The Sport Horses have no Spots!

I am a rider of horses! I like being on a horse and it doesn't matter what the activity is, I will give it a go. Showing my Josey in English classes was fun, learning more and more of the subtle technique of riding English and teaching it to her was also challenging. At one show in Loomis, Ca, Josey was awarded 1st place in Suitability for Dressage, against a large class of 12 horses. After the class she and I walked back to the trailer to saddle up for our riding classes. A very nice young lady, whom I had met at the local feed store and at our club Poker ride, came over to congratulate me. We talked for a while and found out we lived within a mile of each other. We decided to get together and ride sometime. That was a turning point for me, for Formula One Farms and for my horses!

It was also at this time that hubby and I acquired an Appaloosa gelding we called Luke. The original reason for buying Luke was so hubby would have a stout horse to ride while we waited for Sundae to grow up. We did not know much about Luke's past life, but we liked how nicely he behaved under saddle. I knew he would be safe for hubby to ride anywhere. Luke came to Ca from Idaho, it was a long trip and he traveled well. Hubby liked him from the moment Luke stepped off the trailer. Two weeks after Luke arrived, two young girls from our club came over to look at this "imported App" and we found out just how talented Luke was. He was show material and another facet of Formula One Farms evolved - one of those young girls became his show rider and Luke and Sundae spent the entire show season in the ring!

Which brings me to my point.........even though Cool Hand Lukens was of stock horse lines, he did not move like a stock horse, he moved out, with reach and propulsion like an English horse. Just as Sundae liked to float along suspended in the air when trotting. I wanted to cultivate and refine that movement.



Which brings me back to meeting that unique horsey individual. The chance encounter sometimes reveals opportunity and meeting up with a Sport Horse breeder and TB Race Horse enthusiast was quite an opportunity. Breeding Josey to a royally bred TB stallion was a no-brainer. And in 2002, my first official Appaloosa Sport Horse foaled at Formula One Farms. It was very exciting and an event the whole neighborhood came out to observe. F1F Richwood's Jewel was born and she was a star!



Little Jewel would grow into a very talented and sweet mare! She stole the hearts of many, with her sweetness and her beauty. Chestnut is not that unique of a color in the horse world these days.........but on this filly chestnut was the perfect color! With her little frosty blanket and those long, springy legs, she was amazing! The Sport Horses really can have spots!!

next blog........The heart of a Thoroughbred