Youth

Horse of the Month Winners - 2003
     Sponsored by Breyer Animal Creations

When I first stumbled across Promise, we didn't know who she was or where she came from or even what her name was. Her ribs were sticking out of her skin and her coat was dull. There were whip markings on her quarters and she trembled whenever someone wore a cowboy hat. We did know though that she came from a farm where people leased her out. When one family leased her, they moved away and abandoned her, leaving the Arabian with no food or water for a whole winter or longer. When the owners found her, they sold her. And somehow she ended up in Maine, where I live. That's how we got her.

Before we knew who Promise was, we called her Sprout. But thanks to my grandmother's friend Denise, we didn't have to call her Sprout for long. When I emailed AHA, they gave me her name and her parents' names. And so I told Denise, who found out even more about her. Little chestnut Sprout was really purebred Arabian Le fires Promise, a *Bask granddaughter. Her sire was *Le Fire, one of *Bask's sons. The Arabian my grandmother had bought for me at an auction for $400 was worth thousands. And then she had her sweet personality and the wonderful breeding to go along with it.

About six weeks after Promise came to my grandmother's house with her Half-Arabian Olivia and Quarter Horse Rosie, we moved Promise to Horsefeathers Farm, just a mile or so from my own home. At first, I was shocked with Promise's kicking and biting behavior. She kicked the water bucket in her stall when I tightened the girth and bit my grandmother when I brushed her. She laid her ears back every time I went into her stall. I almost wanted to give Promise back to my grandmother because of her behavior, but I decided to wait. She might get better.

And she did. Promise became the perfect horse for me again in just two weeks. We trained her to stand still while I mounted and dismounted and when she was in the crossties, and we taught her manners so that she would be friendly to the people walking by. I was amazed at how much this mare had improved in such a short time. Promise was there for me and would let me lean on her when I was sad. She shows me that she will listen and do what I say.

Not only did Promise improve her manners in the barn, but also in the arena. When I first mounted Promise she wanted to go her way, and trotted angrily when I asked her to canter. Just in those two weeks she let me change her (in a good way) so that she could be a wonderful English horse, and maybe eventually go on to a show next Spring. She went right into the canter from a walk the instant I asked her to. And she's mastering civilities without tripping. I haven't jumped her since the day that two out of four hooves hit the jump, but I know that she can learn eventually!

The Arabian that has had such a hard life has let me take her and turn her into a nice, willing horse, and she could have chosen to do what she wanted and not try to please me. But she didn't. She let me be her friend and reached out to hold me when I was sad. I can't think of a better reason why a horse would deserve to be Horse of the Month. I really believe that after what she's been through and how kind she is to me now, that she really deserves special recognition. Not every horse could go through what she's been through and turn out this good!

Savannah Sargent, 12, Hampden, Maine

Author's Note: I also know that there was some girl who loved Promise like I do right now, and I want to say to you (if you read this) that Promise won't forget you. It must have been hard for you to give her up, and I hope that you found a new horse to love. I also have to say "thanks" for letting her go, because I know that it's hard to let go of someone you love, but Promise has changed my life. I'm sorry that you can't see her anymore, but I'm taking good care of her. She's in good hands. I'll always love her for you (and for me)!

PHI HIFALUTIN

Once in a lifetime, there is born a horse so beautiful, so sweet and so tough that no other horse can compare. That is my horse Phi Hifalutin (Hi). She is very special and so intelligent that I only have to think of something and she does it. Hifalutin has been a lesson horse for many years and has given lessons to literally hundreds of kids and adults alike. She could teach more to those kids in 30 minutes than most learn in their lifetime with other horses.

Hifalutin has also been in the show ring with everyone from beginners to advanced students, but most of the time she's in the show ring with me. We have gathered more than 300 ribbons, over 20 trophies, 20 plaques, medals, and other prizes. Even though Hifalutin has never been shown in the upper levels of competition, many of her students went on the pursue bigger and better things, including national competition. When I take her to local and open shows, there is always someone there that remembers riding Hifalutin for lessons!

Hifalutin was born a chestnut in the spring of 1979 but she soon became the most beautiful gray. She has the very classic Arabian head with large, kind, dark eyes and nostrils that can literally Drink the Wind. Her trot defies gravity and her snort is heard even by the neighbors! She has to come directly from the South Wind. Her color is now so white that she glows in the dark and some horses are afraid when they first see her at night. It is like looking at a piece of heaven and living to tell about it.

