Heart 2 Horse

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Heart 2 Horse Vintage photos of women and their horses connect us to the past and present.

"He has known joy and violence. Felt the warmth of children and the cruelty of abuse. He has nearly died saving lives, a...
28/07/2022

"He has known joy and violence. Felt the warmth of children and the cruelty of abuse. He has nearly died saving lives, and merely been killed by a drunken act. He has known the finery of grand estates and the filth of stinking slums. He has survived fire and flood, starvation and torment. And nothing could break his spirit-or his great love. This is HIS life. He is called the horse.
--Anna Sewell

Carol found this photo of a retired cavalry horse and thought it fit today's quote from Anna Sewell, author of Black Beauty. The photo was taken in 1952 and the gelding's name was Pat. In the photo a WAC (Women's Army Corp)has stopped by to give Pat a pat as the WAC quarters were close to his pasture.

Horses were used in cavalry in WW1, just over a century ago. It's jarring to think that airplanes, autos and horses were used in the same fields during that conflict. Many horses gave their lives along with the men alongside them.

Today horses can be trail or show horses, pasture pets, or elite athletes. That doesn't mean that some don't face hardships because they do. There are many good people who work to redirect the flow of unwanted equines to better fitting homes. They are the people among us who know the depth of a horses feelings and their desire to be useful.

If you come across them please consider supporting them.

About
Heart 2 Horse is a blog written by Carol Jensen and Rebecca Anderson, both Wisconsin horsewomen/artists. The vintage photographs are from Carol's collection and the musings are written by either Carol or Rebecca. Carol is also the finder of the quotes that accompany each photo. Our aim is to highlight the deep relationship women have enjoyed with horses since forever. We hope you enjoy the visit and feel free to share the post.

"There is much we can learn from a friend who happens to be a horse." -- Aleksandra LaylandSince it's show season it's f...
01/06/2022

"There is much we can learn from a friend who happens to be a horse." -- Aleksandra Layland

Since it's show season it's fitting that our photo today is of a fellow Wisconsinite, Barbara Thomas who used to compete on her horse "Pevine's Rainbo" in Hands & Seat Class at the Wisconsin State Fair. The photo is circa 1937 when Barbara was a wee lass.

Barbara and Pevine (a three gaited roan) look like they are ready to conquer their class with a fine turnout and good posture. Barbara loved showing with her group of friends from the Joy Farm Academy (Milwaukee) where she stabled her horse. Back then the riding academy was run by Lt. Allyn Tidball, a WW1 calvary veteran. She learned military style riding which was a precursor to dressage.

Barbara is in her 90s today and recalls much about her time riding at Joy Farm. Lt. Tidball was likely gone by the time I was riding at Joy Farm in the mid 70s but we'll always remember the horse friends we made back then.

About
Heart 2 Horse is a blog written by Carol Jensen and Rebecca Anderson, both Wisconsin horsewomen/artists. The vintage photographs are from Carol's collection and the musings are written by either Carol or Rebecca. Carol is also the finder of the quotes that accompany each photo. Our aim is to highlight the deep relationship women have enjoyed with horses since forever. We hope you enjoy the visit and feel free to share the post.

"A horse can lend its rider the speed and strength he or she lacks - but the rider who is wise remembers it is no more t...
11/02/2022

"A horse can lend its rider the speed and strength he or she lacks - but the rider who is wise remembers it is no more than a loan." Pam Brown, poet

This vintage trick rider is at top speed, standing atop two horses with nothing but two reins, balance and a lot of trust. It has to be that horses sense the need for mutual trust in a situation like this. The rider needs the horses to hear her cues and likewise the horses need her to guide them, safely and confidently, to where they are going. That is a massive amount of trust and yet all we see is a rider standing atop two galloping horses each loaning the other what they need in the moment. This may just be secret sauce of horsemanship; trust in the moment and know it's just a loan you need to keep earning.

