Spice O Life Sparkle Plenty
Sparkles became part of out family sometime around 1998. She was formerly a saddleseat horse, but didn't like the requirements of that and found her nitch in the Morgan hunter pleasure division. As a young horse, Sparkles was somewhat of a wild child. She dumped the trainer twice at Gold Cup and sent her previous owner into tears on numerous occasions. Luckily, by the time we got her she had mellowed out into one of the greatest horses I have ever known. I was off to college, so my sister showed her for the most part (I "catch rode" whenever I could). They had much success, including a World Championship in 1998 (I think). After several years of basically winning everything under the sun, we "retired" Sparkles and decided to breed her.
It took probably 3 years of failed attempts. She would settle, but then lose the baby at 90 days. I graduated college and had a job close to where Sparkles was living - so I started riding her again, to give her a job and remind her that maybe she'd rather choose motherhood. Without a trainer (or any kind of instruction, really), Sparkles and I formed a really cool bond. She was the ultimate show horse - we went all over the midwest - basically a show every other weekend. She was as sound as could be. We kept winning and I realized how fun showing could be. There was no pressure. I even taught her flying changes and how to jump. I took her trail riding. I could ride her around the farm in just a halter and lead rope. (This a mare who MUST be ridden in a twisted wire bit, according to previous trainer).
We kept trying to breed her, and she did settle again but we decided that I should just keep on showing her and see what happens. Well that year she kept the baby (by Tedwin Touch O Class), and had a chestnut filly the next spring, Corinne. She ended up being an OK mom, and we rebred her to Pot of Gold (the 1998 World Champion stallion) for the next year. The result was an adorable chestnut filly, Piper.
I halter broke both babies (Piper is pictured above). They were both sold a year or so ago.
After numerous horses and years of losing and never being good enough, Sparkles gave me a taste of what it was like to ride the best. People would stare at her when we walked into the warm up arena - at one small show, one woman scratched mumbling something like "I can't compete with that." Don't get me wrong, Sparkles could be frustrating. Sometimes she just would not walk in the show arena, and thus would require quite a bit of lunging the morning before a class. She had thyroid problems and needed to be on meds. She had a dished foot. She could be a little bitchy. But she was so fun. Will I ever have a horse that amazing again? I hope so, but if not that's ok.
One winter, Sparkles was out in the pasture and slipped and fell on the ice (actually, it was my previous horse, T-Bone, who was chasing her and thus caused the accident). Her hip was never really right after this, so I quit riding her too much. And when I did, we didn't canter because it seemed more difficult for her than before. And she was pushing her late teens. So, she was sold to a wonderful family who needed a babysitter horse for their kids. She's well fed and loved, and even has a goat for company now. A good retirement for a great horse. I would have kept her for life if I could.
