825 - Brian Combs and Bear

Team #825 Brian Combs and Bear

Team #825: Brian Combs and Bear 
From: Vaughn, Washington 
Ages: 73 & 27
Combined Age: 100 
Test: Training Level Test 1 

Bear has been part of our family for 19 years.  When Kathy White, my trainer at the time, retired she asked me to take Bear.  He is a Shire/Thoroughbred cross that looks like a big pony.  He is an easy horse to ride which has been nice as we have gotten older.  Trained in more of the French tradition, he is light in the hand and generally responsive if not super energetic.  He has always been cooperative and even his spooks are nothing to worry about.   

Originally, we competed in eventing. He enjoyed stadium jumping if the jumps were not too flashy, but he didn’t care much about cross country (except for going back to the trailer). He loved the water, and he would rather have stayed to play a bit. Our real focus was dressage, and we rode tests up through Second Level.   

I rode for the first time when I was about five and loved it, but horses were too expensive for my family.  Later I took lessons in Pennsylvania before going into the Army.  It was another 15 years before I started riding again.  When we had children, we started them on an old mare (one daughter started at nine months and was on her own but supervised by two).  They were very active in Pony Club, and both are still involved in some teaching, coaching, and certifications. 

The Century Club ride was in the back of my mind for some time but one or the other of us was unsound over the past four years. This year we were both sound at the same time, so we had to do it. It was a blast.