aboutme

About Me

After taking riding lessons for a year, at the age of 14 I received my first horse. A 5 year old off the track Thoroughbred mare, Business. Aka-Noneofyourbusiness. She sure wasn't the ideal beginners horse but somehow we survived the 6 years we were together. She took me to my first horse shows and won me my first blues. I competed in my first horse trial on her and we took a very proud second. She taught me paitence. I think back on her antics, she used to buck me off at almost every horse show or send me flying over a jump she refused. She was a wonderful horse to have, and she kept me clean all through junior high and high school.

After high school I was unsure of what career path I really wanted to take. After loosing work, I decided to sell Business. Later I learned that my aunt knew a racehorse trainer and she wanted me to meet him. So I went and spent a few days with her. I met Carlos and his wife, Kate. We talked about different horse jobs. Kate informed me she had once worked for an event barn out in New Mexico, so she called them to see if they were in need of any help. I was called soon after and she informed me that they were in need of a working student and that they would be at Del Mar later that year. My mother and I drove down to Del Mar and met them. They took time to talk to me and show me the ropes. They were quick to take me on, so I must have done something right! In November of 1997 my dad drove me out to Arizona where I met up with them to start my new "job". I quickly learned what was expected out of me.

There was an adjustment peroid of course, as I had never been away from home before. I quickly, however, went from working student to paid groom. From there I went professional. For the most part the competition horses we my responsibility. We traveled all over the US and into Mexico. That trip was quite the adventure!
I also rode myself. At first a number of school horses improved my riding and ability. I had gone from backyard jumping to schooling preliminary cross country fences. It was quite a rush! I finally purchased my second horse there, Jed- AKA Jedidiah Smith. A HUGE grey appendix thoroughbred gelding. We competed several Novice horse trials and were prepairing to move up to Training when homesickness set in. After 2 cram packed years of grooming and traveling, I missed my family. So I stopped grooming to go back home. Trailering Jed back with me.

After returning home and settling into a "real" job, I met my future husband. We soon married and had our first child. I thought horses wouldn't fit into that like so I sold my dear Jed. From there, though, he persued his career as a wonderful school horse. I was not horseless for long however. While brousing through the classifieds one day, I found my next horse.She was a 4 year old thoroughbred mare. When I went to see her she was nothing but skin and bones. She looked terrible and neglected. Her kind eye and calm demeanor sold me. I did a pity buy! After a considerable amount of downtime, she was able to be ridden again. I found she had little training. She could not go in a straight line nor a circle! So I spent several years with her. She turned into a wonderful horse that I still miss dearly! I will always remember that her ears would flop as we would trot along.

My current mount is a 12 year old thoroughbred mare. Seems I've had a bit of a pattern in breeds! I bought her in february of 2007. She was a bit unfit since she had been out of work. After getting her back in training, we competed in our first jumper show. We placed 1st and 2nd in Jumpers 2'6". Promptly after that competition she coliced. I spent a day and a half walking her to no avail. So we made the decision to take her to UCD for an evaluation. After several X-rays they found a blockage, which we later learned that is was an enterolith, also known as an intestinal stone. That night she underwent emergency surgery to have it removed. The vet called and warned me she might not be with us in the morning if I didn't. She recovered well and is back into work. You can sure expect to see us around! Under the new name of "Walk with Me"