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Fumar



Fumar is on his way up to New York.

Fumar 2001 Iberian Warmblood (Andalusian x Welsh Cob), 16 hands. Fumar's father, Goloso XV, is a high-school-trained Andalusian; his Welsh cob mother has endowed him with great bone on top of hooves like black granite. A real charmer with that lovely Roman nose, Fumar is both sensitive and sensible and has a fantastic work ethic. But he is also a character, a jokester who makes us laugh.

Fumar was started classically on the lunge this past fall and hacked out through the winter over varied terrain with a number of creeks and streams. We have continued to ride him out frequently, and he is content to either lead, follow, or go on his own. In the arena, he is continuing his leg-yielding and shoulder-in work and has recently been introduced to trot lengthening and travers at the walk. As his training has progressed, Fumar has begun to show very nice movement (a respected clinician has commented that he moves more like an Andalusian/Hanoverian cross) as well as the steadiness we have come to expect from him.

Because we are amazed at just how steady he is under saddle, we are keeping a list of the incidences where he has shown his presence of mind:
During his first lessons on the lunge he had to deal with high winds, clanking machinery, and horses galloping around in a nearby paddock, none of which so much as caused an ear twitch.
While Miranda was riding a twenty meter circle in our arena, the local hunt of twenty riders and as many hounds trotted past three feet from the arena. Fumar impressed one of the huntsmen so much, the rider couldn't help but say upon passing, "Nice rhythm."
Last winter, Miranda rode him out in the snow on his own as large globs of snow slid off the pine branches and fell around them. Fumar seemed not to notice.
Recently Miranda herself didn't even realize that she and Fumar had just walked over a large orange tarp that was spread out to dry.

The farrier loves hot shoeing him, because of his calmness and solid feet. He trailers easily and, as we fully expected, showed professional cool accompanying another horse to a show earlier this year. His distinctive looks and cool-guy temperament will help him shine in the dressage arena as well as making him a pleasant all-round companion.