About
Heart 2 Horse is a blog written by Carol Jensen and Rebecca Anderson, both Wisconsin horsewomen/artists. The vintage photographs are from Carol's collection and the musings are written by either Carol or Rebecca. Carol is also the finder of the quotes that accompany each photo. Our aim is to highlight the deep relationship women have enjoyed with horses since forever. We hope you enjoy the visit and feel free to share the post.

"Perhaps there is a language which is not made of words and everything in the world understands it. Perhaps there is a s...
06/10/2021

"Perhaps there is a language which is not made of words and everything in the world understands it. Perhaps there is a soul hidden in everything and it can always speak, without making a sound, to another soul."
Francess Hodgson Burnett - author of The Secret Garden and A Little Princess.

The back of the photo tells us the woman's name is Billy, the horse's name is Puck and the photo was taken in 1940. Billy is gazing up at Puck and he has his attention on her. What contentment. It looks like they were out on a ride somewhere and stopped because it was a beautiful day to pause and have a look around.

I think this photo captures a moment of "just being" with your horse. No purpose, no needs, no demands, just plain being with the world and those around you. It's in times like these that we can grasp--for a few seconds or minutes anyway--how light life can be at times if we let it. Even better when we recognize the lightness when it hits us. Horse people are intuitively good at this so next time someone says "what do you DO all day with your horse?" you can simply say "just be." Here's to the incredible lightness...may you always find it.

About
Heart 2 Horse is a blog written by Carol Jensen and Rebecca Anderson, both Wisconsin horsewomen/artists. The vintage photographs are from Carol's collection and the musings are written by either Carol or Rebecca. Carol is also the finder of the quotes that accompany each photo. Our aim is to highlight the deep relationship women have enjoyed with horses since forever. We hope you enjoy the visit and feel free to share the post.

"I may hold the reins but we share the podium." -- Beezie MaddenThe photo is dated 1960 and our rider appears ready for ...
02/08/2021

"I may hold the reins but we share the podium." -- Beezie Madden

The photo is dated 1960 and our rider appears ready for the show ring. The horse and rider are nicely turned out for saddle seat--a discipline still ridden today. The quote is from Beezie Madden (google her), a decorated rider and fine sportswoman who has shared many a podium step with her mount.

It is high show season in most parts of the country. From rodeo to Olympic dressage to equitation it's the time of year the horses get bathed, the boots get shined and goals are tested.

Showing a horse is more than getting dressed up; it's hundreds of hours of prep time, practice and picking oneself up after things don't go as planned. It's fitting the Olympics are running as this is written. The stories coming from the Olympics are of achievement, disappointment, rallying and trying again. It's funny how the shows that don't go well are those that teach us the most. And when horse and rider are in sync, there is nothing prettier to watch. Cheering on all of you showing this summer--may it be fun and rewarding.

"The love for a horse is just as complicated as the love for another human being...if you never love a horse you will ne...
25/04/2021

"The love for a horse is just as complicated as the love for another human being...if you never love a horse you will never understand. " -- Author unknown

This photo is from 1945 and the caption on the back says the woman's name is Jacqueline and the horse is Golden Nugget. Even in a black and white photo this horse looked like a palomino.

Sadly, the note on the photo says that Jacqueline died a year after this photo was taken. She is leaning into Golden Nugget and he appears to lean back, ears up, eyes alert--a pleasant moment for horse and human.

As our unknown quote sayer claims, explaining the connection to a horse to a non horse lover is ...complicated. Maybe it is the sense of patience that grows in inpatient people who start working with horses. Or the sense of pride in communicating with a creature that speaks a different language. Or allowing the human to flop over a bare back on a warm summer day and just lay there while the horse eats.

It's a love that develops over time, lasts, flexes, just "is" and is the best love of all.

About
Heart 2 Horse is a blog written by Carol Jensen and Rebecca Anderson, both Wisconsin horsewomen/artists. The vintage photographs are from Carol's collection and the musings are written by either Carol or Rebecca. Carol is also the finder of the quotes that accompany each photo. Our aim is to highlight the deep relationship women have enjoyed with horses since forever. We hope you enjoy the visit.

