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|  There is the cliché that every little girl begs for a horse, and needless to say, I was no exception. My first ‘ride’ (dad holding me steady as I sat on a patient horse’s back and had pictures taken) got me started early. I was hooked.  I started out taking English riding lessons on reliable mounts, a Quarter Horse named T.G. (Terrific Guy) and Abby, an Appaloosa, barrel racing for fun on a pony named Nick, and moved on to working Hunter/Jumper Thoroughbreds. The only experience I had with showing was thanks to my mom’s best friend, Chrissy. She let me compete with her eighteen-year-old Paint, Rocky, in the Kaysinger Horse Show Circuit in classes such as English Pleasure and Equitation. When Chrissy gifted my sister, Ashley, and I with Cocoamo in 1999 everything began to click.
Ashley and I did all of Cocoamo’s training, learning patiently what worked and didn’t. We’ve come a long way from being handed a weanling, when I was eleven and Ashley was nine-years-old, to where we are today. Once I got in a cart, I knew exactly where I belonged.%20-%20Edit.jpg)
Cocoamo quickly became PVM’s mascot. Ashley and I proudly took him to school for show-and-tell type days where we educated our peers about the Miniature Horse breed. I absolutely love giving rides for little kids (if you’re ever in the area, feel free to give me a call).
At AMHR Nationals in 2006 I fell in love with a two-year old gelding named Mickey whom we ended up purchasing by the end of the show. He was shown in halter and western country pleasure driving in 2009, bringing home gelding incentive and driving stakes ribbons. 
I have finally graduated from college with my Bachelor in Accounting. Even though I have a full time job now I still have plenty of time to work with the horses. In 2007 I convinced dad that he should show with me. We had a lot of fun working together during the past three show seasons and dad took Cocoamo to a Reserve National Champion win in 2007! My boyfriend, Andy, is also now showing with us. He is very helpful around the barn and is turning out to be quite the handler. At his first show he won Adult Jumper, Under with Cocoamo - a class of 19 horses! I was crowned the 2009 Registry Queen in Branson, Missouri in November 2008. I had such a memorable year and enjoyed the opportunity to do so many things I never could have dreamed possible. Be on the lookout for all of us in 2010 and be sure to come say hi! | |
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