Shoeshopper, who shows under the name I’m Fancy, Huh?, showed no interest in racing. She was sold to a professional barn to train as a hunter/jumper instead.
It was pretty clear from the get-go that the filly Shoeshopper was more interested in “trotting around” than running a race.
So her race owner didn’t even try.
Instead of forcing the light bay with strikingly pretty face into doing something she really didn’t like, her owner Susan Kayne sold her to Rehoboth, Mass. equestrian Lindsey Canesi. And her new owner handed her a plumb of an assignment.
“For the first year I used her in lead-line classes for youngsters. She was perfect with them. Here she is, this 16.1 hand horse and she was taking around an 8-year-old little peanut of a rider,” Canesi says. “She actually got a lead-line championship at the end of the year!”
Shoeshopper
Show name: I’m Fancy, Huh?
Barn name: Sophie
Sire: Wild Desert
Dam: Childress
Foal date: May 7, 2009As the filly grew into her new life at Sunflower Meadows Equestrian, which Canesi owns and operates, the T-bred quickly picked up a fan following among other lesson students. Agreeable and very trainable for such a young horse, she gives the very best lessons, Canesi says.
“Because she’s a green horse, students have to ride her correctly to get the response they want. The kids have learned to ride very soft with her, and to be very clear about what they want. She really makes them think and ride it out,” she says. “And they have to be careful because you can’t jerk a mare around!”
Canesi has a 12-year-old rider who has done four-foot fences on her and Canesi’s own stepdaughter is also looking toward the pretty bay as a riding prospect. Canesi ultimately plans to compete her T-bred, who she shows under the name I’m Fancy, Huh? for hunter/jumper derbies.
Shoeshopper participated in her third Equine Affaire breed demo recently.
The pair recently participated in the breed demonstration at the annual Equine Affaire in Springfield, Mass.; it was their third straight year of participation. And they also placed 8th at the three-foot derby in Rhode Island over the summer.
As clear as the filly was in expressing her wish not to race, she has been even clearer about her desire to stay with Canesi. “I was originally thinking she was going to be a project for me to train and resell,” she says. “But I just fell in love with this horse. She’s just amazing.” ♥
Awwwwe ….. thanks to all who afforded this sweet filly a soft landing into the hands of Lindsey Canesi <3. Shoeshopper is typical of her darling sire Wild Desert … elegant, classy, and beautifully tempered. Thank you Susan for sharing her story.
Sophie! I thought that pretty filly face looked familiar 🙂 I board my own OTTB mare with Lindsey, and I adore Sophie (haven’t ridden her though). I don’t think I ever asked her JC name, it’s cute!