The most challenging horses are often the ones that give us the most. Arabian/. Irish Draft cross Glenlord's Mystique is
40
The Arabian Sport Horse Magazine
August/September 2013 the Southwest Dressage Championships
Worth The Work
Training Junior Division and finished 3rd.
petitions throughout the US. Camp provid-
for the experience, thinking that the mare
I figured we would need a school-mas-
She has started 2013 at Training level
ed them with the opportunity to fine-tune
would probably not do well enough to rib-
ter for a while and that Mystic would still
and has done well. She finished on her
some of the skills needed to compete at
bon or even receive a medal. We just want-
take several months until she would be
dressage score in March again at Texas
the international level.
ed for her to have the experience as she
ready to be Gaby’s full-time horse com-
Rose Horse Park and finished 9th out of 25
They will continue to train with the Area
was only four years old. After 18 entries
peting at horse trials. Once again, she de-
kids. She was entered in two more shows
V Young Rider Coach Mike Huber and they
with fabulous horses and some very tal-
fied the odds and began to take Gaby to
this spring, but we had to withdraw as Mys-
are planning on doing clinics with Olympi-
ented kids, they did in fact win the Bronze
the jumps and really enjoyed her job. She
tic had an infected tooth that needed to be
ans such as Boyd Martin.
Medal. Her loyalty to Gaby was beginning
had competed in a couple of Young Event
removed. She had started being winded
I would say that before being blessed
to show; Mystic now had a great work ethic
Horse Shows and once again did well. She
after cross-country for the first time ever,
with this amazing mare, I wouldn’t have
and would try hard to please all of her hu-
was the 2011 USEA Area V Young Event
as an abscess from the tooth had blocked
shopped specifically for an Arabian cross
mans!
Horse Champion 4-Year-Old. She was also
one nostril.
since it is not a usual breed for eventing.
During her 4th year, she also began to
By Cheryl Stephens
tic came back.
get some light jump training. My daughter
the 2012 USEA Area V Young Event Horse Champion 5-year-old.
Gaby and Mystic went to USEA Area V
I certainly would now. They are graceful,
Young Rider Camp for the second year in a
athletic and have fabulous stamina. These
did all the work in the beginning, teaching
In the fall of 2012, Gaby competed her
row. This year it was held at the site of the
three things are what is needed in eventing
her to wait and go over jumps and worked
at Area V horse trials in the Novice division.
2013 American Eventing Championships at
in order to be successful and competitive.
on gymnastics. She took to it well, but over-
She competed in just two horse trials; in
Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas. Gaby
They are loyal and have a work ethic that is amazing!
The most challenging horses are often
As the months went on, we were hav-
jumped almost everything. Gaby pressed
the second one, they placed second and
and Mystic have qualified for this year’s
the ones that give us the most. Arabian/
ing medical issues with the older mare and
on, and in the same year (2011) had done a
finished on her dressage score. She also
AEC’s at Training level. This year at camp,
I am often approached by people who
Irish Draft cross Glenlord’s Mystique is just
decided to send Mystic to be backed as a
few USEA Young Event Horse shows, again
qualified for the American Eventing Cham-
they were in the prelim group as they con-
comment on Mystic’s beauty and grace.
that type of horse.
three-year-old by a friend. She spent four
to just get the experience. She wasn’t quite
pionships for the first time! The following
tinue to prepare to move up to the higher
Most are in awe when they see her jump, as
“Mystic” came to us in June of 2008,
months there, learning how to accept a bit
ready to be competitive at horse trials, so
show, her trainer, Mike Huber, moved her
levels of their sport.
she is quite scopey! I think she and Gaby
at just 14 months old. I acquired her from
and rider and being exposed to traffic and
this was an easy and inexpensive way to
up to Training Level. This was the Holly Hill
Gaby and Mystic are aiming for the
will have many more years together and
my good friend, her breeder Kelly Jones,
trail rides. When she came back, she was
get her some show miles and exposure.
Horse Trials in Louisiana in October, and
North American Junior and Young Rider
will continue to go where no one thought
in Leander, Texas. She had not been han-
a different horse, and my daughter began
At the first one in March of 2011 at the
she finished 5th. That same month, she
Championships in July 2014. They must
they would go.
dled much, so she was a bit of a challenge.
to take dressage lessons on her. Of course,
Meadow Creek Horse Trials in Kosse, Texas,
competed at Texas Rose Horse Park in the
qualify at the one-star level at select com-
She did not like people and it took several
right away, we noticed she had some dres-
Mystic won. She then went on to win again
months of us working with her to get her to
sage talent. Shortly after she began with
in May of 2011 at the Greenwood Horse
greet us at the gate for handling.
lessons, her trainer thought we should
Trials, competing in the Young Event Horse
Once she finally did, she was still a
enter her in a USDF recognized show and
Series as a 4-year-old. Mystic also com-
little standoffish. She did not like to be
thought she would be competitive at train-
peted that year in the Greenwood Horse
handled and was a loner horse even with
ing level enough to maybe qualify for USDF
Trial in Beginner Novice. Her progress as an
other horses. We had her older half sister
Region 9 Championships and Southwest
eventer was really beginning to take form.
(same sire, TB dam), and I eventually put
Dressage Championships.
them together.
In her 5th year (2012), we decided to
The older mare was my
After that first show in April of 2011
send her to a trainer in Louisiana for some
daughter’s future horse and eventer. We
(she had just turned 4), she did qualify for
cross-country training. She had begun to
figured that we would just get Mystic some
Southwest Dressage Championships to be
stop at the jumps, and Gaby was only 15
basic training and then sell her, as we were
held in November. She had only missed
years old at the time and not able to help
not sure she would handle the demands of
qualifying for Region 9 Championships by
her. She was gone for 5 months. I had pur-
eventing. She was a lovely mover, but she
less than a tenth of a point but we did not
chased an off-the-track racehorse that had
was spooky and did not want to be around
do another USDF show in order to get the
been around the block and could give Gaby
people much.
final qualifier. We decided to compete in
the confidence that she needed when Mys-
Photos Courtesy of Cheryl Stephens
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