Paloma de Fina Vista

This week we are featuring another horse from Fina Vista Farm. Paloma de Fina Vista is a buckskin Paso Fino filly, born April 7th, 2008. (By now, you will have figured out that Camillia Willings is pretty much my best customer!)

Camilla writes this of her little 'Gund, stuffed toy' filly:

"Paloma is the offspring of what I truly believe (absolutely free of the vile constraints of objectivity) to be the world's two most beautiful horses. Her sire is the equine love of my life, Mercenario deLa Libertad. Her dam is the Angelina Jolie of horses, Finola de Herencia.

Since acquiring Finola several years ago I have dreamed of this cross. I had hoped for a filly and a buckskin - and flashy to boot - and Finola was co-operative on all three points!

As Paloma's mother has more than her share of hot-ness, I opted for the name Paloma (Spanish for dove) with the hopes of instilling a calm and peaceful centre in this pretty filly. For months it seems my wishful naming was in vain... Paloma was a pistol. Fiery hot with a highly over-developed sense of paranoia. Doing anything with her was a supreme challenge. She tore around like her pants were on fire if you so much as looked at her. While I cursed her non-trusting difficult nature I simultaneously marvelled at her athleticism and flashy footwork. Recently my vet marvelled that she had never seen such a little handful and we joked about what a "joy" she was (not!).

And then it finally happened. One day, recently, Paloma grew tired of just watching me handing tasty treats to her playmate, Viggo, (while she looked on scornfully, how could he sell out for a garden vegetable?). She crept over and slowly, slowly, slyly, extracted a morsel from my hand. The next day she was a little quicker to mosey over, and she lingered a bit. Within a few more days she was a new horse... and my new best friend! Apparently carrots and apples and horse bikkies were what would finally work, the stuff of miracles. Now I call Paloma and she runs over to greet me. She hangs around, welcoming a scratch all over. Her eyes have changed from semi-panic to sweet familiarity. She finally is a joy to handle and be around. Newcomers to the Paso Fino breed came to the barn today and instead of asking what that filly was so kookoo-bonkers about, they petted her and loved on her and commented on what a 'sweet little thing' she is.

Maybe not a grand scale miracle on par with "loaves and fishes", but a miracle big enough to make me (and I think even Paloma) very happy.

Thanks to Leslie for including Paloma as a Horse of the Week."