Introducing…
I was aware when I leased him, that Hawkeye had an intriguing history. According to the woman I adopted him from; he is a Ranch Nokota, his descendants originally roaming the wilds of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. He lived on the range until he was about 5, at which point he was gelded and brought east in order to raise money to support the Nokota Horse Conservancy.
I knew from the moment I decided to purchase him that I would pursue his registration and find out all I could about his history and the history of the breed.
What I did NOT know, was how enlightening a journey that would be.
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I believed that Hawkeye’s Sire was a Nokota named Jumping Mouse and his Dam was a Percheron named Scrap Iron. Because he was branded, it seemed logical that he had at some point been registered so I contacted Seth Zeigler, of the NHC, in the hopes that I could have his registration transferred to my name.
I did not realize just how “small-world” the horse community is. I assumed I was contacting North Dakota, but it turns out that Seth currently lives in Sweden where he has started a program to introduce the breed to Europe. So here I am trading emails in the middle of the night with this friendly, gracious person whom I have never met. He is convinced we could figure out Hawkeye’s identity, even though there were some (gaping) holes in my information. The good news is Jumping Mouse was massive for a Nokota, so Seth is pretty sure that is where the Percheron part of the legend comes from. The sad news is that Jumping Mouse passed away well over 10 years ago. The bad news is Scrap Iron was not a Percheron, but a cross between a QH and a reservation Nokota. Also, not so much a mare.
Seth also wants to know if I can tell him when Hawkeye came east. Can I tell him the name of his first owner? Can I provide pictures of his markings and brand?
I was provided the name of the people who had originally arranged for the Nokotas to come east by Hawkeye’s previous owner. In my second flash of small world syndrome it turns out…
I am acquainted with the woman who helped develop the Nokota Horse Conservancy. Well, that is to say, I have met her once or twice. She works on the local historic commission with my father – who is friends with EVERYONE. So I contacted her and she remembered Hawkeye (!) and put me in touch with the woman who originally purchased him – the same woman who sold him to my friend.
Seth identifies Hawkeye’s registration number, finally. Apparently there are a few other “Hawkeye”s in the registry, so I am tasked provided with the opportunity to come up with a new name.
I can conceive of variations on Mouse since there are at least 2 “mice” in his line but it just doesn‘t flow. He is a big horse, and even tongue-in-cheek it isn’t right. I do love with the name Hawkeye, and have from the first moment I laid eyes on him – and I really don’t want to change it. We play with variation on birds… Hawk in Gaelic (Faolchon) Hawk in various Native American languages and themes (Hawk Totem; DreamCatcher). We try and tie the Mouse to Hawk (Flying Mouse). We toy with descriptive words based on color (Ebony; Midnight; Dubh). Some literary references (Shadowfax; ShadowHawk) Eventually the Shadow part sticks. It is something of a double entendre in my mind. My big black pony. The shadow that follows me around the paddock. It just fits.
So… now you know. It is official. He is My Hawk Shadow.
Formal Registration
