"Knickers"

Meet Knickers, an eleven year-old Thoroughbred. Knickers was purchased off the track and was being retrained when he injured his hoof. He was put out in a pasture and flipped over a guard wire, crushing his withers. Although the vets said to put him down, he managed to heal, and is now competing at Beginner Novice with me and jumping. We also do a lot of bareback since he is so comfortable with his unusually flat back and we both love every second of it. At our first show we placed 2nd! He is not only a superb event horse with an amazing story, but he is also incredibly reliable. I put my younger siblings on him all the time and he carries them around the arena like an old pro. I have grown to really trust Knickers to get me through the course, over that bridge, through the water, and all the other obstacles we have come to. Knickers sure has beaten the odds and managed to be a truly amazing horse and friend!

"Dell"

Dell is a 22 year-old AQHA mare. Dell and I compete in trail classes and walk/trot. I am new at competing so I make mistakes. This little horse is so patient. She never gets irritated with me; she just shakes her head if I do not put the right amount of pressure on her to side pass or turn, and waits for me to get it right. She knows when I get a little shook up but she never takes advantage of the situation. She is definitely amazing.

"Babe"

Babe is a 32 year-old Appaloosa mare. She has been my best friend for the last 26 years. We showed in 4-H for a couple of years, and I took her to school when I enrolled in the Equestrian Program at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, ME. While we were there, we trained in dressage, jumping, combined training using T.E.A.M.(the Tellington-Jones Equine Awareness Method) and Centered Riding. We've ridden in about 15 parades, most of them celebrating the 4th of July in Deer Isle, ME. We've pulled kids on sleds in the dead of winter and gone swimming during the dog days of summer. Trail rides are our favorite, we just throw on the bridle and go. We have videos of us doing liberty, swimming, parades and even a video of her delivering twins, of which I still have her son that survived, Gemini is now almost 18. She has put up with a lot from me over the years. She is her own horse, she is truly one-of-a-kind.

"Bindi"

Bindi came into our lives when she was 6 months old. She was at the slaughter house in Canada along with the rest of her family before her wild spirit was transported to Phoenix, AZ. Bindi is a PMU (Pregnant Mare Urine or PREMARIN) horse, and she is half Percheron/Paint. After 6 months of constant attention and 2 trainers later, she finally decided we weren't so bad after all. Bindi will be 5 this summer and stands 16.2 and 1400 lbs. She is a gem and wants all the attention all the time. She LOVES trail rides and has been an honor student during training. She is sometimes mistaken for a Gypsy Vanner. Everyone that meets her says she is so majestic looking. She is one of a kind and is so eager to make us proud of her. We love her so! Bindi is a STAR and will always be with her gentle, outgoing personality, her presence and playfulness. Her favorite pastimes include whispering sweet nothings in your ear (her lips move like she is whispering), and soaking her feet in the water troughs.

"Chief"

Chief is a fantastic, 18 year-old, Thoroughbred/Quarter Horse. He had been used for cattle by a previous owner. He is really too big for cattle work (16 hands) and subsequently has arthritis in all his legs, but is a trooper and loves the trail! We trail ride together 2-3 times a week and enjoy our time out together in the hills of southern California. He was born and raised on a ranch and is calm and the leader with other horses. They seem to sense he is the "Chief"! He has a good home for the rest of his life with enough exercise, excellent care, and lots of LOVE. He deserves a good retirement.

"Blue"

This is Blue, a 9 year-old Egyptian Arabian who can do almost everything. He's 3rd level dressage, but rides Western, goes on mountainous trails, jumps, and even rides at liberty. We have fun putting on little shows for people with all the tricks he knows. I got Blue as a wild, crazed 3 year-old stallion when I was 13, but with a lot of patience we have developed an unbreakable bond, and he has become even more special than a best friend. It was time to go to college across the US last year (Miami to LA) but I wasn't going to leave my boy- despite my parents wishes. With my savings I brought him to LA, and we are now on the road that leads to happily ever after.

"Pepsi"

Pepsi is a horse with bushels of personality. He is a 16 year-old half Arabian gelding that loves to stay busy. While still fairly young, he and Gary participated in a lot of parades. Going down the street with people yelling and clapping on both sides, Pepsi seemed to think that the celebration was for him! Each and every time Pepsi hears the truck back up to the horse trailer, he races to the gate to be loaded into the trailer to go to another parade or other event! But that is just one of Pepsi's many talents. Pepsi has become a "shooting horse". Pepsi and Gary have been involved in this activity known as Cowboy Mounted Shooting for over 8 years and have won their share of awards including top level 2 Senior in the nation. When the grandchildren come for visits, they fight over "who gets to ride Pepsi?", so he usually ends up giving them all a chance to ride him. He is so very gentle with the little ones ... but knows that it's time to fly when Gary rides him into the arena to shoot!

"Snick"

This is Sun Snicker Bar, "Snick", a 28 year-old Bay Quarter Horse. This picture was taken in our pasture where the killdeer bird laid her eggs. We put the hula hoop out there so we wouldn't step on them. Snick was only a few inches away from her eggs and the bird trusted him to be there. Snick would stand by her eggs most of the day watching over them, until they hatched. Snick has been in many different horse shows. He has done English, Western, Trail, and Dressage, he is an all around horse. I bought him when he was 12 years old, while my husband was in the Marine Corps in CA. He has been all over. He went from CA to HI back to CA and now we have retired in Idaho. He is easy going most of the time. Through hard times and good times he has always been there for me, and me for him. He is a great friend and companion, and with him I have met so many more friends and people that I would never have met without him.

"Maizee"

Maizee is an 8 year-old bay American Quarter Horse who is my whole world. She is the first horse I have ever owned, and we have had our good times and our bad times. When Maizee first came to the barn I ride at, people tried to ride her but couldn't. When they could actually get her to canter, it was on the wrong lead, she would kick out, and she would make a dead stop after a few strides. They used crops, spurs, everything they could think of. Then I came to that barn and started riding her. She gave me no problem at all. I asked her nicely and she did everything I asked of her. People tried talking me out of buying her, but I had my heart set. I felt like I had a connection with this horse, and there was no way I was going to give any of that up. I've had her nine months total, but it feels like I've had her for years. I trust her with my life, and she also completely trusts me as well. We run barrels, but eventually I want to work on western pleasure with her. Who knows, we might even get into jumping! She is an all-around versatile horse, who is willing to do anything for me.

"Gracie"

This is Lightfoot Teaclipper, or "Gracie", an 8 yr-old 1/2 Arab/Paint mare who has just begun her career as a sport horse. Her sire "Lightfoot" was a 50 mile Nat'l Champion endurance horse several years ago. She was a surprise birthday gift from my husband Apr '10 and she has been a joy to me every day since. In Oct '10 my friend invited me to my first endurance race and I was hooked. Gracie is a natural at endurance. She has such a sweet willing disposition, and though she is small, she is a power house. We have completed 8 of 8- 25. Gracie is a natural beauty with 2 blue eyes and a delicate Arab build, she is truly special.

"Ricky"

Ricky is a 5 year-old Quarter Horse gelding. He is an all-round champion. He won the Adult All-Round for The Pennsylvania Quarter Horse Open Show Circuit this year. He does Halter, Showmanship, English, Western and Trail. He is such a sweet boy and loves attention.