This elegant rider and her adorable horse were photographed somewhere in England about 1870. The photograph is a small c...
14/03/2021

This elegant rider and her adorable horse were photographed somewhere in England about 1870. The photograph is a small carte de visite, or calling card. The quotation I have paired with it comes from an article titled, HINTS TO LADY EQUESTRIANS, and was featured in an 1861 issue of ARTHUR'S HOME MAGAZINE.

"I had almost forgotten to mention the whip.
It should be carried in the right hand, and simply as an ornament. A good rider never requires it; a kind rider will never use it. The man who strikes the willing creature that carries him through heat and cold, through rain and wind, in spite of fatigue or thirst, degrades himself by the act. A lady uses the hand that holds the whip but to pat and encourage. "Poor Fellow! Good horse!" will do more with the noble animal than the blow."

It seems that the present movement to more understanding and kindness in training and riding horses germinated quite some time ago. The publication of Anna Sewell's BLACK BEAUTY gave it a welcome boost. As one of my favorite horsewoman, Anna Blake, has said, "There is a shift in paradigm happening in understanding and working with animals, and women are on the cutting edge. Lead with confidence because we're right about this."

Peace.

"A feeling of quiet ecstasy surrounds many female riders and their mounts, as if they've resurrected a lost part of them...
20/01/2021

"A feeling of quiet ecstasy surrounds many female riders and their mounts, as if they've resurrected a lost part of themselves while galloping down the trail, as if all the centuries that men went to war on well-trained steeds seem trivial compared to a single moment of understanding between a teenage girl and her first bay mare."--Linda Kohanov

This vintage photo is likely from the wayback days of the 70s and not to date myself but I was there. I recognize those pants and hair. The young lady on the horse is content, proud even. Her dog is ready to tag along on whatever adventure is ahead. There is something timeless about the image of a girl and her horse. The look on her face and her posture beams strength from within.

I was a horse crazy girl who spent my days bugging my mom for a horse, reading the newspaper ads for livestock, and the yellow pages (the way we googled back in the day) for stable ads--just to read the ads and dream. Nowadays I'd diagnose a teen exhibiting these behaviors as having "horse disease." The cause is hard to spot and there is no cure.

My mom never let me get a horse but I found ways to ride. It took me awhile but eventually I bought a farm and lived the life of taking care of horses and learning to be their partner.

Our quote today by Linda Kohanov, an insightful writer, sums up the eternal bubbling of horse disease in young minds. May it never cease. And if you spot a case of horse disease, it's best to guide the energy to a good spot--a barn with horses is perfect.

About
Heart to Horse is a blog written by Carol Jensen and Rebecca Anderson, both Wisconsin horsewomen/artists. The vintage photographs are from Carol's collection and the musings are written by Rebecca or Carol. Our aim is to highlight the deep relationship women have enjoyed with horses since forever. We hope you enjoy the visit.

"We are not without hope that ladies everywhere may take up equestrianism in the right spirit. It is a false notion that...
21/11/2020

"We are not without hope that ladies everywhere may take up equestrianism in the right spirit. It is a false notion that a woman cannot ride a horse with safety. All that is required is skill."
-Peterson's Magazine, 1854

What a photo; our rider and horse are well turned out. The horse looks like a lot of horses I know who make stink ears when the camera comes out but beyond that, he is a dandy looking fellow and the rider looks relaxed. And who doesn't love a paint?
Peterson's magazine was sort of a "Family Circle" of its day back in the 1850s. It was full of articles geared toward women-- focused on fashion advice, patterns for sewing, knitting and crochet and recipes.
While we could ponder how much things have changed in 130 years let's play the "what is still true" game. For starters this young rider looks more than capable of handling her horse. She is confident and ready to go and kudos to whomever guided her along to this point in her riding. Or maybe she did it herself?
I met a young lady recently who really really really wanted a horse but her parents (grain farmers) were not quite ready to add horses to their 1000 acre crop/cattle operation. Not to be denied, the young lady haltered up a cow and hopped on. When she showed her dad how well she could ride the brown swiss (thinking she would convince him of her horse worthiness), he said "you better not do that by yourself, it's not safe."

