Team #771 Barbara Jean Conner and Docs Almost Blue

Photo by Tara Jelenić Photography

Team #771: Barbara Jean Conner and Docs Almost Blue  
From: Lusby, Maryland
Ages: 80 & 20
Combined Age: 100
Test: First Level Test 1

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want a horse. My mother said I asked for one every year from the age of two, but we couldn’t afford one. My husband, Lonnie, suggested I take riding lessons at the Vogt Riding Academy, riding Lipizzaners. 

We moved back to Maryland and bought my first of three horses when I was 40 years old. I loved showing dressage, trail riding, and I also trained and showed other people’s horses. When I lost my second horse, Flash, I thought I’d get a nice, quiet Quarter Horse. Ha! Smokey (Docs Almost Blue) is a gorgeous blue roan Quarter Horse gelding that I’ve had for 15 years, and he is the hardest horse I’ve ever ridden. He was trained to be a barrel racer in Texas. He’s not a fan of dressage shows, and he even jumped out of the show arena three years ago. 

Becoming a member of the Century Club was my last horse-related goal. When I reached 80 in April and Smokey was 20 in May, I rode a First Level test at the Potomac Valley Dressage Association’s 60th anniversary summer show in June. It was 99 degrees outside. I’d already had two major heat-related strokes, but thanks to the help from my barn friends, we did it. It was an embarrassing ride, but at least he didn’t jump out of the arena again.