Heron Hill's first-born arrived in our barn in the wee hours of June 26, 2000. Tsigi (pronounced "Jiggy") showed her independence at two days old by playing hide and seek with her ma-Belle in our paddock. She ruled the roost. After weaning at six months we sent her to "grow up" at El Dorado Farms in Enumclaw where she had real herd interaction with a band of thoroughbred racehorse fillies. She ruled the roost there as well, including jumping a five-foot fence uphill to be with the boys in their pasture.

Tsigi tried a little of everything with her people. Trails, jumping, and dressage at lower levels, yet trails and cow-sorting have been her favorite activities. She also loves to have her ears and belly scratched.

We almost lost Tsigi to a foot infection in 2016. It took three rounds of medical maggots and a month in the hospital followed by months of rehabilitation work at home to save her. Here she's convalescing in the sequester that we set up.

Tsigilili is a true miracle girl! She is our "Chickadee" — her name in Cherokee. She is the only domestic offspring of Eeniskim (Buffalo Stone) who went back to be a wild horse again on the Blackfoot reservation in Montana.