The Horses That Shaped Me
Updated: Aug 19
For me, it’s always been horses.
As far back as I can remember, I have been mesmerized by them. My grandma and grandpa lived across the road from us and always had a few horses at their place. I remember going over and playing with them for hours, and jumping on to ride them bareback. That love for horses never left me as I grew up. If anything, it has grown with me over the years.
It’s funny, the horse memories that come to mind when I think back.
I remember trail riding with my grandparents on a little mare named Mindy. I truly believed she was the best, most beautiful horse in the whole world.
At 12 years old, I convinced my parents to help me buy a horse of my own. She was a pretty little sorrel with white stockings and a diamond marking on her face, aptly named Diamond. She and I learned to do every high school rodeo event together, and we were the best of friends.
I remember being a young girl, peeking through the fence at the Calgary Stampede and falling in love with the trick riders and their fast horses. The bright colours, the daring stunts, the energy in the air—it was love at first sight for me.
And lo and behold, a whole lot of bumps, bruises and practice later, my 17-year-old self’s dream came true when I found myself performing as a trick rider at the Calgary Stampede.
From there, my horse dreams grew and grew as I went on to perform all over North America. I had many horses as part of my trick riding journey, and when I think back now, each of them taught me so much and helped shape the horsewoman I am today.
Over the years, I rode five different horses at the Calgary Stampede, and some did double duty while I high school rodeoed.
After Diamond, I had a brown horse named Fritz and a bay named Chance, who every now and again would buck with no rhyme or reason. But Chance was also the first horse I ever thought to try adding fireworks to the top of the flag with—which, to my knowledge, had never been done in trick riding—and he put up with it beautifully.
He was not quite as impressed when I left a trail of sparks from my fingertips in the suicide drag. That actually had him finding a new gear I never knew he had!
I also rode a beautiful little Peppy San palomino named Gunner, who had a propensity to buck when it suited him. But he was so pretty and ran so well that I forgave him every time. We worked through it, and eventually he quit.
Then there was Willie, an amazing red dun who was honest, ran hard and took my riding to a new level. Willie carried me for the majority of performances at my first big rodeo down south in Fort Worth.
I had a grulla named Jabar who was a dream to ride and train, and a big black horse named Ford who I loved and who was such a good, honest boy.
And then came Rebel.
When I bought him, his name was Stitch because he had bucked his owner off and given her stitches. I loved him, but thought it would be foolish to keep that bad-omen name, so Rebel he became. I’m not sure that was a whole lot better, but it suited him!
Looking back, I can’t believe how fearless—and maybe a little foolish—I was. Somehow, I got by trick riding on nearly every horse I ever tried or bought. I usually didn’t have much of a budget, so I had to make the best of what I could afford.
Rebel turned into a Cinderella story.
He became the most honest and famous trick riding horse going. Rebel could run a hole in the wind, was beautiful, and loved his job.
Rebel gave me the idea to try continuous trick riding, meaning I didn’t stop in the corner as is traditional with trick riding. The stopping is there for safety, to switch straps, get set up for the next trick or allow the next rider to go.
I performed solo at times and wanted to apply to get trick riding into the NFR. I knew they liked fast acts with no break in the action, so I thought, Well, that’s what I’ll do.
I figured out a lineup of tricks that allowed me to seamlessly go from one to the next without missing a beat or slowing down. I filmed it—this was before iPhones, so getting footage to Mr. Shawn Davis at the NFR was no easy feat—but I got it sent to him.
Once again, a dream was realized.
For the next six years, I had the honour of flying around the Thomas & Mack on Rebel, doing that continuous trick riding routine and opening the rodeo with the hippodrome and the flag.
When I got pregnant with our oldest son and was too pregnant to perform, that streak came to an end. After I got pregnant the second time, I hung up my trick riding shoes and traded them in for liberty work.
Rebel, still to this day in all his glory, is carrying a beautiful young trick rider around the arena. It makes my heart smile to know he is still living the dream, doing what he does best.
Throughout my trick riding career, I was blessed with some of the best horses—and also some of the hardest.
They all taught me more than I ever taught them.
I wish now, more than anything, that I had some of the horsemanship and knowledge I have since acquired so I could have been a better owner and trainer for them. That is one of the greatest gifts horses have given me: the desire to keep learning, growing and doing better by them.
As I write this, I close my eyes and smile at the memories of flying across the arena at some of my favourite places—the Pendleton Round-Up, Cheyenne, Reno, Salinas, Denver, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston and so many more.
My horses truly gave me wings.
Not just as a rodeo trick rider in the arena, but in life.
They gave me the chance to travel all across North America and even to Australia, to see amazing new places. They gave me the opportunity to meet the most incredible people and friends. They gave me the building blocks to start a career and build a good life for myself, going down a road less travelled.
Horses have given me so much of what is good in my life. They were even the reason I high school rodeoed, where I met and became good friends with the man I would eventually marry.
To the horses I have been blessed to swing a leg over—thank you.
Although the words will never be enough for what they have brought into my life, they will forever have a special place in my heart.
Keep Riding Along With Me
Horses are still teaching me, challenging me and shaping the horsewoman I am today—and I’m excited to share more of that journey with you.
If you’d like to be the first to hear about my upcoming online liberty training course, future clinics, horsemanship resources, Heart of the Horse updates and other opportunities to learn and connect, I’d love to have you join my email list.
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