Spicewood, Texas Equine Photographer | Candy the American Paint Horse

BLUES CANDY BAR | 22 YEAR OLD AMERICAN PAINT HORSE MARE | SPICEWOOD,TX

Blues Candy Bar, AKA Candy, is a solid colored paint mare with a white star registered with APHA. She resides on the family ranch in Spicewood, TX where she is currently in training with Adele Shaw of The Willing Equine.

This 22 year old paint mare is not only unique with her solid color, but also that she is blind in her left eye. Adele shares that the blindness does not slow Candy down one bit. Her sometimes opinionated and spunky attitude couples well with her patience which makes Candy an excellent teacher for her youngest sister, who is the main reason that Candy ended up at the ranch.

Candy was found by Adele’s youngest sister one year while at a summer camp. Luckily, Candy just so happened to be for sale, the Shaw’s quickly fell in love with Candy as well and brought her to the ranch where she now is in partial retirement, giving lessons to the same girl who found her. Together, the pair ride all around western, mostly focusing on foundational skills.

Adele says that the perfect word to describe Candy would be “Joyful”.

When asked about how Adele came into the equine world she shares:

“I started riding at a summer camp when I was eight years old, from there it was a never ending obsession with horses that my parents probably kept hoping I would grow out of.
I started taking lessons at a hunter/jumper barn right down the street from my house for 7 or 8 years. Showing, training, and doing absolutely anything and everything horse related. From there I got into dressage for many years, competing and showing with some of the best. But my true passion was really on working with retraining “problem” horses.
I started working with a trainer just out of the city that specialized in rehabilitation cases and difficult horses. I learned so much from her and still continue to do so.

Fast forwarding many years I somehow find myself venturing into the world of western riding, but of course I have to drag my love of dressage with me. One day I do hope to explore eventing and other disciplines as well, but my focus will primarily be on the mental and physical development of all kinds of horses in all different disciplines and stages of life. Seeking humane and alternative methods of training to better the lives of our equine partners.”

You can follow more of Adele & Candy’s journey over on Adele’s IG The Willing Equine.

Lastly, Adele shares her favorite memory of Candy, “One of my favorite memories is when we had a small group of horse and rider’s on a trail ride and we were walking back to the trailer but first had to walk through a water puddle/trickle that we had already passed through. We were about 20 feet from the trailer and had no problems crossing this water in the beginning of the ride when all the sudden Candy jumps clear across the water, dumping her rider, leaving us all laughing. Nobody was hurt and she stopped right away, but It was just so comical, and unexpected.”