My horse, Phi Hifalutin, is so special because of all the kids she has helped and all of the unconditional love she has shown over the years. She is my confidante and is as close to heaven as I can get right now. This is why I believe my horse deserves to be Horse of the Month.

Megan Snellenberger, 17, Clayton, Indiana

EMERALD

Many people have helped me pursue my dream of riding and showing horses. But really it was one horse that got me to where I am today.

I was overjoyed when I received my first horse, PH Gai Sharaline (Emerald). She was a 14 hand grey Arabian. Her calm, laid-back personality was exactly what I had been looking for in my first horse. Her previous owner had started her in dressage, but her trainers had discouraged her from training Emerald any further, saying “This horse will never make it in dressage. She is too small. She just can't do it.”

Despite their words, I decided to try. Soon we were ready for our first show where we rode Dressage Introductory Level and came home with two second place ribbons. That was the start of many more great shows to come! Our greatest achievement was when we won a Top Ten in Dressage First Level and a Reserve Champion in Dressage Training Level at the 2002 IAHA Youth National Championship show. Emerald had achieved what some had said she couldn't.

Her greatest characteristic, though, wasn't what she did in the show ring but how she behaved all the time. I could always trust Emerald. She hardly ever spooked, partly because she was a little on the lazy side! Emerald loved food and would do just about anything for a treat. Yet she never missed an opportunity to gallop in the field or do some jumping.

Sometimes she would fight me when I rode her, but when we put a child on her she always knew it was time to be calm. Emerald not only taught me to ride but also introduced my two cousins to the sport. They started riding and showing on Emerald when they were two or three years old!

Emerald died unexpectedly not too long ago. She was a really special horse. We have looked for another one like her, but haven't found one yet- and I suspect we never will. I find it hard to describe her, but anyone who ever met her knows how great she was. Even though I am moving on to another horse, I will never forget Emerald and everything she taught me.

     Jamie Yeagley, 15, Siloam Springs, Arkansas

PARTIZAN BA

I first got Partizan BA (Parti) in May of 2002. My first lesson was in June, and we did not have much hope that we could ever be a show horse. Even when we took him to another barn he was spooky, high-strung, and unpredictable. We worked a lot with him, though, and gradually he became better and better!

Then, in January of 2003, I had an accident and broke my arm. I still went to the January show and competed in Halter. Parti seemed to sense that I needed a little help, so he did most of the showing! All I had to do was put my arms up and run. I was so surprised because he won Reserve Champion!

We have come such a long way since that first lesson. We are now competing in many shows and won our first Hi-Point last fall! Parti has taught me so much about horses and riding. I have learned more on him in six months than I had in a whole year of riding school horses. I love him so much and there could not be any better horse in the whole entire WORLD!

     Alexandra Tuggle, 12, Tucson, Arizona

SERENITY'S PROFIT

I think my horse, Serenity's Profit (Sarah), deserves special recognition as "Horse of the Month." My name is Molly Magoon and I live in Hooksett, NH. I have been riding and involved with horses for about four years. When I started riding at Hillside Equestrian Farm in Auburn, New Hampshire, I first saw Sarah. She was at the barn and available for lease or option to buy. She was regarded as being a difficult or unsafe horse under saddle.

In previous years, Sarah had won many championships in HA Halter and was also Reserve Grand Mare at the Buckeye show. Even so, other riders who'd tried her out for leasing decided that Sarah was not the horse for them. When I first started leasing her, though, my trainer felt that Sarah had chosen me to be hers. We really seemed to click and became a team.

Two years ago at Deerfield Fair, Sarah and I went in our first walk, trot, canter show together. The following year, I bought Sarah and we worked together to get ready for the upcoming show season. In our first show, we earned a blue ribbon- in a very large class! During that season, we continued our winning streak and also won six year end awards in events including Halter, Hunter Pleasure, Native Costume, English Pleasure, and my favorite trophy for Junior Exhibitor's Hack (high points).

Since that season, we have continued to win and in July, we went to the Northeast Arabian show in Springfield, Massachusetts. We accumulated quite a few ribbons, including two blues and have qualified for Regionals. We hope to attend next year. My big dream for Sarah and myself is to have the opportunity to go to Nationals.

I am glad that Sarah and I found each other, but I'm particularly happy that Sarah chose me as her rider and best friend. She is now nine years old and I hope we have many years of riding and friendship to share. She is not just "Horse of the Month"- to me and many people who have seen and heard our story, she is the Horse of a Lifetime!

