My Current Horses
Quatessa HW "Tessa" "TessyMare" "The Hemi"
Tessa is a 2013 Hanoverian 16.2hh mare by Quaterback out of SPS High Princess. She came to our home with great basics which I took to the next level and put her under saddle. Tessa is a big, strong mare who has a commanding presence. She is now working Third Level and has her changes, consistently working on four and three tempis. Many thanks to Stephanie Chandler and Irene Hoeflich-Wiederhold!
Grand Jete "Jia" "JiaBia" "The Pocket Rocket"
Jia is a 2014 Dutch Warmblood 15.1hh mare by Etienne out of Denantes who was bred by Vermont Warmbloods. She came to me as a young two-year old with complete confidence and owned her space as soon as she stepped out of the trailer. She is eager to work, to learn, to be assertive. She is currently beginning Third Level movements and is always looking forward to Mondays.
Thank you to Geoff Osol for breeding Jia!
Bullet for My Valentine "Kimber" "Kimby" "Kate's Song"
Kimber is a 2013 Jockey Club Registered Thoroughbred mare who came off the track in 2018. Kimber is a kind people pleaser who wants to learn and improve with each lesson. She is very motivated when at a show and is eager to do her job well. She carries the lineage of greats like Secretariat, Affirmed, and Storm Cat to name a few. Kimber is a very brave horse and we plan on having a fun adventure this summer.
My First Horses
Visible Force "Alec"
Alec was 4 and I was 10 when we first met. He was four months off the track, so we were not a likely pair, but both as enthusiastic about jumping and running. Alec taught me the meaning of forgiveness, for we sure made a lot of mistakes with him, but he came out the other side and tried and tried again. My parents moved to the country so I could care for him on a daily basis, so he really did change our whole lifestyle. He has taught adults to kids, some first-time riders, and in 2018 I entered him at an event at Silverwood where he won on his dressage score. He was 22, I was 28, so it was a long road, but neither of us gave up on each other in the end. He is now retired and living the life at our home.
Alec & I coming off the water jump, our nemesis, at Silverwood in 2018. We went on to win the Training level on our dressage score and double clears on both jumping rounds. You go, Al.
Carreras
Carreras is a 1998 chestnut Danish warmblood gelding imported by Lars Peterson and Irwin LePow. He joined me in the tough teen years when I fell in love with dressage. He traveled with me to Florida, Virginia and Georgia while I was a working student and assistant trainer, and we were able to achieve our Bronze Medal together. Carreras is now retired living a wonderful life in Kansas.
Sandro Simeon "Rachael" "Simi" "The Queen"
Rachael is THE Queen, the horse who taught me the Grand Prix. She is the boss mare in the herd, and in the most subtle of displays, all who visit bow in her presence. All hail, the Queen.
A complete leap of faith brought her to us, with a little help from my parents and Christine.
Rachael is highly trained and highly skilled, yet she does not share her talents unless she deems you worthy, just like a queen. To accomplish this took much patience, guidance from JJ, and thinking outside the box. We galloped in bean fields in the winter, rode the ditches in the summer, jumped, and practiced my dressage. The day I knew we had it was when she took me on 21 one-tempis in the snow covered field next to my parents' home.
Rachael and I went to Tryon, NC and showed in my first CDI and brought home a ribbon, and that elusive Gold Medal? Yes, she performed her heart out and is a certified Gold Medal horse ... in more ways than one.
Rachael is now being leased by one of my students and having an absolute blast teaching her and doing the hunters.
All hail, the Queen.