I haven’t updated you guys on little baby Merlin since the weaning post, but now it’s finally time. This is probably the last you’ll hear of him for a while, since a) he’s gone to a new home, and b) the first few years of a horse’s life are boring.

First important fact, which I’ve mentioned before: he ain’t little anymore. You may remember the picture of him with his 2yo friend that was his buddy for weaning:

He seems a lot like his dam (my mare), Sadie, in many ways. Starting with those big ol’ donkey ears and his amazing ability to wear his food on his face.

It’s been fun to watch him grow in pictures and videos… definitely reminds me a lot of Sadie when she was a baby. He’s bigger though. And fancier.

Merlin was sold well before he was weaned, and last week he left West Texas for his new home near Houston. He found the absolute best people and will someday end up in the jumper ring, so I think we’re all pretty excited for his future. He even got some seriously fancy digs for his first long trailer ride.

 

I know Michelle was a little sad to see her first Willow Tree homebred go, but it also has to feel incredibly rewarding.

 

Especially when his new home is so great. I think Merlin must have been a little bit shell-shocked by all the green grass! West Texas definitely doesn’t look like this.

Sadie wasn’t so happy about the weaning thing, but she got over it and the barn/fences seem to have survived her wrath. Now she’s off at the breeding farm getting ready to be bred to Mighty Magic sometime in the next week or so. I’m trying not to think about it, because when I think about it I get super nervous. I forgot how seriously nerve-wracking it is to breed a mare, successfully get her pregnant, and then try not to die from anxiety during the 11 month gestation. It’s like having a knot in your stomach that takes up permanent residence for a year. Cross all your crossables that we get another one as nice as Merlin (although please not quite so big).

Happy trails, baby Merlin!