Pause to say that I was glad to hear he didn't tell her to stop riding the cow.

Not to be deterred, the young lady was next seen riding the cow alone but wearing a riding helmet for safety. Atta girl. I told the parents I would love to have a student like her...and I saw the little spark of "hummm" go off. I predict a horse in the young lady's future.

Some things never change.

About
Heart to Horse is a blog written by Carol Jensen and Rebecca Anderson, both Wisconsin horsewomen/artists. The vintage photographs are from Carol's collection and the musings are written by Rebecca or Carol. Our aim is to highlight the deep relationship women have enjoyed with horses since forever. We hope you enjoy the visit.

"In riding a horse, we borrow freedom."                                    ---Helen Thomson    There is a magical place ...
06/11/2020

"In riding a horse, we borrow freedom."
---Helen Thomson

There is a magical place that can open up to us when we ride, if we allow it, where we experience the freedom Helen Thomson spoke of. Sometimes it's a mental freedom where the worries and frustrations of our daily lives are forgotten in the joy of feeling what our horse is thinking. It might be the physical freedom we get when we can match our movements to our horse's. Or, wonder of wonders, it could be both!

I think the young woman in this beautiful old photograph was also enjoying the freedom that her horse offered. The difference is that she lived in an era that offered limited freedom to a person of her gender. She was restricted not only by her long skirt and corset, but also by the conventions of Edwardian society. There were few professions open to women at that time. She couldn't vote. She was expected to marry at a young age and have as many babies as she was physically able.

How exhilarating it must have been to "borrow freedom" and be her own person as she rode her horse that day long ago.. At the click of the shutter she has paused at the edge of a quiet country lane. It is almost as if she is hesitating, looking back for a moment before she rides off into her future. A new decade is just around the corner, along with a world war, shorter skirts, and voting rights for women. I wonder what was waiting for her at the end of the lane?

About

Heart to Horse is a blog written by Carol Jensen and Rebecca Anderson, both Wisconsin horsewomen/artists. The vintage photographs are from Carol's collection and the musings are written by Rebecca or Carol. Our aim is to highlight the deep relationship women have enjoyed with horses since forever. We hope you enjoy the visit.

"Most women use more brains picking a horse in the third at Belmont than they do picking a husband." -- Lauren BacallThi...
09/10/2020

"Most women use more brains picking a horse in the third at Belmont than they do picking a husband." -- Lauren Bacall

This has to be a photo of an owner bearing an apple for her favorite race horse. The photo is dated 1958, the track is somewhere in France. Just for fun let's say it's Longchamps...where the woman's fur coat would be the norm in the fall. The horse is doing its best unicorn stretch to get the apple. The woman is smiling, knowing that the horse knows something good is about to happen. Women--and horses-- always know such things.

For my part I am guilty of doing exactly as Ms. Baccall aptly states in her quote. Back in the day (20 years ago) I sat for hours in the box at Belmont staring at the Racing Form and the horses as they went by in the parade to post. Did the horse belong in the race? How were their recent workouts? Which jock was aboard that day? All clues to maybe picking the winner. Often the clues I gleaned led to a losing ticket but I repeated the exercise many a Saturday for years. Perhaps had I studied the person I intended to marry as hard as I did the past performances of horses before a race I would still be married. Maybe there needs to be a "past performances" for humans too? That way those of us romantic-but-statistics-minded women can rate their chances in the long race of marriage. While I wait for that to happen I'll be in the barn feeding snacks to my horses.

About
Heart to Horse is a blog written by Carol Jensen and Rebecca Anderson, both Wisconsin horsewomen/artists. The vintage photographs are from Carol's collection and the musings are written by either Carol or Rebecca. Our aim is to highlight the deep relationship women have enjoyed with horses since forever. We hope you enjoy the visit.

