Arabians are our YourDressage Breed of the Month for July! One of the oldest horse breeds on earth, and the influence for many other breeds, these elegant horses are easily recognizable with their delicate faces and high tail carriage. They excel in many sports, particularly endurance riding.
Dressage enthusiasts who ride Arabians have the opportunity to earn special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards as Arabian Horse Association, North American Shagya-Arabian Society, and Performance Shagya-Arabian Registry are all Participating Organizations.
We recently asked our social media followers to share stories about what makes these horses so special. Here, a Region 6 rider shares how she visited a four-year-old Arabian out as a courtesy to her trainer, and a month later fell in love with the gangly gelding who reminded her why she loves to ride.
By Megan Kelsch
When I first met GS Chief Justice RCF+, aka Huey, I was not interested in a new horse whatsoever. I had lost my childhood horse about a month prior, and still needed some time before I could be invested in a new horse. My old trainer was selling him, so out of courtesy I went to visit him at the 2018 Sport Horse National Show. He wasn’t being shown, but was there to experience the grounds and find a new home. He was a giant gangly four-year-old with a perfect Arabian head and a very sweet personality. He was being marketed as a dressage prospect. I had never shown dressage so it didn’t seem like a good match. I decided to hold off on purchasing him.
About a month later, I drove to Salt Lake City for a test ride. I immediately fell in love. He was stunning, very quirky, and he reminded me why I love to ride. I had been so wrapped up in the competition aspect of riding, I had forgotten what it was like to enjoy riding for fun.
I have always shown main ring events, so learning dressage was a new ball game for me. Huey and I started taking dressage lessons in the spring of 2020, so we would be prepared for the 2020 Sport Horse National Show. We decided to sign up for the Purebred Sport Horse Under Saddle classes and the Purebred Training Level Dressage classes.
We had the show of our lives – National Champion Arabian Training Level Dressage ATR, Unanimous National Champion Arabian Sport Horse Under Saddle Dressage Type ATR, Reserve National Champion Training Level Dressage AAOTR, and Top Ten Arabian Sport Horse Under Saddle AAOTR.
A week after nationals, my husband and I found out we were expecting our first baby. We just had our baby girl in June, and I am hoping Huey will play a big role in her life as well.
I love the never ending opportunities to grow with dressage. I know I have only scratched the surface, but I am excited to continue to learn. I can’t thank Huey enough for reigniting my love for riding, and I am so excited for our future together.
Related Links:
Information about the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards
Bob, the Accidental Dressage Horse
Breed of the Month – Arabians! Part 1
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