As the days get longer and we start looking forward to the upcoming summer events, I thought this would be an opportune time to reflect on our journey so far with TR Prince Nari.
Why we chose TR Prince Nari
I’ve already written about what we were looking for in a herd stallion here. At Wildfire Arabians we’ve built a reputation for being a family – a group of smart, funny, and welcoming riders who know don’t take themselves too seriously, how to have fun, and are always up for a challenge. This requires a certain kind of horse: one with the drive for Endurance, the patience for children, and the silliness to deeply amuse riders and visitors alike (a note of caution: this silliness can also cause frustration and deep humiliation when, after five years on the same trail, a horse decides they’ve never seen a bridge before and takes 20 minutes to set hoof on wood. Be careful what you wish for).
I’ve already written about what we were looking for in a herd stallion here. At Wildfire Arabians we’ve built a reputation for being a family – a group of smart, funny, and welcoming riders who know don’t take themselves too seriously, how to have fun, and are always up for a challenge. This requires a certain kind of horse: one with the drive for Endurance, the patience for children, and the silliness to deeply amuse riders and visitors alike (a note of caution: this silliness can also cause frustration and deep humiliation when, after five years on the same trail, a horse decides they’ve never seen a bridge before and takes 20 minutes to set hoof on wood. Be careful what you wish for).
Every breeder has their own priorities in terms of genotype, phenotype, and personality, and at Wildfire Arabians the most important one is personality. That said, we wanted quality bloodlines, as well as a correct, athletic horse. All three Wildfire mares are bred quite differently. Sasha (Summer Wildfire) is a typical CMK-type mare, muscled and able to stop on a dime. Vienna (Fancie Footwork) is a petite, upright dynamo with a mix of Polish race lines and modern show lines. Star (FS Starlet) is a race-bred mare, half Polish and half Russian, built more like a Thoroughbred. We wanted our stallion to complement all three mares, without sacrificing what we really wanted: Old World breeding and that traditional hardy Arabian horse.
There were a few horses who checked all the boxes on paper, but didn’t give that “feeling.” Sometimes it’s just one thing that just wasn’t quite up your alley – a type of bloodline, a history, or even a far-off location you just weren’t interested in – and sometimes, it’s not even anything to do with the horse. If you’re around horses long enough, you get to experience a lot of different types of people, and when you’re making an expensive and heartfelt decision, you don’t want to have a weird feeling about the person you’re dealing with. One or two of those weird feelings turned out to be completely justified; some of them probably weren’t, but once you connect with a seller and feel like you can trust them – particularly if you are making a purchase sight unseen – it makes the impending investment that much easier.
TR Prince Nari was born and lived at Taylor Ranch in Utah his entire life, and you better believe I did some pretty intensive and extensive digging about the farm’s history, owners, trainers, and training methods. The last thing I wanted was a stallion “trained” with some of the Arabian show ring halter methods, one who spent his life in a stall, one who had never been around other horses, or any myriad of other red flags when thinking of a stallion (or horse, really). Jesse and Isaac Taylor both answered a significant number of questions, provided all information requested, and – most importantly – appeared to be friendly, respected members of the Arabian community, with an oft-visited farm and happy horses. After providing reassurance and support during a monumental decision, Jesse and Isaac sent Prince Nari off to his new life in Canada, and now follow his adventures on the Wildfire Arabians Facebook page.
Prince Nari in Canada
Prince Nari was tested out in the outdoor ring two weeks after he arrived, because some new owners are not very patient! Prince Nari had been trained under saddle as a youngster, but as it was so long ago there wasn’t much detail available, except that he had never been on the trails. After performing beautifully twice in the ring under saddle, both alone and with another horse, Prince Nari hit the trails… and a new chapter started.
Prince Nari was tested out in the outdoor ring two weeks after he arrived, because some new owners are not very patient! Prince Nari had been trained under saddle as a youngster, but as it was so long ago there wasn’t much detail available, except that he had never been on the trails. After performing beautifully twice in the ring under saddle, both alone and with another horse, Prince Nari hit the trails… and a new chapter started.
