The Coyote Dun

     If any of you are familiar with my collection of work, then you know that I am partial to portraits of horses.  They each have their own personality and their own story.  The following is one of my favorites, and as it turns out, a favorite of everyone.
     The Coyote Dun is my most popular-selling print to western art enthusiasts; far out-selling the others.  And to the cowboy crowd, it is so popular that it appears on the outside of my good friend Chris's horse trailer, and on the back of a cowgirl as a full-blown tattoo!  I can't say that I ever imagined that application when I decided to tell the Coyote's story.  But there is something about his pose and bearing that captures the hearts of all who see him.  I hope he speaks to you.

The Coyote Dun

I took this shot of one of Shawn's favorite saddle horses.  He's a big old dun horse with a real blue, dark mane, black socks and a little coyote in him.  Shawn had just finished working on him and gone to the branding pen to start up the burners for the branding irons.  I snapped three or four shots with the horse's back bowed because he was about half asleep on his feet from working.  Shawn pushes him pretty hard, I guess, for a ranch horse. 

    
I visited Shawn just a couple of weeks ago and we reminisced about the Coyote Dun.  It's been over 12 years since I captured his iconic image, and both mine and Shawn's paths have taken many turns.  But the memories of the Coyote Dun are still as strong as the day I laid paint to paper.   May he live forever!

Here's wishing you a great weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday!

All content and image © Mark Kohler