The Horse Who Made Me

By: Brittany Bevis

“Some horses will test you, some will teach you, and some will bring out the best in you.”- Author Unknown

We all have stories about the horses who helped mold us into the riders we are today. Maybe they were the difficult mounts, the patient souls, or the kind hearts who helped us learn skills and overcome obstacles.

We recently asked our Equine Chronicle readers to tell us about the one special horse that made a difference in their lives. Check out what they had to say below.

Cheryl Melody Grove– “Legend In The Dark, aka ‘Revere,’ is my first AQHA partner. This year, we both entered the sanctioned shows together. We’re both green, yet he’s 12 and I’m 64. At my age, doing an extended trot in pace with a 16.2h horse requires that I take as much care of myself as my horse. He inspires me to up my game with every new maneuver.”

Patti Clayton– “My special horse was Good As Gucci. He was originally trained as a youngster by Bruce Vickery and sold to Kathryn Stanton of Orillia. He’s a multi superior horse with many top titles. As a select rider, I was lucky to purchase him from Kathryn and enjoyed showing him in every discipline. He’s retired at home with me now.”

Diane Scott Hammond– “He’s been gone now four years this Christmas. I had him 28 yrs. He was patient, kind, and successful in out thinking me in the show pen. He loved pound cake, biscuits, and wine coolers.”

Martin Doustou– “Beez In The Trap will always be my number one. She has taught me more than I can explain. She has given me countless opportunities and most of all, she has made some of my biggest dreams come true, not just for me but for others as well. The one thing I will always appreciate and love the most about this mare is when she wins a prize, whether it’s with me or someone else, she really makes it all feel that much more worth it. She will put in as much effort as you give. She will not hand you a gold trophy. But when you work with her, she always gives back. It makes those wins that much more special, and they truly feel 100% earned.”

Amber Daniel– “From the beginning, Brody was special to me. We’ve learned six classes together and have been successful against the odds. Hoos The Blond.”

Carri Hansen– “Kids Big Star made my name known in the Paint industry. I had a couple of Halter horses before him, but because of him, I fell in love with showing at the APHA World Show. He was a joy to show no matter what. He loved to enter the pen. No matter what, there was always a smile on my face in the pen with him! He knew when my legs were bothering me and never missed a trot step even when I couldn’t keep up!”

Tom Clopp– “Zips Last Two Cents. This horse was one in a million. He always tried and mostly succeeded. I won’t ever own another one like him.”

Elvada Farm– “Love my ‘Scrappy,’ aka Money N Da Bank. He taught this 70s girl a lot about Western Pleasure. It’s a shame I can’t retrofit my house with a wing with a stall in it… or can I?”

Lindsey Marie Mudge– “My parents got my heart horse when I was eight and she was four. We started in walk trot, and I showed her competitively on the APHA circuit through the time I was an amateur. I remember when we won our first state championship in Western Pleasure 13 & under. When it was time to transition into 14-18, everyone we talked to told us we should sell her and get a more competitive 14-18 all around horse, but I couldn’t imagine selling her. So instead, thanks to my trainer, we kept her and started adding new events! We needed up excelling in the pattern classes. We couldn’t afford to go to the World Show every year, so my mom told me she would send me my senior year of high school. She’s the best mom, truly. All I wanted was to be a finalist, but we placed in the Top 10 in 14-18 Showmanship. This was the horse that wasn’t suppose to be successful past the 13 & under division. She wasn’t always perfect; but, at the end of the day, we were a team, and she was the best partner I could’ve ever asked for! I wouldn’t have wanted any other horse to grow up with than her. From walk trot to amateur, she never let me down.”

Colleen Hoover– “My best friend. He’s made me the rider I am today.”

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