From the moment he set hoof on the trail, Prince Nari knew what to do. We call him “the Pegasus” for a reason. He was, and is, absolutely straight as an arrow, ears perked ahead, and dedicated to the mission (he seems to think that the mission is to churn through the miles as effectively as possible, which means that walk or rest breaks are pretty high on his list of dislikes, although he’ll tolerate them). He treats new trails like he’s been on them all his life, rides with geldings and mares in heat – he vastly prefers to be in the front in all cases – is fine meeting and passing other horses on trail, doesn’t mind snowmobiles and ATVs, and seems to truly love his new job.
Prince Nari is an independent horse, though, and is definitely not without his quirks! He doesn’t appreciate stepping through puddles, and he’s very suspicious of fallen logs if they’re too straight (crooked ones, oddly, are fine). Bridges took a bit of ground work to get used to, and if he sees people on the trail up ahead he gets a little worried. He’s lunged over cavaletti, but doesn’t seem to enjoy it much.
His one main bugaboo, however, is deep snow. We ride year-round, and during the winter certain paths can get very deep or have deep sides past the groomed part. The only times his silly rider has fallen off – twice to date – has been when Prince Nari accidentally put a hoof or two off into the deep snow and fell into snow up past his chest. The first time, he panicked and ran home (safely), leaving a very sad rider to schlep home alone for an hour through massive snowdrifts (this exercise does make one extremely grateful for all the times said horses didn’t make you walk home). The second time, he only had a moment of panic before catching himself, after which he went on to have a great ride. So, another winter season of riding and he should have the same reaction we all have to snow, which is: “SIGH!!”
Prince Nari’s future
Prince Nari was purchased to create the next generation of Wildfire horses. We’re a very small operation, so we’re hoping to have maximum one Wildfire mare off pregnant per year so that the other two can still be in work rotation. In mid-May we’re going to put Starlet out with Nari for a couple of cycles. Star is now 20 years old, and had her last foal eight years ago. Since then, we’ve tried breeding her twice to two different stallions, and she didn’t catch. As much as we’d dearly love a Starbaby, we’re not counting on it. If she and Prince Nari get along anyway, maybe the two will stay pasture mates!
Prince Nari was purchased to create the next generation of Wildfire horses. We’re a very small operation, so we’re hoping to have maximum one Wildfire mare off pregnant per year so that the other two can still be in work rotation. In mid-May we’re going to put Starlet out with Nari for a couple of cycles. Star is now 20 years old, and had her last foal eight years ago. Since then, we’ve tried breeding her twice to two different stallions, and she didn’t catch. As much as we’d dearly love a Starbaby, we’re not counting on it. If she and Prince Nari get along anyway, maybe the two will stay pasture mates!
Vienna will be bred with Prince Nari following her 50 mile ride at the beginning of June, and Sasha will be bred in 2020 (keeping in mind that horses do not care a whit about best laid plans). We spend a lot of time laughing about the babies we hope for. A Starbaby with Prince Nari would be the most powerful cruise missile. A Viennababy with Prince Nari would likely be a hilarious tornado of determination and personality. A Sashababy with Prince Nari would probably be so easy and uncomplicated - right until the stubbornness kicked in!
Prince Nari has thrown us for a loop, though. Suddenly, we have an incredible athlete on our hands, a strong, smooth, fun ride who could probably do a 25 mile ride right now, and definitely has the potential to do a 50 mile ride later in the season. Considering how much Prince Nari loves new trails (and trails in general), he would probably greatly enjoy an Endurance ride. The only question marks for us are stallion management considerations, such as trailering and camping. We’re planning on doing a couple of test events at the farm this summer, which would give us some time to think and plan. Then there’s a local 50 mile ride coming up in October… will there be a Pegasus sighting??