Medicine Hat

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My favorite horse, Misty,

is a rich red and white pinto (color);

a paint / quarter horse / mustang (breed);

and she is a Medicine Hat (pattern).

She has a dark red cap on her ears and face and a dark shield on her chest: a treasured trait for the Native American Medicine Man.

He could travel through any territory and be safe from harm.

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The wild mustang herds had developed over the centuries from the Conquistadores' escaped Arabs. They came in every color.

For generations the Native American Indians had been breeding for paints and pintos which comprise only a small percentage of the overall mustang population. The medicine~hat was the most prized horse of all.

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The Raid

"With five horses already taken, the raider, dropping the hood of his capote, leads up the "medicine hat" pinto on a halter."

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I ride my medicine~hat.

Misty's clear blue eyes amplify the magic.

On her back, I feel safe and free.

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