Horsin' Around

I have ridden horses since I was in fourth grade. I started riding in Saginaw, 
MI when a friend of my parents introduced them to Four Winds Farms in 
Bridgeport, MI. This is where I became a proud owner of my first pony, 
Boo Boo (The trainers daughter, Allie, who became one of my best friends, 
also had a pony named Yogi Bear. Hints Boo Boo....Heyyyy Boo Boo!).

I guess they knew ever since we lived in California that I would end up 
riding horses. Every time I would see a horse on the side of the road I 
would ecstatically yell "Horsie Daddy!" or "Horsie Mommy!"

When my family moved from Saginaw, MI to Tulsa, OK they decided to sell 
my pony, Boo Boo. After some desperate begging and crying my parents 
decided to bring the pony to good ole Oklahoma. He arrived on a day where 
the weather was very stormy and scary. Therefore his show name was changed, 
by some new friends at the barn, to Stormy Weather. Boo Boo, who is probably 
in his 20's now is still alive, as far as I know, and living at KJM Farm in Tulsa.

Schon-'M-All (Showing Them All) was my first horse. I remember my Mom 
bringing the check to our KJM Christmas party at one of my fellow riders homes. 
Trey, his barn name, was an adorable dark brown gelding with a little attitude. 
I showed Trey all over the US and he won numerous blue ribbions. After a 
battle with cataracks we didn't know he had, he didn't pass his vet check. 
In the end we donated him to the Oklahoma State Equestrian Team where 
he was their star horse. From what I know he is still there.

My first jumper was a special one with a large body and large heart. 
He was a Selle Francaise gelding imported from France by my trainer at KJM. 
His name was Derby De La Hague, aka Derby. That horse got me around 
anything under 4'0" without a care in the world. Once the jumps started 
getting larger it was decided I needed a smaller horse with more scope. 
We sold Derby to a local barn. Sadly, a few months later he coliced and 
passed away. I still think about you and miss you buddy!

I was horseless for a few months before my parents bought me the love of 
my life. I tried Genie d'Or, a 16.3 hand Selle Francaise gelding who had 
just been recently imported a few months before, in Santa Fe. I had 
one of the best shows of my life. Before leaving the show he already 
had a new name, Monaco aka Miles. I won champion or reserve champion 
in almost every show I rode him in. Monaco now lives in Cypress, TX 
where he has been for almost 10 years at Top Line Sporthorse. He won 
the Biltmore Estate Summer Classic Grand Prix in 2005 which oddly enough 
was where my last show on him was a few years before he moved to Cypress. 
Monaco will be 15 this year on July 9th.