[QUOTE=hundredacres;6353161]
I’ve never contacted her old owners though I’ve thought about it - they’re listed with the USTA and still active in ILL I think (her name is Oh Yellowbear, she’s in my profile picture, and to me she’s as gorgeous as any WB :)), and she’s a trotter. The pin is really pronounced if you run your fingers along her mandible from the chin backwards. It’s about the thickness of a pencil and it goes from one mandible, across like a little bridge to the other. It’s set just below her 3rd molars.
Definitely a puzzle. I’ve contacted old trainers and owners for OTTB’s but never her.[/QUOTE]
Oh Yellowbear what a cute name. It sure would be find out more about her. Wondering if her connections were from northern IL or down around Springfield. Used to be involved in the std bred industry in N. IL back 20 years ago and there were so many Std farms around here back then. The big ones were Cottonwood, Butenschoens and Doc Walkers farm, but there were dozens and dozens of smaller farms all with training tracks. Sadly almost all are gone now except for the big training center near Balmoral in Crete and a few here and there.
Many of the people are scattered but still keep their hands in. I am sure if you made some inquiries those who cared for Oh Yellowbear would really enjoy hearing that she its not only still alive but has a wonderful home. You might want to try locating her original owners through the Illinois Harness Horseman’s Association; they have a page and contact info on Facebook. There are also quite a few harness old timers on the PaceAdvantage.com forum and a smaller group on the Chicago Barn To Wire forum that have been around a long time.
I would enjoy hearing more about your mare and how she progresses, and your search for her history. Maybe a separate thread or a FB page just for Oh Yellowbear would be nice to promote the rescue of standardbreds.
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