     Molly Magoon, 14, Hooksett, NH

MAF NOBLE MONARCH

My name is Elizabeth Ann Carr, and I am a 15 year old who loves horses. I live in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. I moved here the winter of 1999. There was a chestnut gelding at our new barn. He was three and a half years old and his name was MAF Noble Monarch (Noble). When he turned four my trainer Marie Taylor was looking for someone to ride and break him so I offered to help. She gladly said "Okay!" And so my adventure and work with this wonderful gelding began.

From the first day I got on Noble I knew that he loved me and I loved him! During the winter of 2001 we knew I needed a new horse. And since then, Noble has been my show horse. I share a lot with him and he has shown me that I don't need to be scared of new things. We do everything from carrying the American flag and trail riding to Hunter Pleasure, Halter, Sport Horse, Native Costume, Dressage, and Show Hack. The newest addition was in August of 2002 when my grandpa died.

My grandpa was the first to see me carry the American flag and I wanted to do something special to honor him. I asked my mom if I could carry the flag at his funeral. She said, "I don't know if that is a good idea." I told her we would only know if we gave him a chance to show us; I had the confidence in myself but wasn't sure about him. So we decided to give him a chance, and my riding instructor brought Noble to the funeral. Noble was scared at first but then I started walking in front of the limo and he acted like he knew what he was doing and why. He walked under a fire engine ladder and even stood by a bagpipe. It was then that I knew I had a horse that would do anything for me! He wasn't only my horse but my best friend who could understand what I was going through and he tried his best to make it better. Although the funeral was sad, knowing my horse tried not only for me but also my Grandpa made it a little better. That is why I think MAF Noble Monarch should be the Horse of the Month!

Motive+/

A Tribute to Motive+/

Motive has been our dream horse come true,
And Kathie what we have accomplished we owe to you.

Motive has been the little horse with the big heart
And all of us had seen that from the very start.

From the very first time the Gillingham girls saw him in the ring
They knew there would be much happiness this horse would bring.

At Youth Nationals in 2000 Janelle and Lindsay had the greatest thrill of all
Both rode to glory with the championship call.

At State Fair in 2000 we were able to put a + behind his name
And began to let the world know of his fame.

After a week's rides of disappointment in 2001, Motive+ came through
By giving Carly a Championship at Youth Nationals, a dream come true!

In 2001 at State Fair again
Motive+/ was added to his title, because of all his wins.

Motive+/ in costume is the most beautiful sight
And having the opportunity to ride him has been to all our delight.

Motive+/ holds a special place in all our hearts
And the love for this horse will remain with us long after he departs.

With all that Motive+/ has given the Gillingham girls, the time has come to say goodbye
And the memories of this great horse will never, never die!

Love,
Carly and Janelle

     Carly Gillingham, 13, and Janelle Gillingham, 16, Grapevine, TX

Khorvette

My Little Spotted Khorvette

I met Khorvette (Lucky) in the summer of 2000. He arrived at our barn for one of my friends to show. The moment I saw him I disliked him; I thought he had too much white, was too pushy, and had such a straight neck! Then my horse Kiki tore her flexor tendon and had to be out of work for a while. I was devastated! I needed another horse to ride, and my trainer Cathy said the only horse available was Lucky. I really didn't want to ride him, but what else could I do? I agreed, as long as when Kiki was healed I would no longer have to ride him.

I tried my hardest to make myself look like a martyr, but I couldn't deny he was a blast to ride! Even though Khorvette was 15 years old I people would ask me who this good-looking 8-year old was. It made me laugh every time!

I still didn't realize how much I really liked Lucky until I showed him. At our first show he and I won my first Equitation blue ribbon and my first Championship ever! We also went on to win blue ribbons in Open Hunter Pleasure. You can only imagine how much I liked the horse then! Apparently he wasn't as ugly as I had originally thought.

A trip to the Region 1 Championship Show also earned us a Champion in the Hunt Seat Equitation. We then went to Youth Nationals, where we didn't place but had a great time riding around the show grounds!

Now Khorvette and I go to only the occasional show together, but we still love being trail buddies!

K AEGEUS

My best friend K Aegeus (Squeege) is the perfect all-around horse. Having owned him for about five years now, we have developed into extremely close friends. When we're not at home hanging out, Squeege tries his hand (hoof) in the show ring and does quite well. He's been recognized by US Equestrian Federation many times in Western and English events, even with prestigious year-end awards! Competing is a rush, but it is only a part of what we do together.

During the other part of his incredible life, Squeege lovingly devotes himself to me and anyone else who has the pleasure of knowing him. He loves people and is wonderful with children. For fun we swim together in ponds, race through fields, explore the woods, roam around bareback, and even run games every now and again. He loves kicking up his heels at game shows- except for goat tying (he's afraid of the goats)!

