[roguewolf]

Coloured as my favorite (even if he WAS criminally insane) horse Duke... Who has been dead now for almost 4 years

Some things about him though.
-I don't think I ever caught him in a mood as cheery as this pic depects except when at a show. He was a total monster any other time. To the point that nobody else in the stable would come near him...except me...because I'm insane...
-Duke hated trot/canter poles...especially in front of jumps...He apparently would much rather go over the 3 foot double oxer then go over the nice easy trot poles to the nice easy warm-up X. Did I mention he decided to do this 2 strides away from said oxer...and he overjumped...then took off...
-Duke was a runaway. He knew what Go meant but had no concept of what brakes were for....First horse I galloped on....acidently....
-He thought humans were fun to squish. I can't count the number of times he deliberately slammed his hooves on my toes when tacking up or tried to see if he just pressed hard enough if I could go through the cross-tie walls.

Not that he was bad tempered or anything...there were plently of 'good moments'...

-"You really should listen to your instructer when she says to 'keep your heels down damnit'" Duke says, before waiting til the last second and slamming on the brakes before a jump. "And that is why" He says as he's looking at his rider sprawled on the ground....It didn't take me long to realize that the instructer says something needs to be fixed, I'd better fix it. Duke pointed that why I should often before I figured it out.
- "Don't lean forward on the trot-to-canter transitions or I might decide to pick up the wrong lead and buck you off in frustration...repeatedly" Duke said. It's amazing how often it's possible to fall off in the space of a hour...mind you, riding a TB crossbred with horrible conformation and an attitude bareback probably wasn't one of my better ideas...
-"Shouldn't you be steering me, not putting your hands on my withers just cause I'm going faster then I should be?" Duke says...then decides that since I'm not steering he should...and figures trying to race the horse in the paddock over would be fun...

He was an exellent teacher, he wouldn't let you take anything for granted and made you work hard. This didn't change in the show ring either, he just was a bit less troublesome. If I was not riding every step of the way he'd happily dump me in front of the judges and large masses of people. If I was doing my best he'd work with me though...shows were the only time he ever was on the bit...and that had nothing to do with my riding skill, he went on the bit in a show regardless (Except in Jumper where I swear had he been human he'd have an ear-to-ear grin on his face that could only mean trouble...). Had his neck all arched prettily, ears perked towards anything interesting, tail flagged. He even was able to tell the difference between hunter, jumper, and dressage shows in the way he acted.

A week before he died (old age and bad colic) we were riding in the Halloween Show, it was a big division mostly because the more experienced riders had decided to use it as a warm up because they're a**holes. They had been mocking us because well, at the time I really needed some new riding clothes...and the tack was a bit worn in places...not to mention Duke would never win a beauty contest with his horrible conformation. Not to mention him being a bit excited...but when we showed the judges loved us and we took home all the champion ribbons. I still remember him prancing around like a colt as we exited after getting our ribbons...Also recall literally colappsing after untacking him in the ties...a[erantly he made enough noise to wake the dead when that happened..Haven't been in a show since he died I probably never will show again, it wouldn't be the same as I have always shown on Duke...

I am going on and on so I'm gonna stop now before its to late

[Caysuna]

Certainly sounds like he'd be a troublesome one, but at least you found his good side.
<3 good tribute <3 I feel bad for your loss.

[Evern_]

Wow O.O You have talent!

[c00kieguirl]

now THAT is true friendship riddled in its own little way!