Scout

“No, everybody’s gotta learn, nobody’s born knowin’.”  — Harper Lee 

Early in the winter of 2019, as I began my bedtime ritual of saving images on Pinterest, it occurred to me that yearlings appear to be  overlooked by equine artists. Lost between the  fuzzy foal phase  and sleek muscled maturity, they are the awkward  preteens and teenagers of the horse world.  I guess it is just  hard to appreciate their particular beauty.

At the same time, I found myself struggling to work with an increasingly young office staff whose inexperience and headstrong yet needy ways were a constant annoyance. In response, I decided to make it my daily personal challenge to find the positives about both yearlings and young folk. It was hard, but it worked. 

My attitude soon  improved and Scout came into being . Physically gangly, mentally distracted, fearless about venturing out on her own, she is mindless of the consequences of her own next step. Yet, one has got to admire her spirit. Her  bold independence, sense of curiosity, zest for life and her optimism are the  promise she holds. I hope Scout embodies some of what there is to love about the spirit of youth (and just a little bit of “ I told you so “ as she steps off that cliff.)