"For many young girls, having a horse of their own ranks high on the scale of importance, right up there with breathing....
26/09/2020

"For many young girls, having a horse of their own ranks high on the scale of importance, right up there with breathing. --Kim Meader, author, motivational speaker, horse rescuer

The girl on this horse is queen of the world. She is smiling the thousand gigawatt smile of a girl on a horse wearing Mary Jane shoes. Can anything top this?

Kim Meader made the ultimate statement by saying being with a horse ranks in importance right up there with breathing. Yes...yes it does. In some respect I knew that when I was a kid on a horse but it took decades more to realize how important being with a horse was to me. I spent decades of working on career and life and family which offered great fulfillment for sure. Yet I needed my horse for some deep sense--on its own plane--of contentment.

Now, all those years later I realize how few possessions I need to be happy in the world and I now know how big a role my horses played in my life. Here's wishing the same for you, the knowing of that inexplicable contentment known to horses and their people.

"My pony isn't so very pretty but she is a good traveler."    Margaret to Henry, August 28, 1912    The quote for this p...
21/09/2020

"My pony isn't so very pretty but she is a good traveler."

Margaret to Henry, August 28, 1912

The quote for this post comes from the last line of the letter written on the back of the photograph you see here. For me, it's always a welcome bonus when an old photograph includes some personal information about the subject. It's almost as if the curtain of time has been drawn back just a bit, allowing a little deeper understanding of the person gazing back through the decades that separate us.
I don't know Margaret's or Henry's last name or where they lived but I gathered that they knew each other well. There seemed to be a warm informality to their relationship, at least on Margaret's part. They quite possibly could have been sister and brother.
Through most of the letter Margaret talked about farm related things. She wrote how it always rained during "thrashing" time and how she got wet getting the cows in when the rain came:

"The rain felt so nice and warm it felt fine to be out in it. You know I wouldn't melt ha! ha!"

She finished up by saying that the picture of her and her mare was the last photo of the set. I like how confidently she stands in her middy style outfit, holding her horse's head still for the camera. I have no doubt that she rode with an equal amount of confidence.
This is pure speculation of course, but I think I would have enjoyed being friends with Margaret. I like her sense of humor and she strikes me as a glass is half full kind of person. Her mare looks healthy and well cared for. But the thing I like most about Margaret is that she appreciated what was positive about her horse. I'm reminded of a book by Mark Rashid titled A GOOD HORSE IS NEVER A BAD COLOR. A good traveling horse is worth its weight in gold from where I'm standing. I'd be willing to bet that Margaret and her pony were a great team.
There are days when it can be a challenge to notice the things that are right about our horses and ourselves. But we need to make the effort. Our horses will thank us and our inner critic can take some needed time off. Sometimes the biggest changes come from the smallest steps. Now go pet your horse!

Peace.

"There is space within sisterhood for likeness and difference, for the subtle differences that challenge and delight, th...
04/09/2020

"There is space within sisterhood for likeness and difference, for the subtle differences that challenge and delight, there is space for disappointment - and surprise."
---Christine Downing, scholar, educator and author

Oh heavens get me on this ride....these women look like they are about to set off for a hill ripper of a ride, just my style. The smiles, the horses, the derbies.....swoon.

The quote Carol paired with the image is a soothing one. It made us both think about the many women with whom we so comfortably exchange views on tack, how to improve a movement, or just quietly groom horses around.

In that bubble with a horse at the center women can share so many subjects, known and unknown, in comfortable companionship. Compared to "social media" I'll take the companionship of my horse sisters flat out. There's no comparison.

And welcome to all the newcomers to the Heart 2 Horse blog. The concept is simple; a vintage horse/woman photo from a curated collection and a quote to go with it and the post is generated based on musings that come to mind. It's our antidote to a worried world with problems that horses can solve. Peace.

