"Can we keep him?"

If you have kids, you know how it goes. "Why can't we keep him? He's so cute! I promise I'll walk him and feed him and pick up his poop. I promise!!!!!!

No, not a puppy, or a kitten. It's a Choctaw Indian pony. Yes, he's cute. All 650 lbs of him. Tomorrow I'll be driving to the Woodstock, Vermont area to pick up a gelding from Hamilton Rare Breeds Farm. This 4 year old tri-colored tobiano gelding is a half brother to Little Creek. Iktinike is the sire. HRBF is giving him to me in trade for a breeding to Little Creek next year. They purchased two Choctaw youngsters when John Fusco and I were doing the Choctaw preservation program, and they have two other mares that they've been breeding for a while. So I know where the horse has come from and he's a beauty. I'll have to post pics on Facebook. I can't post here since I'm on dial up.

He'll be an immediate sales project. He's had handling since birth, well taken care of (overfed by the looks of him) and was saddled I think last year, but I'll start from scratch with him. I've learned never to make assumptions about a horses training. He doesn't have a name that I want to use so we'll be renaming him as soon as we get to know him.

"So CAN we keep him?"

"Well, we'll see. For a little while at least!"