Sunday, January 30, 2011

UC Holiday

UC Holiday and Jaclyn Gagnon going over a jump. Look at Holiday's happy ears! Photo provided by Jaclyn Gagnon.
UC Holiday in her field, photo provided by Jaclyn Gagnon.


Adorable.

Smart.

Impeccable ground manners.

A heart of gold.

That's UC Holiday!

I had the pleasure of speaking with UC Holiday's biggest fan, Jaclyn Gagnon, yesterday. She adopted Holiday in 2006 and still rides her regularly.

UC Holiday was born in 1985 to the lovely UC Fascination, one of UConn's top broodmares at the time. Her sire is the legendary Hall of Famer and two-time World Champion, UC Ringmaster. (see his pic in the Jan. 26 blog entry).

Holiday produced some lovely foals for UConn: UC Holly, UC Nutmeg, UC Fascinatin Rhythm, UC Cinnamon*, UC Holiday Pride and UC Celebration.

Hers will be a fun a chapter to write. She's a little mare with a big heart and Jaclyn told me that she trusts Holiday more than any horse she's ever met. Holiday also loved to jump back in the day: ears up and hooves clearing the fence with room to spare. She's also quite the pretty dressage horse--perhaps a trait she picked from her sire, UC Ringmaster. Cheryl Orcutt told me that Ring would have blown his competition away in a dressage test; he was perfectly balanced and had a wonderfully soft and responsive mouth.

I can't wait to meet her when Spring arrives! Look at that wonderful blaze....

(I am eagerly awaiting a brand new set of drawing pens so I can get started on the illustrations. Gotta get crackin'! FUN is!)

*there are two UC Cinnamons, Holiday's was the second Cinnamon. The first UC Cinnamon was by UVM Viking and UC Spicy Lass, born in 1979.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Hear ye, hear ye!

UConn Alumni! I need to hear from YOU!

Did you work with any of the broodmares and stallions during your time at UConn?

I want to hear your stories! E-mail me at soundthebuglestudio (at ) charter.net

I want to know what these horses were really like-- help me pay tribute to them.

Thank you for your help and I hope I hear from you soon.

This weekend, I am interviewing Jaclyn Gagnon--proud owner of the fabulous UC Holiday. UC Holiday is a beautiful daughter of UC Ringmaster and UC Fascination. Born in 1985, she produced many beautiful foals for UConn's Morgan Horse Program.

Watch this space!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

"He Completed My Life"


....That's what Cheryl Orcutt told me when I interviewed her about her grand red stallion, UC Ringmaster.

Did you know that UConn has a TWO TIME WORLD CHAMPION Morgan stallion residing in its barns?

Did you know that the horse that re-defined English Pleasure competition lives in Storrs, Connecticut? He is, as Horse World Magazine wrote, The Great Red Horse. It was standing room only whenever he entered the show arena. He was called the English Pleasure Horse of the Century. And he is alive and well and living at UConn.

Did you know he loves to talk? Yup. If you walk up to his stall and say hello to him, he'll saunter right on over to you and tell you his stories of his youth and his many victories. He'll press his muzzle against the stall bars and snuffle and whicker and snort away. He's adorable!

If he's out in his paddock, I like to call out to him, "Who's your biggest fan?" And do you know what he does? He holds his head up high, opens his nostrils wide and trumpets right back at me: YOUUUUUUUUU! Every time. *heart goes pitty pat*

He's 32, (not a typo!) and he looks and acts like a playful colt. The Morgan breed is famous for its longevity and UConn Morgans are no exception. Just last summer Ring was trotting around the arena to claps and cheers, just like he did when he was a much younger World Champion.

Don't believe me? I have video evidence (thanks to Carolyn Stearns):



What an honor it was to write this amazing stallion's biography. When Cheryl Orcutt told me his story, I could hear the love in her voice; clear as a bell. I felt my eyes well up with tears as I took my notes.

"He is a person, he's not a horse," Cheryl told me. "I never met a soul like him."

