Shirleys McCoy

Shirleys McCoy (Little Prince x Streamline)

Grey, 3/4 arab mare, born 2-6-1979

I bought Coy in the spring of 1982, when she was just 3 years old. She was a very pretty, already almost white filly who hadn't been started under saddle. I had seen an ad for her at the local tack shop & since she was stabled just a couple miles away, I went to see her. I wasn't really looking for a new project, but she was just too nice not to buy.

Coy was one of the easiest horses I've ever started. She fit the category of "born broke" because the first day I put the saddle on her was also the first day I rode her. She was such a nice filly, wanting to please. It wasn't long before we were wandering the trails of San Juan Capistrano. Nothing upset or spooked her. Well, maybe one thing did. A group of us were hanging out on our horses one day when Coy reached down & grabbed a mouthful of wild squash. As she raised her head the horse-eating squash came with her. Boy could that little mare spin. I don't know how many times that vine chased her in 360s, but I do know it was long enough that I could feel my old torn knee starting to give. Lucky for me Coy managed to step on the vine, pulling it from her mouth. She stopped spinning just before my knee gave so I didn't hit the ground that day. Every now & then I think of Coy when my right knee acts up.

Coy was one of those wonderful horses that anyone could ride. She was always solid & honest. By the time she was a 4 year old I was using her to give lessons. She was a favorite of the young girls at the stable. There were many shows where multiple girls rode her in various classes, always placing. One day one of my students asked if she could take Coy in the Follow The Leader jumping class because her horse was lame. Coy had never jumped but I told my student she could try. This class was set up so that each person jumped one jump at a given height & anyone knocking it down or refusing was eliminated. The jump was raised after each round. It was unbelievable to watch Coy continue to go over that jump. It started as a pole on the ground & had gone to 3'6" before she knocked it down. She finished third, not bad for a horse who had never jumped before.

Coy was a true all around horse. I played broomstick polo on her, team penned cattle, rode english & western, & took her to parades. She even did a couple of 25 mile rides (now called Limited Distance rides) competitively. If anyone was needing a spare horse for any type of event, Coy was often called upon to fill it. It didn't matter what it was, she was willing.

I had one adult student named Carol who was actually afraid of horses. She had always loved them from afar, but had never been brave enough to get close. She decided one day that she needed to face her fear of horses by learning to ride. Coy was always extremely patient & quiet with Carol. There were a lot of lessons just brushing & leading before Carol was ready to ride. Once she learned to ride she knew she loved horses & decided she wanted one of her own. In the meantime I agreed to 1/2 least Coy to her so that she'd get the experience of ownership. I eventually had someone I knew put up a really safe mare for sale so Carol bought ChooChoo, a grade QH type mare.

ChooChoo was really the perfect horse for Carol because she was as docile & calm as a horse could be. She was very well trained but content to just plod along at the rider's level. Carol continued to take lessons on her new horse. Even though ChooChoo was perfect in doing everything asked of her, I could tell that Carol was never comfortable around her. I couldn't see that there was a problem but knew that something wasn't right. If Carol wasn't taking a lesson, she didn't ride. I eventually asked her if ChooChoo was giving her problems but she said that wasn't the reason she didn't ride. She said she only felt safe with Coy. She told me that Coy was the only horse she really wanted. She said she trusted & loved Coy & just didn't feel the same way about ChooChoo. She asked if she could go back to 1/2 leasing Coy.

For the next couple of days I did a lot of thinking about Carol & Coy. While I really liked Coy, Carol loved her. With me Coy was an extra horse &, while never lacking for anything, I knew she'd thrive as someone's only horse. I didn't want to sell her because she was such a great all around horse. But I also felt I owed it to her to let her go to someone who would cherish her. So when Carol's next lesson came, I told her I would do better than 1/2 lease Coy to her. I told her I would sell Coy to her. Not many people get the chance to see someone's face light up like Carol's that day. While I missed Coy when Carol eventually moved from the area, I knew in my heart that I had done the right thing for both of them.