It’s been a while since I’ve done an OTTB Spotlight, and I thought it was fitting to showcase Courage from SprinklerBandits since I got to be in her Ammy Hour feature recently 🙂  Plus, Courage is a super cool guy who’s progressing in leaps and bounds.

What is his registered name? The Jockey Club knows him as Absolute Courage, which is pretty much the most kick ass show name since I don’t know, Man O’ War? Since the latter never showed, I think Courage is ahead here. The name is symbolically significant to me, but it also just has a great ring to it.

Lineage? Lord Carson x Lori Gail (Explosive Bid). Did I do that right? I’m terrible with breeding. We’ve got some Mr. Prospector and a horse named Majestic Prince, which seems pretty important. I’ve heard that Lord Carson was one of the classiest studs in California before his untimely passing. Freak breeding accident or insurance money grab, depending on how you look at it. Regardless, they don’t make them like this any more.

Did your OTTB race? Oh hell yes. Courage had 33 starts and his pedigree lists him as a winner. You just have to ask him to know that though. He’s neither humble nor shy. He won about 40k on the track and my all time favorite stat with him is that in his two year old year he was claimed for 60k and 40k in the same month, meaning he cost over 100k if you squint a little.

What do you do with him now? ALL THE THINGS. Show-wise, I want Courage to be my show jumper doing the 3′ – 3’3″ and maaaaaaaaybe 3’6″ on a brave day. To me, having a horse is about so much more than ribbons though. I like to dress him up and take goofy pictures and trail ride and do dressage and ride bareback and play with his hair and play cow pony. Horses are way too expensive to not be fun, and fun to me isn’t all about the show ring.

If your OTTB was a musician, who would he be? Justin Timberlake. Good looking, fashion forward, well to do, popular, ladies man, finally forced to settle down a little. Likes to pretend to be a badass but sort of a ninny.

Your OTTB is on a desert horsey island. He can bring three items – what are they?  Cookies. Definitely cookies. Can’t live without those. Probably me, because who else would give him neck scratches? Oh, and his sexy Marlboro man cooler in case the evenings were a little too brisk.

Your OTTB is deathly afraid of … Hm. Good question. Mostly he just likes to spook at my BO so she feels bad and feeds him cookies. I wouldn’t call that “deathly afraid” but it’s the only thing that he’s guaranteed to look at.

Your OTTB is really brave about … Trying new things. It’s one of the first things that attracted me to him–he’s always interested, but rarely worried. Sometimes he gets a bee in his bonnet that he shouldn’t HAVE to try a new thing (like jump ditches), but he can always be persuaded. Other things take no convincing at all, like western saddles or trail riding or jumping.

If your OTTB could change one thing about his environment or training, what would it be? He’d eat cookies instead of hay. Screw hay, man.

How would your OTTB introduce himself to a new herd of horses? Hey, you’ve probably heard of me. Yeah. That Courage.

And finally, my OTTB makes me proud everyday because … He’s always up for an adventure. He’s just one of those horses who loves being around people and doing stuff, so whether it’s a fun new jumping exercise or chilling in the arena being my photo tripod, he’s there having a good time.

Want to submit your OTTB to be featured on this blog? e-mail me answers to this set of interview questions and some pictures to be featured, and maybe next time you check She Moved to Texas your horse will be featured as the OTTB Spotlight of the week!

You may also like:

OTTB Spotlight – Cuna OTTB Spotlight – Bobby Magee OTTB Spotlight – Henry OTTB Spotlight – Viper OTTB Spotlight – Rozzy Ridge