Michelle Forness and Stretch Machine Win Amateur Equitation After Near Deadly Event Last Year

By: Brittany Bevis

For Michelle Forness and Stretch Machine, their win in Amateur Equitation here at the 2017 All American Quarter Horse Congress was especially meaningful given what happened during the class at last year’s event.

“It’s kind of ironic because of what happened during Equitation last year,” Michelle says. “He got sick, and we had to leave the class. He spent about a week at The University of Ohio. We didn’t even know if he was going to make it.”

Michelle explains that last year’s preliminaries went very well, and she was leading the scoreboard heading into the finals. However, once she and “Stretch” entered the pen for rail work, she knew something was terribly wrong.

“I just knew something wasn’t right. We went back in for the rail work, but I had them stop the class and let me out. He kept kicking at his belly. We took him to Ohio State, and he spent a week there while they tried to figure out what was wrong.” Once it appeared Stretch was on the mend, he traveled down the road to Judd Paul’s stables, where he stayed for only a few minutes before it was clear he had taken a turn for the worse again. So back to the equine emergency room they went.

“We went back to the University and spent another couple days there until Judd was ready to go to Oklahoma City for the World Show. We thought it would be better to get him closer to home, and we knew the vets there.”

“We did every test known to man and couldn’t figure it out. What we eventually decided is that he can’t break down sugars and starches very well, so it was building up in his muscles and making him cramp. We changed his diet, and he has been great ever since.”

Although Stretch hasn’t had an episode since this time last year, Michelle was feeling a little tentative bringing him back to Ohio to compete in the class that was the site of so much heartache and anxiety in 2016. “I wasn’t sure if we should tempt fate, especially since he doesn’t like the English saddle, for some reason. I hadn’t even ridden him in an English saddle all week. Yesterday, we were even debating whether we should take him in there and show or just wait until we got to Oklahoma City.”

“Yesterday morning, we got up early to practice in the English saddle, in the arena, and they had already closed it to drag, so I never got to practice the pattern. With being in my forties now, it’s a little harder to just jump on and go! But, [my trainer] Robin [Frid] said we should just do it.”

Her trainer’s advice proved to be the right choice as Michelle and Stretch laid out a lovely pattern that earned them three firsts and one third place finish under the judges. “It had both elements,” Michelle says. “It had big, flowy pieces and then parts when your horse had to be in your hand and under control. He was really good in his forehand turn, and then he let me build up speed. In his favorite part, slowing down, he did really well.”

Michelle and Stretch have some history at this show as the 17 hand gelding was actually purchased at the Congress during his three-year-old year from Vickie Oakley. “I believe Vickie won the 3-Year-Old Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle on him that year. She still comes by to watch him and cheer him on.”

Coming up later today, Michelle and Stretch will compete in Amateur Western Riding. Then, it’s on to the AQHA World Show where they will compete in Showmanship, Horsemanship, Equitation, and Western Riding, under the guidance of their trainers, Robin and Jenny Frid.