the last to go and DappleGray was bidding against a few other people and then one other guy. Then Dennis took off the bridle on this horse and neck reined him with the reins. That got the bids up higher and DappleGray said under her breath "Oh No!" we figured that would push the bid up out of her reach. By this time, she was so scared just to be bidding that she just kept nodding her head every time they looked at her. The look on her face was priceless, you could just see the terror there... bidding on such a big purchase.

Then he took bridle and put it on the saddle horn and rode him with nothing on his head at all!!!!  Well by then DappleGray was GROANING..."OH god I'll never get that horse!" She said she was going to stop at 2000 but I kept nudging her leg with my fist to go a little higher!!! When it got to that point the other guy quit so DappleGray had high bid for that horse. It was up to Dennis and he was going to do a no sale on him. So again I piped up looked him right in the eye and said "come on" in a pleading tone, real loud. Between DappleGray giving him a sad face and me yelling out he gave in, all very dramatic I have to tell you!! LOL!  YAY!!!!

People that were left in the crowd were turning and telling us what a nice horse he was. Dennis was not too happy (still nice to us though) when we saw him after, that he had let him go so cheap. He asked if we wanted to give him back, I'm pretty sure he was serious. We said "No Way!"

Doug passed us in the barn and said we got the best deal in today's auction and even Mrs. Raucher stopped me out side the office (when DappleGray was in paying) and said what a nice horse and that he reminded her of one that she had a long time ago.

OMG, what a day!  She was so happy on the way home that she just kept saying "I can't believe it", "I can't believe it". She didn't have a whole lot of money to spend due to the vet bills on Dakota.

She doesn't have a name for him yet, he came with the name Paco but that sounds a little too much like it belongs to the taco bell dog :) Any suggestions?

The night Paco was purchased, DappleGray was unable to bring him home, (we had no trailer with us - we actually didn't go to buy a horse) so we took a few pictures. When the developing was done we noticed that there was very odd cloud formation just above his head.  DappleGray thought it looked like an angel with Dakota's coloring, a sign that everything was going to be ok.  I thought it looked like a eagle, the kind that is on an Indian totem pole.

DappleGray has been searching for a new name high and low that fitted him from his Texas home.  Something with a western/Indian flavor.  She was having no luck until...

Hardyhorse posted this: "Paco" is a American Indian name meaning "Gold Eagle" which from ancient times is a symbol of courage and power...

I have to tell you I was floored to find this out and couldn't wait to tell her!  I wanted her to hurry up and read the BB, even if that meant calling her and reading it to her.

I was considering calling DappleGray at work when the phone rang and it was her calling me.  She had just gotten off the phone, (very excited I might add) with his prior owner from Texas.  Come to find out he had owned him his whole life and he given him that name (Paco has “Skipper W” and “Boston Mac” bloodlines, and will turn 7 at the end of the month [May, 2002]). The owner was so happy to learn of the fate of his horse and that he had gotten such a good home. He couldn't wait to tell his wife about it.

Through out all of the phone conversation, I was waiting to spring Hardyhorse's post on her.  When I did, we both said "OMG the photo!!!"

Needless to say, the horse who was Paco, will stay Paco because we think the picture says it all...

{A couple of notes from BensBud:  (1) For those who look closely, you'll see the image has been retouched on the right.  WhiteMane&Tail has been painted out - that's the only change to the original image.  (2) It was suggested I might tweak the color or brightness a little to make the shape of the clouds stand out better.  I didn't want to mess with the photo.  I thought a better way to do it, might be to put in a second copy of the photo with the cloud formation outlined - that's what's on the right below.  You can click on the left-hand photo below to see the large version.}