Occasionally horses stick around a little longer than initially planned (though sometimes that’s the plan from day 1). These are our “keepers” through the years
William L
“Billy” was a Thoroughbred who came off of the Emerald Downs Racetrack as a 5yo old, and spent 2006-2024 with me. He competed in the 1.45m-1.60m Grand Prixes for over 10 (consecutive) years, and in shows for 17 of his 18 years with me. Billy will go down as one of the greatest horses I have ever had the honor of knowing. In the >17 years of competition, he stopped ONE time. It did not matter what you threw in front of this horse, he was taking you to the other side no matter the jump, no matter the ride, no matter the weather, and no matter the other random objects (dogs on course, we got buzzed by a mini helicopter in his early years, lost shoes mid-course, etc.).
Foxy Socks
Socks came to me as a coming 8yo who had been toting a kid around the short stirrup hunters (with many wins and champions to their credit). It wasn’t a good match given her very-alpha-mare attitude, and I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to own her. She showed through the 1.40m jumpers with me despite conformation that said “1.10m horse, question mark”, and beyond that she won more than any horse I’ve ever sat on. Dozens and dozens of championships and year end championships in the 1.20m, 1.30m, and 1.40m jumpers, the mare was the ultimate competitor. She knew EXACTLY where her body parts were, and often rattled the rails, but never had them down. Socks is now 28 years old and the boss mare in my herd of mares.
Gracia Cantura
“Tori” is a 2014 Holsteiner mare by Castelan II and out of a Canturo mare. She was a bit of a tough horse to start given her extremely opinionated nature, but that thing that made her tough as a youngster has made her one heck of a competitor as an adult.
FF Artur de Manillon
“Archer” is a 2018 Czech Warmblood who came from the Czech as a 4yo. I rode him for the first few months and then handed him over to Sadie to develop herself. Sadie and Archer hit it off from the beginning and have been absolutely killing it in the jumper ring. They shared many rides in the YJC 5yo classes in 2023, and continued that with top ribbons and wins in the YJC 6yo 1.20m classes in 2024.
