All Thoroughbreds are cool, but it’s pretty much a fact that North Carolina and Texas Thoroughbreds are the coolest!  Okay… I may be a little biast there, but today’s awesome OTTB comes from my former NCSU Equestrian teammate Bette.  Meet her pretty mare, Marley 🙂

What is her registered name? Cool Marlene

Lineage? Finn McCool x Mean Marlene (Citidancer)- She does have some fun names in her pedigree- Secretariat, Native Dancer, Northern Dancer, and Storm Cat- of course these are all on her dad’s side…. see her pedigree

Did your OTTB race? yes- 5 starts- 2nd in her first race and then last or almost last in all the rest. She earned a whopping $1,380 for her racing career-She loves to gallop but I don’t think she enjoyed racing!

What do you do with her now? Eventing

If your OTTB was a musician, who would he be? Adele. Definitely Adele. She’s currently in “hiding” and I expect/hope great things from both of them- when Marley returns to competition and when Adele comes out with her new album!!!! (rumor has it early 2015 for more Adele!) SWOOSH!!!!

Your OTTB is on a desert horsey island. He can bring three items – what are they? Oh definitely a curry comb, her own personal back scratcher, and lots of good food- she is picky about her food- it has to be quality or she won’t eat it but if she likes it she eats and eats and eats!

Your OTTB is deathly afraid of … small spaces with other horses and swinging ropes. She’s low horse on the totem pole and does not like being bullied by the other horses and does not like lead ropes and halters. I think at some point in her life she was hit in the face with a lead rope b/c she is not a fan of them- especially near her face when you’re doing something simple like putting a halter on

Your OTTB is really brave about … everything- a tree fell down while we were riding one day and all the other horses took off galloping around the field and Marley barely lifted her head to look towards the noise. Also almost trotted past an owl on the ground that was eating a snake one morning and when it took off she wasn’t bothered at all! The owl was about 10 feet in front of us and would of spooked any other horse I’ve ridden! Plus she’s pretty good about jumping whatever I point her at

If your OTTB could change one thing about her environment or training, what would it be? She thinks she should be out galloping and jumping all the time- who cares about that dressage stuff? It’s not fast enough!

How would your OTTB introduce herself to a new herd of horses? Quietly- Marley doesn’t want to be the life of the party, she just enjoys eating, sleeping, and being beautiful when she’s out in the pasture- the rouge housing is for crazy boys, she is to busy relaxing

And finally, my OTTB makes me proud everyday because … she is the sweetest horse ever. Seriously-I have never met a horse that is total calmness on the ground. I never worry about leaving her in the cross ties or letting a non-horse experienced person around her. I even let her graze in my front yard by herself (though sometimes she prefers to have a date join her) There is something about Marley that just helps calm me down every time I think of her and am around her. Her gentle mannerisms just bring wonderful happy thoughts to me while I sit at my computer and write this!

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!

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OTTB Spotlight – Viper OTTB Spotlight – Bohemian OTTB Spotlight – Sydney OTTB Spotlight – Rozzy Ridge OTTB Spotlight – Val