A wise and talented horseman once said, “If you are fond of a horse and wish to do him a real favor—train him well. Teach him good manners, good habits, both in the stable and under saddle. You need never worry about the future of such a horse if for any reason, you may have to part with him. You assure him of friends wherever he goes. Perhaps the greatest kindness you can do any horse is to educate him well.” That man was Australian trainer, Tom Roberts who started out life as a fourteen-year-old in the British Army, quickly making a name for himself as someone who had a way with horses. It was a talent that would take him far and the quote above is more relevant today than ever.
Just as a child will have many teachers and relationships throughout their life—horses will (usually) have more than one owner and probably more than one trainer. From the breeders that carefully consider the pairing of sire and dam to the handlers that manage them as foals and youngsters to the trainers that prepare them for their under-saddle training and the trainers that provide continuing education, every single one contributes to the ultimate success of a horse.
Albuquerque trainer Mariah Wilson owner of Platinum Performance Horses is pleased to announce that Arabian gelding, Antietam BK, fondly known as Sarge, has joined the Thompson family and trainer Chelsea Dowdy of Broken Spur Ranch in Cottontown, TN.
From the sounds of things, Sarge and the Thompson family—parents Frank and Allie and kids Dominic, Amber, Kaitlynn, Alivia and Kinzleigh—are a great match. Ultimately chosen as a future mount for nine-year-old Alyvia—that’s Alyvia leading him in our lead photo—it will be big sister Amber working with him initially.
Says Allie, “Sarge is doing so well! We’ve been with Chelsea for ten years and she’s never let us down, but this guy is amazing. He already waits at the show barn, cranes out the gorgeous neck looking for ‘his girls’’.