Team #324: Stella Gordon and Madoc Best Regards "Reggie"

They told me my first sentence was, “I want a horse.” Really, I wanted a horse since before my time of remembrance.

After 11 years of begging my parents for a horse, finally I got one. It was wild. I named him Lightning, a palomino and white grade gelding. It wasn’t long before Lightning was traded for a safe old boy, a strawberry roan. Pinto (pronounced Peento) and I traveled all over our small town. I knew everybody, rode with my girlfriends, rode Pinto to town, tied him behind the post office and took my quarter and went to the movies (at that time, a picture show). Busy teen years came, and Pinto was sold to a local cattleman.

Life passed by and I found myself in need of a horse. I found one at a local auction barn. He was just what I wanted, a fiery sorrel that mostly walked on his back feet. Then I got serious, started taking lessons and going on to better horses.

I fell in love with the Welsh Pony breed at a horse show and had to have one. So, I got into the pony business for a few years. I enjoyed the driving aspect mostly. Being only 5 feet tall, I could get by with riding a 12 hand pony, so I rode in the adult classes and was totally enjoying life. A friend told me way back then that I should start taking dressage lessons, something I could do for the rest of my life. I thought it was too calm for me! Little did I know how exciting it would be to teach a horse to obey the aids. So, I continued in the driving discipline, competing in CDEs and open driving shows.

Somewhere along the way life just slipped by, and I found myself to be a senior citizen, along with friends who became the Old Ladies Riding and Driving Club of Willis, Texas.  Now, only two of us still ride. My friend Celia Evans was planning to do her Century Ride and told me all about it. Well, of course, not to be outdone, I had to do it, too.

I borrowed a horse old enough to complement my age. That came in the form of Madoc Best Regards (Reggie), offspring of Kentchurch Chime (the Welsh Cob stallion who attained Grand Prix status under trainer Nancy Hinz) and a Thoroughbred mare. As Nancy had trained Reggie, I went to her for a few lessons so she could guide me through the aids as he had been taught. It worked out well. His muscle memory caught up, and we became a team. Reggie knew more than I did, so I had some things to learn from him.

Finally, the big day came; we did our test calmly and relaxed. It was fun, and I think I had a smile across my face from A to C. I was pleased with a score of 65.60. Thank you, Reggie.

I am now going to continue with dressage lessons on my own horse, an Azteca mare. Azteca are known as the dancing horses and are very athletic. Dressage suits me just fine; the unseen control thrills me. And, I hope my story inspires others to do the Century Ride!