Bob

From the very beginning, Bob was a confident, playful colt with a personality all his own. At just a few weeks old, he would leave his mama and wander off with the herd. Interestingly, neither he nor Patty seemed bothered by it. At the time, he was the only foal here at the Homestead, so he received plenty of attention and was certainly doted on.

JR had big plans for Bob from the start. Even as a young foal, you could see something special in the way he moved, and JR envisioned him becoming his primary show horse someday.

Unfortunately, Bob’s life took an unexpected turn as a weanling.

Bob became seriously ill with Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM), a neurological disease caused by a parasite that horses can be exposed to through opossums. JR immediately noticed that something wasn’t right and we took Bob to the veterinarian. At first, EPM was not suspected, and unfortunately, we did not receive a diagnosis or begin treatment right away. Within just a few more days, it became clear that something was seriously wrong. We returned to the vet, and testing for EPM was finally ordered.

By the time the results came back and treatment could begin, the disease had progressed aggressively and caused significant damage to Bob’s spinal cord. Thankfully, Bob fought his way through the disease and did recover, but the damage to his spinal cord was permeant and sadly he would never be able to be ridden.

The damage did changed the plans we had for Bob, but it didn’t change how much we believed in him.

Bob is an incredible horse with a wonderful temperament, and we wanted him to have a life filled with purpose. So, instead of a show horse he became our herd stallion—and he has more than proven that he had another very important job waiting for him.

Bob has gone on to become the sire of many of our beloved foals, including Happy, Rain, Lakota, Boots, Chantilly, Prince and many other foals. His offspring have consistently impressed us with their beauty, kind dispositions, and gentle personalities. It has been incredibly special to watch pieces of Bob’s personality and qualities continue on through each generation.

In 2026, Bob was honored as Sire of the Year, an accomplishment that means a great deal to our family and is a testament to the impact he has had on our breeding program.

Perhaps one of the most meaningful parts of Bob’s story is that he is continuing the legacy of his mama, Patty. What started with a special mare in our family has continued through her son and now through the many generations of foals he has produced here at Homestead Horsemanship.

Bob may not have become the riding horse we originally imagined, but his story turned out to be something different—and, in many ways, even more special.

Today, Bob has truly earned his place in our herd. His future is to continue doing what he does best: producing beautiful, kind, and talented offspring while living his best life here at the Homestead.

We are incredibly thankful that this special horse got a second chance and that he has become such an important part of our family, our herd, and our future.