Bobs Folly

Bobs Folly ~~ was a pure black Three Bars son born in 1953. His dam was Hot Heels by Midnight Jr and out of Joan by Joe Hancock. This was a mix of the hottest and coldest blood all stirred together. The fact that Walter Merrick stood Three Bars and also owned Midnight Jr prior to that, I would guess Walter was the breeder.

Both Three Bar's black sons, Bobs Folly and Royal Bar were early good runners and bounced all over the nation to different breeding farms. Neither had the classic Bar Flower or Mr. Three Bars conformation but both sired some high dollar progeny in their travels. Bobs Folly had a head similar to Steel Bars as he was about a 3/4 brother.

This photo was taken for Ronny Schleep at his Sand Hills Ranch, Haigler, Neb. We were invited to stay in Ronny's guest house. Our assignment was to photograph Bob's Folly and Lanolark TB. Linda remembers the smell of the shower in that Haigler area was strong sulfur, like rotten eggs. I think that was before water treatment systems.

I like to get the best photos with early morning low light but Ronny was breeding both stallions to nearly 200 mares and couldn't get started on the photos until the cycling mares were first taken care of. I don't like the high sun on this photo, but Bobs Folly had "personal" commitments that came first. A rear pose angle works good when a horse has a rough nose, a long or low back and other profile weaknesses. There should be an equal space between the 3 leg spaces for symmetric design.