"Horses lend us the wings we lack." --Pam BrownHow apt is that quote? How many times have you gone to the barn with a he...
23/08/2020

"Horses lend us the wings we lack." --Pam Brown

How apt is that quote? How many times have you gone to the barn with a heavy heart or tired in the mind and left feeling like yourself again? And that's just doing normal things like grooming or cleaning stalls or saying hello to your horse. It's a whole different matter jumping four foot walls like our vintage rider. The photo isn't dated but let's say it's from the late 40s going by the cars and clothing. The rider--using a double bridle--is all in with her horse over the obstacle. I imagine her mind at that moment to be zeroed in on her horse's balance, timed with the jump and just waiting for the landing. The moment of flight, brief with no recollection of breathing, is a time free of all normal life. A glimpse of heaven.

"Ladies, to ride well, should commence to learn early in life, if possible, even while children."Peterson's Magazine, 18...
15/08/2020

"Ladies, to ride well, should commence to learn early in life, if possible, even while children."

Peterson's Magazine, 1864

This week's photo dates from 1956 and shows me and my sister Karen on the back of the last horse my grandfather still had on his farm. I'm the little one in the front (and in charge) holding the lead rope. I think it was my ealiest introduction to horses, an obsession that took hold that hot California afternoon, and has continued to this day. I have always been puzzled why my sister seemed to be immune to the horse bug.
For many birthdays and Christmases thereafter I received horse themed gifts, but did not get riding lessons or have any contact with a real live horse. My television fantasy horses, Mr. Ed, Silver, and Trigger, had to do for the time being.
That all changed when I went to college. I discovered that at the school I attended I could fullfill Phy Ed credits by taking horsemanship classes! It was a dream come true and I took lessons for the four years I attended, even though my Phy Ed credits had been long completed.
Fast forward sixty years and I have five horses of my own and can't foresee recovering from the horse bug anytime soon. My life has been shaped in significant ways because of my love of horses. I was first attracted to the man I married, besides being a handsome son-of-a-gun, because he worked at a stable and exercised horses. Some of the best friends I have were made because of a mutual passion for horses. This blog came about for that very reason.
So, let's celebrate the connection we have with horses and each other. We would love to see photos of when it all started with horses for you.

Peace.

Women on the RangeToday's image was taken by Amy Lin Siegel on her Colorado ranch. On the left is Tracy on Rose and Syan...
03/08/2020

Women on the Range

Today's image was taken by Amy Lin Siegel on her Colorado ranch. On the left is Tracy on Rose and Syana on Max, the dun. Amy recounted the day of hard riding and solid horse/rider partnership this way:

The day's goal was to move a whole bunch of cows that were all in the wrong spot back onto their own range.

They left the ranch at 7 and spent the next 12 hours riding in the mountains - looking for, finding and moving cows... cows that did not want to be moved. It had been raining so the footing was wet, muddy and boggy. They rode 23 miles, much of it vertical. The second part of the day they chased a small group through very dense timber on very steep downhill slopes and through some serious bogs. This is not easy riding. The horses need to be both bold and careful, and there is a lot of trust involved on both sides.

Amy noted that they were quite happy to be back at the trailers -- the point when this photo was taken... just as the light was getting low.

Thanks, Amy, for sharing your contemporary perspective on the woman/horse partnership out in cattle country.

"If I've learned anything over the years, it's that horses do listen to you. They may not have a clue what you're saying...
21/07/2020

"If I've learned anything over the years, it's that horses do listen to you. They may not have a clue what you're saying, but they know the tone in which you say it."

Mara Dabrishus

Wouldn't you have loved to have been privy to the conversation going on in this photograph? I imagine that the young woman's cowboy boyfriend or husband rode up and told her to go ahead and climb up on old Ned there, never mind her Sunday clothes. And the young woman, let's call her Bessie, was game to do just that!
Luckily, someone had a camera to capture that moment, although I don't think Ned was totally on board with the idea. Maybe he felt that a woman in a dress was beneath the dignity of a hard working cow horse like himself. It appears that it took a little sweet talking from Bessie to convince him that everything was fine. His swishing tail (might be flies), tight mouth, and hard eye could spell trouble but he did seem to be listening to whatever words of encouragement Bessie was offering. I like to think that right after the shutter closed, Ned let himself relax and everyone remarked about what a good horse he was. I don't think Bessie ever had any doubt.

Peace.

