Thanks for the pieces of advice, it is very well appreciated

I see you have a Gun Smoke filly, I have a Smokey Finn Filly well now a mare she had bred a foal to Blue Smokey, she is the cut of your filly,
I see that the dark buckskin in not treasured over there either it’s the same across the board really for this colour, but if you have smokey ponies it’s a risk you take as the majority of them have it.
Smokey Finn dam is a full sister to the Dam of Smokey Duncan (Smokey Later Commer and Smokey Jane Grey). Blue Smokey is the son of Smokey Duncan. The foal was born Dun and seems to be turn a black steel grey at the moment,
They most certainly do love to eat, he at nearly 3 months will eat a bucket as well as any other mare we have they are savages, but are great ponies, not for the show ring but all excel under saddle they are all a bit light in bone for the ring, the only exception was Smokey Duncan.
But bred with the right stallions they will provide you with exceptional stock, you should check out Kieran McGrath stock, most of his mares are Smokey’s.
I tried to get my Mare to lighten up this year, so that she will be preferred in the show ring, but the foal is not ready to be shown, he is a performer more than for the show ring, Paprika and linseed oil mixed with her feed will help you achieve this and it’s a cost effect way, her coat will shine all year around with it as well, my mares lost their winter coat in February/ March and all are on it,
If you know a judge likes the TB look by all means take her to that show because this is where she will shine without question, there is a picture of her called Being pretty for treats, she is standing perfect in this shot as all of them tend to keep their hind legs in tight, you need to extend them out to show her rein this also will make a huge difference when showing,
When you plan to breed her, the 1st thing is to select a stallion with bone and a very pretty head, and negative for the B.E.C gene as she carries this gene herself, if you want a Buckskin of a lighter colour go for the bay, but all you need is the bone and the head and she will add everything else that is need to have perfection in a foal,
I hope that I have not offended you, it’s just that I have an identical mare and if someone told me how to cross, show a Smokey mare from the start I would have had a more successful year with her and top quality foal from the start with looks and performance, in the first year than what we did have once a figured it out it made a huge difference to us, so I hope that you understand I’m not telling you how to look after your pony, breed or show her just offering advice that will maximise her for you because I love this line and will always but my two cents in if I think it will help, to get the best out of them and promote the line, plus us young owners have to look after each other and share advise
Regards
Anthony

Merci pour Ole…

The foxtail story sounds just horrible…poor baby! I really hope she decides to quit that immediately for your sake! OUCH!