and Bonus photos of this morning from Susan of Fig
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well Foxie when she was in training in Kentucky had her own credit card and she used it often to buy her groom lunch (her groom loved Foxie, really was special)
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There were goals/ambitions that Mark had that his brother and sisters took on for him afterwards. Younger daughter ran her first marathon in New Zealand, Mark had intentions of going there so she went for him
Mark was competitive in the Morgan world, always wanting to win a world championship… Socrates did that for him fitting while wearing the number 1. (Peggy Hatfield the show secretary who we have known for decades assigned number one to daughter as daughter was one of the first to send in her entries)
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I’m sorry you lost Socrates. I know the shock of losing one young - it’s so hard to handle. It will be hard to start all over again, but hopefully Fig lives up to his brother’s legacy.
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Fig will be my daughter’s third Prairie Hill horse. Prairrie Hill Mulligan was her first… a great horse who really took good care of my daughter
National Champion Competitive Trail Horse and Reserve National Champion Morgan at the Morgan Nationals.
In one three week period she had him at an endurance ride, the next week at Morgan Nationals taking Reserve Huntseat Equ…then the following weekend was taken to the Davis Mountains to 6500 feet elevation for a competitive trail ride…they won their division and Mulligan lost overall winner of the sixty or so head by one heart beat. In each stage of a ride there vet checks for the welfare of the horse, respiration and heart beat counts are recorded. The horse he lost to came from the Rocky Mountains and was kept at about 7600 feet, we are at 585 feet… so winner horse had an edge on Mulligan
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What a shock and something that we all fear can happen. I am so sorry @clanter for you , your daughter and everyone who loved that special boy.
I remember the post where you said you looked out to see your daughter riding him for the first time and it looked like he had been ridden before, just walked off calm as could be.
I thought of that and prayed my own youngster would behave as Socrates did. I see a spark in Fig’s eye. I think he will be a great one 
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I’m so sorry for your heartache.
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Fig I guess also in honoring Mark, as Mark’s horse (George Issac) was Bay with no white, just as Fig is,
all of others were Bays with white or Buckskin
Mark and George at a competitive trail ride
and Mark with Shamrock Foxie Joy at Morgan Nationals
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What a lovely young man with equally lovely horses.
My heart aches for you @clanter! I am so very sorry!
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Socrates was an exceptional horse from the beginning, I credit much of that Prairie Hill. Susan and her daughter Work with the youngsters instilling a solid foundation for learning into the horses.
Nothing upset Socks, even when he was brought home in the dead of winter as a nine month old. Daughter had a camera system set up in the trailer to keep an eye on him… said he would get a mouthful of hay then walk back to watch the countryside go by from the rear windows of the trailer.
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Clanter - what devastating news. So sorry for your daughter to have to say goodbye, to all of you as you all loved him and you love her.
Imagine the herd you all will have waiting on you someday! What a day that will be!
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they are all together at Pine Hill Horse Cemetery in Bowie Texas… we have a “family” plot that is for our horses. I can not say enough good things about Pine Hill, their personal are very thoughtful and respectful.
When Socks was picked up within hours (and they are very careful and handled the horse with respect explaining each step of what they were doing and why…even though they knew we knew as they had already taken six head there for us)… It was thoughtful of them to ask if we wanted Socks to be buried next to Mulligan.
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How awful.
I am so sorry.
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Such terrible news, Clanter, so very sorry.
Fig looks like a new spark in your human and horse’s life, what a beauty he is! 
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yes he is going to be received with a lot of love from my daughter (and me), I for one after Socrates’ death could have walked away from horses. it really was a heart breaker
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Sorry.
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Oh wow, what devastating news of such a lovely horse.
Wishing you and family all the best in this emotional time.
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We feel blessed that Susan Motter broke nearly all of her ranches rules about sales of foals allowing my daughter to place a contract that was agreeable to both parties (daughter and Prairie Hill) Susan always had first rights to any of the foals they felt that would enhance their breeding program but gave daughter the first rights to any of the foals of this crop.
Of course the mare that daughter liked was to foal last so it was a waiting game with everyone one edge. The mare should not have produced another Bay this time, the odds were completely against it.
Prairie Hill and the Motters are wonderful
We know that a breeding program is only worth what its stock has done, so we try very hard to have the horses in the best of condition. Always everything in place each every time they step into an arena. They are presented as best as they can as they are carrying the program’s name for all to see.
Socrates was an easy one as he confident, Mulligan being a buckskin was one who thought all other horses were lessor beings. Fig we have to see, but he will be given the opportunities to be what he wants as we have all sorts of tack so he could play dress-up until we find a comfortable position for him
But I kind of think he is happy in North Dakota for now as the high there was 79F and it was just a mild 111F here
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I’ve always enjoyed reading about your family’s beautiful Morgans. I’m so very sorry for what you and your family endured, witnessing such a tragic end to beautiful Socrates. And despite how often certain segments of the horse world get a bad rap for their self-centered behavior and callousness, you have definitely been blessed by some really compassionate, admirable people.
Fig looks like a champion in the making. He already has a confident presence. Please keep us updated on him.
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