UC Ringmaster's chapter in My Horse, My Heart features a photograph of him winning his second World Championship with his rider, Les Parker.

above photograph of UC Ringmaster by Helen Scanlon.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Meeting the copper comet

UC High Hopes, aka "Shoe", 16" x 20", acrylic and copper leaf on canvas, 2010, by Helen Scanlon. Bobb collection.


A UConn Morgan is very special. Bred from government lines, these horses have the bravery, stamina and intelligence befitting a cavalry steed. UConn's Morgans carry the blood of the courageous horses that carried men into battle: calm in the face of gunfire, surefooted over uneven terrain--these horses often gave their lives to save the riders astride them.

They were tough as nails.

Those qualities have not been diluted over time.

The perfect example of that tough-as-nails UConn Morgan spirit popped into my life one hot day in late August, 2010. A little Morgan gelding by the name of UC High Hopes, aka "Shoe," was just awarded High Point Dressage Champion at the Randy May Memorial Schooling Show at Little Divide Farm in Mansfield, Connecticut. The prize? A custom equine portrait by yours truly.

I knew his rider and trainer, Meg Brauch, from the late eighties/early nineties as a kid who rode at Woodcock Hill Riding Academy, where I was employed as a groom. She was now an adult and a damn good horse trainer. Her reputation for being able to get through to the young horse was well-known in horse circles. Shoe was one of her successful equine students. He had quite the story....

I had the first chapter of my book: Shoe was the perfect example of the strength, tenacity and character of the UConn-bred Morgan. He is known as the "bionic super pony."

Why? Well, only a few short years ago he was dangling between life and death, and here he was---not only alive, but winning.

When I presented his portrait to his owner, Arlis, she was delighted. Then, I met the famous Shoe.

I patted the copper gelding on his neck and I told him how thrilled I was to meet the famous super pony. Shoe had his ears up; curious about the new friend who came to meet him. He was sweet, cordial and well, cute as a button.

I could see why Meg fell in love with him at first sight.

In December 2010 I met up with Arlis and Meg at the local coffee shop, notebook in my satchel. The place was busy that day, but we found a tiny table near the door. As they told me Shoe's story, I found myself uttering "wow" quite a bit as I hurriedly took my notes. My hot chocolate went cold. I didn't dare sip it as I wrote, lest I miss something.

Writing his story was an incredibly moving experience. Shoe truly is a hero.

The story of the amazing UC High Hopes is the first chapter of My Horse, My Heart: The Morgan Horses of the University of Connecticut. No spoilers, here!

Monday, January 24, 2011

Journeys

Detail of UC Ringmaster, 2007, by Helen Scanlon. See the whole painting at the University of Connecticut Horse Barn Arena Lounge.


I stirred from a deep sleep at 3am thinking of my old friend, UC Ringmaster. What a horse! I thought about that day in 2007 he nickered and whuffled at me, begging me to paint him. He was quite persistent and I gave in and painted a huge watercolor and ink portrait of him. UC Ringmaster always gets what he wants, I guess!

I thought, wouldn't it be great to do a book about him? Then, I took it a step further: what about a book about ALL of those incredible UConn Morgan stallions and broodmares? Complete with illustrations and photos!

Whoa. That's a lot of work, I thought. But, what fun!

Before I fell back to sleep, I told myself that if my idea was still with me at breakfast, I would follow through....

Then I feel asleep.

I woke up three hours later with the book idea burning my brain.

Oh great, I thought. Now I gotta do something about it.....

I e-mailed my friend Kathy Pelletier, UConn Horsebarn Assistant Manager, and I asked her if there were any books on the UConn Morgans.

Nope.

Okay, then! Onward!

I am happy to share my research and writing adventures with all of you. I have three chapters already written, so I need to get a move on with this blog. Watch this space, and feel free to comment. I would love to hear from you!

Helen

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog of my book in progress, My Horse, My Heart: The Morgan Horses of the University of Connecticut.