Team #756 Donna Gasen and Sadie

Team #756: Donna Gasen and Sadie
From: Liberty, Missouri
Ages: 79 & 21
Combined Age: 100
Test: Introductory Level Test B

Sadie and I began our journey in 2006 when she was just three years old and barely broke. I bought her based on a video I saw online, attracted by her conformation and walk. I drove from Kansas City, MO, to Denton, Texas, to pick her up. It was cold in Kansas City but delightful in Denton. She had no winter coat to speak of, so we bundled her up in blankets to stop her shivering upon her arrival. 

Initially, my friend Kim Ranallo was hired to ride her, as I was 62 and had given up breaking young horses. Kim did an admirable job, and after a couple of months, I began riding Sadie. I had decided to learn dressage and involved a young Arabian horse person to help me. However, Sadie was less than a willing participant, always a little flighty and unpredictable. When my young helper had a career change, I engaged a dressage trainer to work with Sadie. 

Sadie was high-strung, and her first dressage show was daunting, but she did well, and we were pleased. I wasn’t showing her yet. At her second show, Sadie decided that bolting was her way out. Just minutes into her training level test, she bolted. Her trainer, Heidi Williams, managed to regain control by riding her in a 20-meter circle several times. The judge found humor in the situation, commenting on her going "round and round and round." 

I then started riding Sadie myself and learned to manage her bolting. I knew her cues and was always ready to grab a rein and circle. We improved together. Sadie was never an easy ride, but I never gave up. We competed at Training Level and some First Level, which was the limit of my expertise. By then, I was 70, had endured serious injuries (not from her), and had some fear issues. Nevertheless, we persevered and grew old together, reaching an understanding of acceptable behavior. We quit showing after she received her Legion of Honor. Our last qualifying ride was in an arena with puddles and a 40-mile-an-hour headwind. We had come a long way together. 

Now, Sadie stands patiently while I struggle to mount and dismount using my giant stool. We putter around in the indoor arena and occasionally take rides around the property for excitement. Despite our health issues, as long as we can both breathe, we will be together. I love her so.