"Horses and children, I often think, have a lot of the good sense there is in the world." --Josephine Demott RobinsonThe...
17/07/2020

"Horses and children, I often think, have a lot of the good sense there is in the world." --Josephine Demott Robinson

These young cowgirls are sitting sidesaddle and look to not have a care in the world. It makes one wonder what they were about to do that day; have a hack about the farm? Head to the mountains on a jaunt? Both saddles have two stirrups each, so perhaps the girls were posing as "proper ladies riding sidesaddle" even though they appear to be in the mountains, far from the sidesaddle types found back east. We'll never know as the photo has no inscription. But they are young, no worries in the world and on their horses. We hope they had a joyful ride that day, full of dreams and crazy ideas created in the space only kids and horses can inhabit.

"I've spent most of my life riding horses. The rest I just wasted." --Author unknownWho remembers melting when the horse...
08/07/2020

"I've spent most of my life riding horses. The rest I just wasted." --Author unknown

Who remembers melting when the horses showed up at the parade? This parade horse and rider look smashing in their finery and would have put my 8 year old self into a wide-eyed, wishful reverie. The photo looks like it was taken in the late 40s, going by the age of the cars and the clothing of the bystanders. The horse is prancing while the rider gives the parade wave not truly knowing how many little girls she just turned to mush. And yes, the rest of life is just time between rides.

HEART"Every little girl dreams of having a horse. I have lived that dream my entire life"                               ...
05/07/2020

HEART

"Every little girl dreams of having a horse. I have lived that dream my entire life"
Amber Sawer

The post this week is rather special, in my opinion, because I know the person quoted above, and I took the photograph last February!
I would like to introduce Amber Sawyer and her amazing horse, Derek Bromac N. I feel quite honored to know them both. Derek is a retired Standardbred harness racing star who, at age 20, is enjoying a slower paced life these days with Amber. But, he's not resting on the many laurels of his racing days. With Amber's help he has become the goodwill ambassador for horses everywhere, visiting nursing homes, pulling a cart in parades, and making personal appearances at special events around their hometown in Wisconsin throughout the year. They have even been on TV!
When Derek was racing he was known as a horse with heart. Amber's eyes light up when she recounts stories of his glory days of racing and how she brought him back from a serious injury when he was 13 and given to her by a friend. Her affection and pride for the old gentleman, and the other older horses she has worked with, is obvious when she describes Derek as a gentle horse with a big, goofy personality. She feels blessed to have him in her life, and if Derek could talk he would tell you that Amber has heart, too.
Upon meeting Amber you can immediately tell that she is a people person. Friendly and outgoing, she loves to educate people about horses and the sport she's passionate about. The oldest of three and the only girl, she followed in her father's footsteps and started racing at county fairs at the age of 17. She was often the youngest driver on the track and the only female. Amber went on to become a dedicated trainer and driver at tracks all over the US. In harness racing circles she's known as the Pink Lady because she decks out herself and her horse in as much pink equipment as she can.
It is never easy being a woman in a sport traditionally dominated by men. When Amber wanted to go for the second level of her license, allowing her to race at more tracks, the judge at the track in Saratoga Springs, New York told her, "I don't want to see a woman driver on my track". Undeterred, she got that license at a track in Maine. I don't think it only takes male brute strength to guide a thousand pound animal around a track. It also takes brains, intuition, courage, and finesse and Amber has shown all of those traits as she drove horses in 13 states and raced 300 times.
Amber moved back to Wisconsin a few years ago and was enjoying the county fair harness racing circuit until the COVID 19 pandemic caused most events for 2020 to be canceled. That break in her schedule has given her time to work on a children's book about Derek titled LOVE TO RACE. And fortunately for me, she has had the time to help me with my ex-racer Jack. She has generously offered her expertise and knowledge of driving and the wonderfully versatile Standardbred, helping me gain more confidence as a driver and horsewoman. I look forward to the time we spend together in the cart or sleigh behind Jack. Many, many thanks Amber, and may you and Derek have many more adventures together.

Peace

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