FIVE HUNDRED

"All the gold in California is in the bank in the middle of Beverly Hills in somebody else's name. So if you're dreamin' about California, it don't matter at all where you've played before, California's a brand-new game." - Larry Gatlin 

I'm not really sure when and how I developed a "thing" for Palomino colored horses. I mean, I don't come from horse people, so being that specific, as a young child, is not so common. Maybe the televised Rose Parade from Pasadena each year? Although I learned to love the famous cowboy, Roy Rogers, his media popularity was a bit before my time, so it wasn't Trigger or even, Mr. Ed, who inspired me to dream in gold. The radio and TV personality, Arthur Godfrey and his palomino, Goldie, enchanted crowds all over the United States by performing tricks, as well as executing a dressage performance. When people think of 1492 and how Columbus sailed the ocean blue, my mind focuses on the impact that Queen Isabella de Bourbon of Spain had on the voyage. She was fascinated by the Palomino color too, to such a degree that the horses were forever recognized as "Ysabellas" in Spain.

One of my favorite books when I was a child was My Friend Flicka, written by Mary O' Hara. I still own a copy. The story centers on a boy, Ken, who yearns for a colt of his very own, just as I did. When he is given the opportunity to choose his colt, he chooses Flicka, a Palomino filly. 

Ken: I want a colt to be friends with me. I want a colt of my own, all my own.- My Friend Flicka, Mary O'Hara

So, maybe it was a little bit of this and that, a hodge-podge of horses, history and western imagery, which fascinated a chubby Cuban kid, crazy in love with horses, especially the golden ones. While some people may think "Hollywood" and "movie stars" when they hear "California", I only saw Palomino horses in my mind, as I considered the state to be the exclusive home of Palomino horses. Somewhere in the summer, between elementary school and middle school, I discovered the power of a postage stamp and sent mine traveling hundreds of miles to IAHA (International Arabian Horse Association), then in Burbank, California. When the heavy manila envelope arrived, I nervously tore the envelope open to find a variety of booklets, brochures and complimentary copies of the magazine, Arabian Horse News, an assorted treasure trove of material about the Arabian horse. I'm still grateful to IAHA for what was a great gift then, as it made possible an even greater gift - the Arabian horse, over the course of my life. Inside one of the IAHA booklets was the Johnny Johnston photo of My Mystic Mirage+ (The Boss x Halo). A 3/4 Arabian, standing 16 hands, he was not only a national champion halter gelding, he was also a national champion English pleasure horse, as well as a champion hunter, jumper, western pleasure and stock seat equitation horse too! Not sure why this one particular photo stood out, amongst all the other photos sent in the IAHA package. I spent hours, over those years, staring at the photo, each dapple deeply embedded in my memory. When Julie Koch posted the photo within her Reliving Arabian History Facebook page, not only did I recognize the horse but instantly, the photo brought me back to those long ago days, dreaming of owning my own Palomino Arabian horse and wishing he would look exactly like My Mystic Mirage+. 

His sire, The Boss, was by Pomona Ahmen, a *Raseyn son out of Nakkla, a Spanish-bred mare, imported by James & Edna Draper. The Boss' dam, Silver Shadow, was a *Raffles grandaughter out of a *Sulejman daughter, with a matriline that traced back to Bint Helwa, the famous broken-legged mare of Crabbet Park Stud. For the most part, My Mystic Mirage's pedigree reflected the melting pot of bloodlines which were popular in America in the sixties, before the imports from Egypt and Poland changed our breeding community forever.

His dam, Halo, was also Palomino-colored, as was his maternal granddam, Marigold. Her sire was a chestnut purebred stallion named Ace, an Abu Farwa grandson, out of an Alla Amarward grandaughter, a horse recognized by Palomino breeders for siring the Palomino color. It's interesting that his full sister, Meri Cleo, was not Palomino in color but grey! 

It would take a while for me to fully understand that the true Palomino color would not be found amongst purebred Arabian horses. Rather, the breed is recognized for varying shades of chestnut, including horses with flaxen mane and tails, very close to Palomino color. I'm thinking of horses like the late Gari Dill-Marlow's Antham, a *Rushan son out of WN Sharazada and Fire N Ice, a Gold N Ali son out of Tu-Flame. 

Foaled in May of 1966, My Mystic Mirage+ died in November of 1979. He was last owned by Apple Hill Arabians, Lincoln, Nebraska. May he continue to live forever within the memories he inspired in my heart.

***For a long while, reaching 500 blog posts has been an important milestone for me. I am embarrassed that it took me 17 years to write this many blog posts. I wanted #500 to be special and Julie Koch helped me indirectly, by posting the photo of My Mystic Mirage+. Little did she realize (or even know) the memories that one little photo held for so many years, for another person. THANKS JULIE***