Azteca Horse

Name of Breed: Azteca Horse

Height: 14.2 - 15.2 hands

Colors: Any solid colors, American Aztecas can be pinto colors

Physical Characteristics: Pronounced neck, small ears, strong legs, short back, and hardy joints.

Additional Info: Intelligent, confident, and calm. Mobile movements. This is a breed from Mexico.

(*Please note, these are not my pictures)

From "No Pizza Delivery"

Roy snorted as the saddle fell and he shied away from it a few steps. She heard her grandfather laughing from behind her. “I thought that Clydesdales were supposed to be calmer and Quarter Horses more flighty,” Ruth complained.

“Mirage is over 22 years-old and trained to compete. Ol’ Roy just turned 4 this year.”

“Then why do you keep calling him ol’ Roy?”

“Because he will be old, some day, and young Roy sounds derogatory. I wouldn’t be derogatory toward a creature that large but if you want to, you have at it.” Ruth wondered how she’d never before realized her grandfather was a tad loopy.

~Grace Marshall

From my story coming out this June, No Pizza Delivery
Book 1 in my series "Becoming Country"

Orlov Trotter

 Name of Breed: Orlov Trotter

Height: 15.2 - 17 hands

Colors: Gray, Chestnut, Black, and Bay

Physical Characteristics: Big head, muscular body, large eyes, long neck, strong legs, and prominent withers and hindquarters.

Additional Info: Have a high endurance, swift, and fast trot. The Orlov Trotter is a Russian breed. It is commonly used for harness racing.

(*Please note, these are not my pictures)

Open Door

"Heat, anger

Quiet insanity

Harshness, abuse

Cruel mistreatment

Blood, hooves

Flailing arms

Screams, hits

Piercing Teeth"

~Grace Marshall

From my poem, "Open Door"

Marwari Horse

Name of Breed: Marwari Horse

Height: 14.2 - 16 hands

Colors: Brown, Chestnut, Gray, Palomino, Skewbald, piebald, dun, bay, pinto, or roan are most common but can be a wide variety of colors.

Physical Characteristics: Inward curve of ears, especially at the tips, slightly arched neck, strong back, refined head, long legs, and hardy hooves.

Additional Info: Extremely hardy, loyal, and brave.

(*Please note, these are not my pictures)

In The Stars, On The Wind

"Your hooves stamp

Piercing the ground

Your body is damp

From the heat

Your tail flings

Toward your mane

Your neigh sings

To my ears

Dancing in the stars

Prancing on the wind

You wandered so far

And became so close"

~Grace Marshall

From my poem, "In The Stars, On The Wind"

Curly Horse

 Name of Breed: Curly Horse, Curlies, Bashkir Curlies, North American Curly Horse, or American Bashkir Curlies

Height: Any height

Colors: A variety of colors

Physical Characteristics: Strong hooves, average size, wide-set eyes, medium build, and a curly mane.

Additional Info: Curly horses tend to be hypoallergenic!

(*Please note, these are not my pictures)

Mirage

Mirage nuzzled Ruth's hand and she realized she had stopped rubbing the mare's head. She reached up to scratch the lower part of the mare's neck and Mirage stretched her neck out, her bottom lip trembling in appreciation. "Am I crazy to be out here talking to horses who can't say anything back to me? I suppose that's why it's nice. I don't have to be quick on my feet or worry about what I say or how I say it. So I'm free to tell you that Emmett," Ruth leaned closer to the mare as she dropped her voice down to a whisper as if someone might be able to accidentally overhear, "is one nice hunk of meat."

The mare let out a snort of air from her nostrils and shook her head slightly. "Is too!" Ruth said.

~Grace Marshall 

From my book coming out this June, No Pizza Delivery 
 Book 1 in my series "Becoming Country"

Ardennes

Name of Breed: Ardennes or Ardennais 

Height: 15 to 16 hands

Colors: Chestnut, Gray, Bay, Roan, or Palomino.

Physical Characteristics: Small and pointed ears, broad, muscular, and compact body, short legs, and small hooves in comparison to body size. 

Additional Info: Docile temperament, strong, and agile. Favored by Napoleon and Caesar found them to be good Calvary horses. 

(*Please note, these are not my pictures)

The Bear Friend

"I can't make it

Can't make it any farther

If I don't get some help

From this bear

That loves me

And speaks my language"

~Grace Marshall

From my poem, "The Bear Friend"

Foal Facts

Horses are pregnant for 11 months.

Baby horses are called foals. 

Foals can stand up a few minutes to an hour after birth.

Foals can see shortly after being born.

Horses start cutting teeth a week after being born.

Foals take 3 to 4 years to fully grow up.

Foal's legs are 80% or more of the total length they will be when grown.

Foals ween off their mother's milk between 6 months and a year old.

A father horse is a sire.

A mother horse is a dam.

Mares tend to give birth at night and don't like to be watched while giving birth.

They are super adorable!

*Please note these are not my pictures.