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Writer's pictureNiki Flundra

The Horses That Shaped Me

For me its 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.


Its funny the horse memories that come to mind when I think back, trail riding with my

grandparents on a little mare named Mindy, I remember believing she was the best, most

beautiful horse in the whole world. At 12 years old I convinced my parents to help me buy my own horse,. She was a pretty little sorrel with white stockings and a diamond marking on her face aptly named Diamond. Her and I learned to do every high school rodeo event together and were the best of friends.


I remember being a young girl and 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 low and behold and a whole lot of

bumps, bruises and practise later my 17 year old selfs dreams came true as I found myself

performing as A trick rider at the Calgary Stampede. 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 how each of them taught me so much and helped shape the horsewoman I am today.


Over the years I rodeo 5 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, a bay named Chance ( who every now and again would buck with no rhyme or reason) but he was the first I ever thought to try adding fireworks to the top of the flag which to my knowledge had never been done in the trick riding and he put up with just beautifully. Not so much when I left a trail of sparks of fire from my finger tips in the suicide drag, that actually had him finding a new gear, I never knew he had... I also rodeo a beautiful little Peppy San palomino named Gunner (who also had a propensity to buck when it suited him) but he was so pretty and ran so good I forgave him every time and worked through it and eventually he quit. I had an amazing red dun named Willie that was honest and 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 gruella named Jabar that was a dream to ride and train and I also had a big black horse named Ford that Ioved that was a really good and honest boy.


Then came along Rebel, when I bought him his name was Stitch ( because he bucked his

owner off and gave her stitches.... I loved him but thought it would be foolish to keep that bad omen name - so Rebel he became which I'm not sure is a whole lot better but it suited him) Looking back I cant believe how fearless ( and maybe a bit foolish ) I was and how I got by trick riding on every horse I ever tried or bought, and usually without much 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 which means I didn't stop in the corner as is the tradition with trick riding. The stopping is for safety and to switch straps or get set up for your next trick or to allow the next rider to go. I performed solo at times and wanted to apply to get trick riding into the NFR. I new they liked fast acts with no break in the action so I thought well that's what I will 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 ( before I phones so getting footage to Mr. Shawn Davis at the NFR was no easy feat) but I got it sent to him and once again a dream was realized. For the next 6 years I had the honor of flying around the Thomas and 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 I was too pregnant to perform that one year the streak came to an end and after I got pregnant the second time I hung up my tricks 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 then I ever taught them and I wish now more then anything I had some of the horsemanship and knowledge I have since acquired to have been a better owner and trainer for them. As I write this I close my eyes and smile at the memories of flying across the arena at some of my favorites. 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 and 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 even were the reason I high

school rodeoed where I met and became good friends with, and eventually went on to marry

my husband. 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.



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