When I ask K Aegeus to do his job he gives 110%; when I ask him to love me, he gives all he has. He is truly the best!

CHARAMAR TALALA

Charamar Talala (Charm) is twenty-five years old. She was and is very important in my life and has brought me much comfort and happiness.

I had been riding since I was a toddler- well, not riding exactly, more like trying to steer the pony and hoping she didn't take me under a tree! When I turned eight, I wanted a real horse. I began by looking in the classified ads. The first ad I found read "Purebred Arab mare comes with foal…" I showed my dad the ad and he made an appointment while I listened. I was so excited!

The next day we went to my Uncle Joe's and borrowed his trailer. Then we drove to see the horses at a small farm, where we were met by the owners. We were told the mare's name and that her foal was a month and a half old Quarter Horse cross. I watched dreamily as the mare and foal ran around their pen. Dad took me behind the trailer and asked if I wanted to buy them. I nodded my head enthusiastically! He wrote the check and backed the trailer up to the gate. They led Charm in and loaded the foal, who we later named Beauty.

That was the day that changed my life. Charm eventually learned to trust and love me. Riding Charm I went to many parades. We also competed at fun shows in the pony express, cowboy pickup, needle in the haystack, baby bottle race, and other fun events. At home, she made me fly without wings when we would run across the pasture! She taught many young children how good it feels to be on a horse's back. She even brought back the joy of horse ownership, if only for a month, to a person whose Arabian gelding had died.

I love Charm dearly, and Charm will always be Horse of the Century in my heart. I am very sorry to say she has disabling arthritis in her legs, and I'll miss her a lot when she's gone. When she passes, her legacy will be continued by her foals DZ Nisma, Beauty, Sarasan Khemander, Sarasan Jabeau, and CMF Falconcrest. I will continue to see her spirit gallop through my pasture, for the spirit of a great horse never dies.

PHOENIX SUN

How will any horse compare to my sister's dear horse Phoenix Sun? After three years of owning him he left an impact on all our hearts.

We got Phoenix when he was six years old. He was a bit of a handful at first, as he was young and had lots of "go." He was always so proud of himself and showed it when he carried his head arched and did his little Paso (he was half Paso Fino). After a while, he began to calm down a bit. He got along with every horse he encountered and any human who got on his back. He was the safest horse with kids! Any child could ride him and each step he'd take was more careful than the last. He was truly the sweetest horse, without a mean bone in his body.

We'd take Phoenix on trail rides across the wash and down a few streets to the local restaurant. He'd patiently stand there tied while we ate lunch. Cars didn't spook him and trains hardly bothered him. After a couple of years my sister Denise began to compete in Gymkhanas with Phoenix. He also rode in his first parade at nine years old and did great! He is the horse every kid dreams of having. His world revolved around us and Phoenix never gave up. He did just what was asked, for no reason except to please us.

Last November tragedy struck. My mom found Phoenix on his chest that morning. When turned out, he lied down in a corner of the pasture. My mom began to walk him and called the vet. By the time the vet arrived Phoenix had badly colicked and the vet said he'd twisted his intestine. We euthanized Phoenix to take him from his pain.

Phoenix was a great horse with a huge heart like no other. He lived a short life, but whether he knows it or not he changed ours forever.

WB LADY LOVE

WB Lady Love (Lady) is the sweetest horse you could ever hope to have. Lady is a 16 year old Purebred Arabian mare who came to us quite by accident. An elderly doctor in our county owned her, but when his health began to fail he moved to a nursing home. He was very concerned about his beloved Lady and what was going to happen to her. He wanted Lady to have a good home where some child could enjoy her as much as he had; so she came to be donated to our 4-H club.

Although everyone in the club was given the opportunity to adopt her, she was in poor condition and noone seemed to see her real beauty. They just saw a poor underweight horse with a terrible coat who was badly in need of a hoof trimming. At first, that's what we saw too- but then one day my Grandma decided to ride her and see just what kind of horse she really was. Lady had been trained in Dressage but hadn't been ridden in over four years. Nonetheless, that one ride was all Grandma needed to fall in love with her. So did I!

We brought Lady home and gave her many baths, a visit from the vet and farrier, and lots of good feed. She began to blossom! We now have a shiny, healthy, fit Arabian that anyone can ride. I can even ride her without a bridle or saddle at a full gallop without fear. Life wouldn't be the same around our farm without Lady; she is our pride and joy! We now know why the elderly doctor was so in love with Lady- she will steal anyone's heart.

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