We rescue and recycle competitive horses. We retrain, reuse, and either keep them and lend them out, as needed, or place them in a good home. We have several horses that fit the “natural performer” category, but one in particular stands out.
Her name is HMS Mariah. She had a nasty disposition. When we got her, she was cranky, unruly, rude barrel, pole, and rodeo horse. Not all rodeo horses are like that. Most I have met were well behaved, well trained, and appeared to like their job.
She lived in a small pen in the desert for most of her life. She was fed poor quality hay, was used to rodeo on, put back in the pen, and not used for much else. She was not physically abused as in beaten; she lived a spartan life that was hard on her hormones, her psyche and over all mental health.
We believe she is part mustang. This horse has excellent feet and had never been shod. We spent almost 3 years retraining her, not running her on the barrels or poles for some time.
We worked with Mike Seal, a Chris Cox trainer, and outstanding trainer in his own right, to get her mentally healthy. She was so stuck, it was a frustrating job for a long time.
We allowed her to live in a herd on a 45 acre, virgin mountain pasture full of fresh herbs and foliage. She roamed around the pasture discovering multiple terrains, the forest and drinking from the natural mountain stream. Mariah lives in this natural environment and we supplement her diet with high quality herbs.
She is now 19 years old and works hard doing many jobs. She is sound and healthy, both mentally and physically. She is now shown, ridden and performing. We feed her herbs when she works outside her pasture home for anti-arthritic, anti-aging, anti-oxidant, hormonal support, and electrolyte support. We give her an immune boosting blend with garlic when we travel to keep her parasite and virus free.
We did a lot of work with Maria. My daughters, Katey and Kaylaa Gutman, did much of the ground work teaching her English riding, pre-dressage, western pleasure, show jumping, reining in and Queen contests. Sometimes she stepped on them, or knocked them over, or swung her hind end plastering them against the barn in a spread eagle.
At times the girls and I wanted to give up on her, but we didn’t and now we are proud to list of her many accomplishments and show off her pictures:
- State 2nd place in 2007 4H Show Jumping
- State 1st place in 2009 4H Show Jumping
- Miss Lil Bit Rodeo Idaho, 2008, Kaylaa on board
- Hailey Days of the Old West, Teen Queen, Katey on board
- Salmon Stampede Queen, Katey on board
- Multiple 4 H accomplishments, Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, Halter, etc
- Roping at High School Rodeo as a Heel Horse
- Pole Bending High School Rodeo
- Barrel Racing, top Ten, High School Rodeo
- High School Rodeo, 3rd Runner Up, for State of Idaho, 2009 Katey on board
- Parade horse
- Flag Carrying horse
- Drill team
- Dressed in costumes and performance in reinging patterns to music, etc
- Loaned out to several kids needing a bomb proof horse to ride for 4 H or High School events
A trusted stand by for almost any situation requiring a good mind and willingness to serve, that is our Mariah!!
Best of all , you can tell she is very happy!