Mini Me

The more I work with McKenna, the more I'm convinced she's going to turn into Phoenix's mini me.  She's chill and relaxed (minus the baby brain moments), wants to please, has similar conformation and movement.  They are both built up hill, have big shoulders and relatively short backs.  For her height McKenna has a slightly longer back the Phoenix.  She's about 15.2 hands now and wears a 75 blanket while Phoenix is 17 hands and wears a 78.

I think this is my favorite pic of Phoenix.  My former friend holding him as I walked a course in 2009.

As much as I love Buddy and am so thankful for everything he's taught me, he will never be Phoenix.  The old man was/is my dream horse; light, forward, big strided, able to turn on a dime, with one of the best canters I've ever ridden.  McKenna has the light and forward down, and while we're still in the  legs-flailing-everywhere stage of canter work I can tell it's going to be very similar to Phoenix's.  They both tend to have a more up and down stride than super long/forward but I hope that once McKenna relaxes and finds her balance she'll get a little longer stride.

M and P in turnout together.  She tried to kick him.

My friend Corie got on McKenna last night at the end of our ride, the first time someone else has gotten on her since I've had her. I of course forgot to take pics/video. It was good to see her go and see how some of the stunts she pulls look like from the ground.  She was very well behaved for Corie, they just walk trotted, but did a couple head flips where she pop up her front end and then tried to pretend she can't steer.  Corie rode her well and said that she loves her and thinks she's going to be an awesome horse.  While Corie's never ridden Phoenix she agreed with me that they are very similar in their way of going.  I really, really hope McKenna turns out like the old man; it will be like having a piece of him back.