Squirrel – The Stallion Who Named Himself - by Judy Doss Maple's Squirrel Born 5/1/1973 – Died 2002 Rocky Mountain Horse Association Foundation Stallion  Maple’s Squirrel was his registered name, but everybody called him Squirrel. He was a black stallion that lived from the early 1970’s to 2002. One of the five sons of Tobe, he was used to help start the Rocky Mountain Horse breed. He was born in Kentucky and spent most of his life in Paris, Kentucky at Horseplay Farm owned by ER and Aleitha Davis. The Davis’ are avid breeders of the Mountain horse and have had several big name stallions over the years. Many of those stallions have been sold as part of the horse business, but not Squirrel. He was never for sale. ER first learned of this black stallion from a friend named Claude Bowen. Claude lived near Mr. Maples, who owned the stallion. Claude had seen the stallion and knew of his great gait and calm temperament. ER had traded horses with Claude for a number of years and he knew that if Claude told you something then that was the way it was. Kelly Martin, another good friend of the Davis’, had started Squirrel under saddle in the early 1970’s. Kelly said Squirrel got his name because he could go straight up a cliff just like a squirrel climbing a tree. Having learned all this, ER was interested in purchasing this stallion called Squirrel as he was always interested in breeding for gait and temperament and he wanted to preserve the old line of the Mountain horse. So, ER and son, Tom, hooked up the trailer to the truck one weekend and headed over to Mr. Maples farm to buy the stallion. When they got there, the stallion was in the pasture. He wasn’t exceptionally pretty. Tom was able to catch him easily and ride the stallion with just a halter around the pasture. ER purchased the stallion for $1300. Who would have guessed that this black stallion would have played such an important role in the Rocky Mountain Horse breed? Once at Horseplay Farm, Squirrel lived up to his good gait and temperament. He had a true pleasure gait. He could cover a lot of ground with very little lift to his step. He was so smooth to ride that son, Tom, could take a thoroughbred saddle and jack the stirrups to where he could stand up in the saddle and let him gait across the pasture. The Davis’ used him for trail riding over the years. Squirrel had a very laid-back temperament. He loved children. There are stories and pictures of the Davis children and grandchildren scampering all over his back. Sometimes there would be five or six children on him at one time. He was so easy to catch. You could just swing up on him and ride off. This is one story as told by Tom Davis, “One Sunday afternoon, a couple and their young daughter (8 to 9 years old) came to the farm looking to buy some horses. The couple came to the house to meet Mom and Dad and when they came out of the house, their daughter was no where to be found. As they all went looking for her they soon saw her riding this horse with a lead rope up toward the house. The little girl had caught Squirrel, gotten on somehow and was just riding him without a care in the world. Of course the parents were scared to death, but amazed when they found out that it was a stud their daughter was riding.” Squirrel would often stay in the pasture by himself. But on occasion, he would have a favorite mare that would stay with him for long periods of time. Fonzie, the dam to Choco Dock, was one of these mares. It was during these long periods of time that Classic Squirrel and Squirrel’s Mona Lisa were produced by Squirrel and Fonzie. Over the years, Squirrel was bred to many of ER’s mares and to a few other mares around the area. Squirrel threw pretty foals and was known for producing good-gaited and even-tempered offspring. He produced a number of fillies. ER always said you could not make good foals without a good mare, so the Davis’ hung on to many of Squirrel’s fillies to use as broodmares. He was the perfect fit for the Davis’ breeding program. He also carried a crème gene which enabled him to produce palomino and buckskin offspring. As the news spread of the stallion, more people became interested in breeding their mares to him or in buying his offspring. The older he got, the more popular he became. In his later years, it was difficult for him to breed and as a result he was only able to produce about 10 to 12 offspring per year. Then, in 2002, the area was filled with tent caterpillars living in the wild cherry trees. The caterpillars were toxic and caused the death of many young foals and older horses. On April 19, 2002, Squirrel passed away due to an enlarged heart and to the toxins in the grass from the caterpillars. ER had every cherry tree removed from his farm that spring and Squirrel was laid to rest on Horseplay Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Today, there are less than 50 registered direct sons and daughters of Squirrel that are actively being used as breeding stock. Some of this stock remains with the Davis family where sons, Tom and Steve, and daughter, Lisa, are active with the breeding and showing of the Rocky Mountain horses. The bloodlines continue through the offspring of this wonderful and unique black stallion who named himself Squirrel. - Written by Judy Doss as told by Tom Davis. About the author: Judy Doss is currently serving on the RMHA Genetics committee. She and her husband own Blue Bonnet Stables in Huffman, TX. They stand the stallion Amego's Rockin' Gem who is a son of Amego and the famous mare Cana Del Plata.  Thanks to Tom Davis for his contribution of information for this article. Some of the sons of Maple's Squirrel: Arthur's Traveler - chocolate born 4/25/1994 dam: Halisha Classic Squirrel - black born 5/1/1996 dam: Fonzie Maples Fancy - dark chocolate (carries cream gene) born 5/1/1988 dam: Fancy Maple's Squirrel's Legacy - chocolate (carries cream) born 5/4/1999 dam: CD's 38 Special Something Special - chocolate (carries cream) born 7/17/1997 dam: Dulcy Squirrel Too - black born 4/9/1997 dam: Dot-O-White Squirrel's Pet - Black born 4/21/1999 dam: Dot-O-White Other producing sons of Maple's Squirrel (no pictures): Castille - chocolate born 4/9/1989 - gelded - no foals registered after 2001 dam: Gypsy Rose Lee Squirrel's Dandy Boy - bay born 5/18/1998 dam: Tom's Brandy Squirrel's Pride - Buckskin born 5/21/1996 - no foals registered after 2001 dam: Daisy Mae