Mr. Gusto


My name is Mr. Gusto and I am the farm's official mascot. I am part appoloosa and part draft horse and I am mostly blind. I am wonderful and calm out on the trails but I need someone to ride me who is a confident and capable rider because I count on them to keep me safe and tell me what I need to do with my feet, like 'step up' or 'head down this hill' since I can't see where I am going. I am 16+ hands tall and once you get on me you probably want to stay cause I am a bit hard to hold still I am so busy trying to see what's going on with the tiny bit of vision I have. Have I mentioned I have huge feet? I guess I'm just huge all over. You will love riding me but I know my mama is very particular with who she trusts on me and you have to prove yourself with her before she will even offer me as your instructor for the day. I love treats and rubbing and brushing and one of the advantages to not being able to see anything is that I never spook out on the trails. No not ever. I am what you call 'bombproof' meaning basically that a bomb could go off right next to me and I won't even flinch. That's horse training terminology. I am the lowest person in the pecking order of my herd in the back of our farm so I am always careful to stay out of everyone else's way. But I can lead out on the trails just fine, although I am usually more comfortable following one of my friends. In fact I like having my nose right on their rear ends so that I can feel them. The mares won't let me do this but my friend Buca never seems to mind.

