Shikos Shadrack

I started to really understand the hot/sensitive issue in my mid to late 20's. I had a very hot, young Arab gelding. We struggled. I was unfair, and I'm sure incoherent to him for a long time. And he was tenacious, snotty and had a sense of humor. If you blew it, he punished you for days. Vindictive little shit.



I swear he had spacial intelligence. He'd flat creep you out sometimes with what he understood, and did. He disliked most people. He'd pick who he liked, and who he didn't. There was no mistaking what his feelings were. Mostly he was just disdainful of stupid people, and stupid behavior...pretty much like that his whole life. He was more civil about it with age though. (He learned that it was really not okay to chase people you don't like, or bite them, strike them or kick them).


I got him at 9mths old, I was I think the third or fourth owner. (Not a great recommendation). Shad was exquisite. Truly a beautiful horse. I was sure I was going to have a 15.2 or 15.3h Arab. His mother was a solid 15.2h, maybe bigger. Moira (Shad's dam) was very pretty. At 18mths Shad was 14.2h. At 10yrs Shad was 14.2 maybe 14.3h. lol

I met Shad when he was probably 3 days old. He already thought he owned the world. At an hour old he kicked the breeder with both hinds, and then turned and looked at her. He was a chestnut with two high white hinds, and a narrow blaze that dribbled off one side of his muzzle like melted ice cream. When he was really young, I swear he looked like a fruit bat. Giant eyes, tiny muzzle and very upright smallish ears that were tipped.

We got along pretty well from the beginning. I'd moved into the breeder's house, and part of my room and board was helping out. She had two stallions. One AQHA and one Arab. Both very nice boys. Shantar was Shad's sire. 14.2h sturdy stallion. Great mind, easygoing...pretty much happy with everything and everyone. Always the gentleman. The only time you'd seen him at all wound was when it was time to breed a mare. Then he was still Mr. Manners, just puffed up and a little talky. Oh, and he didn't like dogs. Dogs were open season as far as he was concerned. I was riding him bareback out LP land. We rode through a rural neighborhood. Now Shantar was a pretty cush ride...usually a hair too round. I see a St Bernard. Shantar strolls by like no big. I'm thinking, wow not even a snark face at the dog...we get about 3 feet past the dog, and Shantar drops, and wheels around snaking his head, and stomping his front feet. Old bastard nearly jiggled me off he was so round. His back kind of shifted and rolled with the motion. Scared the St Bernard, who was really just lying in his own driveway minding his own business. So, that would be the only thing I would fault Shantar on. Didn't like dogs.

Moira was Shikos Moira. Tall, elegant chestnut mare. She was later a pretty impressive endurance horse. She was one of the quiet, pleasant easy to work with mares. At the time I thought she was boring. See what you know at 22 or 23.

How two such lovely parents could spawn snotty Shad is beyond me. When he was little we called him 'His Nibs'. But boy he was flashy and pretty. Smart too. Learned really quickly, but was easily bored by routine. If he got bored, he'd find ways to entertain himself. He was a biter for awhile. If you smacked him for biting, he'd come back twice as fast again. Just to make sure you were serious I think. If he did anything naughty, he had to do it twice in rapid succession, testing you I think. That too passed over time...unless of course you were new.