GS Khochise+++//.....a Tribute

The life of the great GS Khochise+++// (Khemosabi x Beau Cheri) ended today. While I don't know the details of his passing, I know he will be missed by the many people who love him. GS Khochise+++// was 29 this year.

GS Khochise+++// was the all time winningest son of the great Khemosabi. Not only did the horse have that distinction to his credit but he won more titles than any horse in history with a whooping 38 nationals titles and 71 regional titles. Those titles include 5 national champions and 7 reserve national championships as well as 28 regionals championships and 21 reserve regional championships.
The horse won in western pleasure, hunter pleasure, side saddle western, side saddle english, trail, show hack and halter.

As a breeding horse to date he has over 176 registered purebred foals and 97 half Arabian foals. To date there are a total of 89 registered purebred Arabian grandget of which my horse, Scandalous Legacy, is responsible for 25 of those with his sons and daughters. While I don't know if he had bred any mares this year, I know he bred and settled mares last year so I expect those numbers will go up.

This weekend I was contemplating future blog posts and it occurred to me I needed to do one about some of the really great horses I have known. In that category Khochise would easily be at the top of my list. I even thought over the things I would say.....funny how life works sometimes. Here I am no eulogizing the great horse.

I remember the day I first met this horse as I began my journey into horse ownership working as a groom to get my skills up at Feature Farm in Auburn, WA. The beautiful black bey horse with four white stockings, a star, stripe and snip was impressive even standing in the stall. His big kind eyes and quiet demeanor made him approachable to a newbie like me despite the fact he was a stallion. from that first glance, Khochise had my heart.

Khochise was one of only two stallions in that barn that I was allowed to handle. That privilege didn't come to me after years or months even of working. A few short weeks after my arrival I was bathing Khochise in preparation for his trip to the US Nationals that year.

The horse never so much as mumbled at another horse while in my care. He acted like a gelding taking care of the newbie older broad foolish enough to turn herself over as slave labor in exchange for a bit of knowledge and the opportunity to experience great horses like Khochise.

The horse's manners were so impeccable, he accomplished some things most would not believe possible with a stallion. There were times he was taken to a show and shown in an early class, which he usually won, brought home at the break to breed mares. Then he'd go back to the show that evening to show again. You could pretty much bet Khochise would win that class too. No one really knew the stallion had been home covering mares that day.

I think the only reason most people even knew he was a stallion was because they knew the horse on sight. He was such a striking horse there was no mistaking him for another. Khochise had fans all over the world just like his sire.The picture used in this post was a cover of The Arabian Horse World in 1995 and was the month of January "calendar shot" for the 1996 Arabian Horse World calendar. It is not the only cover that was done on Khochise either.

These incomparable manners are what have been my measure of how a stallion "should be." Right from the start I have expected the horses in my care to BE what Khochise has always been. Legs and his babies have never let me down always reflecting the impeccable behavior of Khochise, doing him proud.

My early experiences with this great stallion are what led me to breeding my mare, Scandalous, to him.
His kindness and beauty spoke to me and he has never let me down. I may have been a newbie back in those days but it was easy to see that Khochise was worthy of trusting with my dream.

I believe the horses I breed here are a fitting tribute to this great horse. I hope some day the rest of the world will know what Khochise has done here and that these horses will go out into the Arabian horse community and continue his legacy.

I will forever miss you Khochise!