20 Years of Lessons and Growth at Moose Ridge Farm
Maybe it’s because I turned 50 this year, maybe it’s because I’ll be celebrating 20 years at MRF this summer, maybe it’s because I’m cleaning out my barn office, or maybe it’s because the husband and kid have gone to Saddleback to snowboard for the day, and I have time to myself to reflect. Whatever the reason, I am so fortunate and thankful for my father, who started this whole crazy horse journey by giving me my first horse, Lucky, and thankful to Lucky (with his big white blaze and red bay color)—a handsome, old-style QH from Go Man Go (a famous QH racer)—for showing me the beauty of a horse’s soul. Lucky was a true gentleman. He was trained to fox hunt at the famous Myopia Farm, and when I met him, he was 11 and living with a girl who needed to sell him before heading to the army.
When we met him in his little barn, living all alone (though his owner didn’t show up), he still welcomed us with a little nicker, as if to say hello. I instantly fell in love 💙. It was 1993, and I was completing my freshman year at Colby-Sawyer College. Team coach Mary was pleased, and Lucky became not only my wonderful, trustworthy horse but also the favorite mount of my teammates. They loved him because he was steady, extra handsome (of course), and very good at jumping—he knew all the distances, and if you tried to change it up, he wouldn’t let you!
He loved trail riding, and we went out all the time, jumping random logs and things. One winter day, while trail riding, we came to a bridge that led to all the trails, and he was adamant about NOT crossing. I asked repeatedly, and he refused in the kindest but most firm way. I finally dismounted, thinking I’d just lead him across the darn bridge. But the moment I stepped onto that bridge, I felt my paddock boot slip on black ice. I looked at him, and he looked at me, as if to say, “See? I told you no thank you!” I declared out loud, “I will always listen to you. Thank you, my smart friend!” I hugged and kissed him and wiped a tear because he truly was my guardian horse angel. I scrambled onto a nearby rock and back onto my fuzzy winter-coated friend with more respect and love in my heart for him. I was only 20 years old, but that lesson was so clear and profound.
There were many other lessons from Mr. Loo Loo over the years. On Nantucket Island, we rode one summer on the sandy roads leading in all different directions toward the beach. We rode bareback for miles, and I let him choose the way. We were FREE together, and I had complete trust in him as he had in me. When we moved to Maine, I boarded him at Chris Chatfield’s beautiful farm for years until 2005, when I moved him "home." 💜 He was the best boy for my new lesson program, and so many great kids and families became a part of MRF!! Horses & Art summer camps, group and private lessons in spring, summer, and fall, Horsie Movie Nights… gosh, all the fun teachings I’ve had. Lucky was joined by Pedro, Apple, Radu, and Annie over the years. He was with me until he was 29 years young.
Now the second photo you see here is of Radu—my 17.2-hand Percheron-TB cross—that I bought when he was a wee 5-year-old! I was teaching riding lessons at Hunter Hill Farm in Union. Pedro was already part of my herd, and I kind of started over with a young horse, but thankfully, he wasn’t as wild. The lessons he taught me were different from Pedro and Lucky. He needed me to be a very calm leader, and when I discovered clicker training and attended Alexandra Kurlund’s clicker clinic in Vermont in 2011 (ish), I started really adapting and creating positive reinforcement work specifically for him and for us to help our communication! Then I started using it with my students, and all my horses were loving their lessons.
Radu and I worked with Kathy Connelly a few times over the years, and we were working toward 2nd level and getting the counter canter organized. For such a drafty dude, he could really be light and balanced—it was amazing!! I lost him unexpectedly just before we were to show. Such a sad, sad time. I’m thankful that I had 13 beautiful years together and was able to share him with some of my students!
The middle photo is of my handsome buckskin Vaquero showing off (his hind end) at a horse show with Allison three summers ago. Vaquero was very much like Lucky, being a solid citizen, well trained as a jumping horse (he did the Florida circuit at some point in his career), but when I found him, he was broken—his hooves were a mess, his hocks were shot. At the pre-purchase exam (the third time I went to try him out), the vet said he was a 4 out of 5 (5 being a “let’s pass on this one—he’s creaky!!”), but I somehow had to have him in my life because he had these yellow eyes and this draw-you-in attitude and reminded me so much of Lucky (he was an Appendix QH). We just had to make it work, and we did. We had 6 AMAZING years with Vaquero!! I really, really miss him, as do all the riders he brought to MRF. Such a blessed soul with many, many lessons for us.
And lastly, you see Pedro waaaay back in 2011. This was before Dolina—just when I was discovering how to use positive reinforcement training under saddle! Pedro is a whippersnapper of a fellow. I found him when I was teaching riding at Hidden Valley Summer Camp, and he was a 3-year-old. Besides teaching lessons, my job was also to help him become less head-shy so the kids could bridle him. I bought this little young pony, barely broke after his first summer of camp, and he was a bucking bronco to ride!! OMG, hang on, sister!!
I was boarding Lucky at Chris Chatfield’s farm, and Chris helped me turn him into more of a riding horse than the rodeo show. A year later, when he was about 4, I wanted to teach him Dressage. I had been teaching at Hunter Hill Farm, and he lived there until I moved him home in December of 2005 (in a rainstorm)! The barn was ready for him and Lucky to reunite. He was the first one “home.” The wind was so strong, it sounded like a horse whinny, and every time he heard it while munching on hay, he called back to see if there were others. A few days later, I had the opportunity to ride Lucky home, escorted by two horse friends from Hunt’s End Farm through the woods and power lines to Masalin Road. It was the first of many trips through those woods to and from both farms!
When we arrived at Moose Ridge, Pedro was so happy to see Lucky (as it had been at least 2 years since they saw each other), but Lucky rolled his eyes. The last time they lived together, Pedro was such a baby, always playing nip games and wouldn’t leave him alone. Oh, bless Lucky’s heart. Though the two of them (Pedro, more “grown up”) became fast friends, which pleased me very much!
And then there is the photo of my certification as a Dressage Instructor through the ARICP program that I completed way back in 2005. At this time in my life, I had my two boys at home and was still teaching at Hunter Hill Farm in Union and boarding Radu. Sometimes riding students seek out instructors with certifications, and sometimes it’s just a framed piece of paper on the wall. Someday I will seek other certifications, but more toward positive reinforcement training! It’s my favorite tool in my pouch. Jackie is my horsie “student” now, and we’ve done a lot, but have a long way to go. Balancing being a mom, this may take more time, but I’ll learn as I go with my JackieO 🩷.
The many horse teachers and the many students over the years at my little farm (and prior) have created a wealth of knowledge from which to pull from—some to keep and some to discard. And the learning from and the working with horses and people never ends. There’s always something more to delve into. Taking a little time to reflect in the barn office today is definitely the answer to the "maybe."