Such a beauty

One of the reasons I enjoy the Christmas Bird Counts is that I usually get the chance to photograph things that I wouldn't otherwise see, such as horses and cats : ) Can't believe that the Counts start around mid-December, so only about four weeks left till then. Photographed this beautiful horse on 2 January 2012, during the Nanton (SE of Calgary) Bird Count. Not sure just where I took this photo, so have just marked Nanton on my map.

"Due to their unusual color, palominos stand out in a show ring, and are much sought after as parade horses. They were particularly popular in movies and television during the 1940s and 1950s. One of the most famous palomino horses was Trigger, known as "the smartest horse in movies," the faithful mount of the Hollywood Cowboy star Roy Rogers. Another famous palomino was Mr. Ed (real name Bamboo Harvester) who starred on his own TV show in the 1960s."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palomino