Wednesday Mini Mag

After marrying Don, the motorcycle enthusiast, Susie finally persuaded him they must have horses. “It took several years, but he finally gave in, and our lives have been so great with horses,” she insisted. “Although I had an ornery pony as a kid, I really didn’t have any interest in owning horses,” Don clarified. Yet following Susie’s persistence, Don traded his motorcycle for a horse “to satisfy my wife.” Not unlike many first time horse owners, Don’s purchase didn’t fit what he or Susie wanted or expected. “I didn’t know anything about riding, and that red roan Quarter Horse called Chico had lots of issues,” Don verified. Becoming disgusted with their first horse, Don and Susie sold him back to his original owner. Same story second chapter, a Paint gelding was purchased, and he didn’t work out either. “We had him at a trainer to be a pleasure horse, but he was too spirited for that. So we sold the horse to some area girls who got along good running barrels on him,” Don said. “Then we got an older well broke dark bay Quarter Horse called Woody who just fit us perfectly,” Susie interrupted. “We finally had a calm gentle horse we could enjoy and show.” Their son Brandon showed Woody successfully in halter as well as rail and pattern classes. “We were fortunate to have Woody for 15 years,” Susie noted. In the meantime, they acquired a sorrel blazed face breeding stock Paint mare named Cody’s Legacy which the family showed. “Cody was really good. Brandon showed her in 4-H and local shows as well as the state fair. I was fourth in Western pleasure on Cody at the American Royal in 2008,” Don smiled. Susie’s first horse of her very own was an Appaloosa called Dream Dancer. “I got him as weanling not even halter broke right off his dam. We borrowed an old trailer and had plenty of trouble just getting Dancer home,” Susie said. “He turned out to be my pride and joy showing him in showmanship and trail classes. I was really the only one who ever rode Dancer other than when he was at the trainer for a month. It broke my heart when Dancer passed away four years ago at 31-years-11-months-six-days old.” Susie also has many fond memories of her Virginia Highlander called Gold Nugget who she lost last year.