By Emily Larson
This article received an honorable mention in the 2024 GMO Newsletter Awards for first person experience articles for GMOs with 500+ members. It appeared in the June 2024 New England Dressage Association newsletter, Tip Of The Hat.
Every horse person will have a different answer, but I think we can all agree that when you find that horse the answer becomes clear. It’s the horse that makes you feel special; the one that lets you find your path with some gentle (or not so gentle) direction. We are, after all, speaking about a mare! For me, it was the horse that taught me what it means to truly listen, to be a better partner, to strive to be worthy of what she has to offer and, how to bring the knowledge that partnership instilled to other horses in my program and to the people who entrust their partnerships with me.
Uloma is 23 years old and happily easing her way towards retirement at my farm. Her job now is to keep the youngsters, human and horse, in line. She is a shoulder to lean on; a reminder that an unconventional path often has the greatest rewards.
Uloma’s life started with Kathy Hickerson of Majestic Gaits. She is out of Kathy’s cherished mare, Miloma and by Farrington, who lived at Majestic Gaits for many years. As is every breeder’s dream, Kathy got a keeper filly in Uloma. Kathy fondly relays the stories of Uloma as a baby, backing her butt into the corner of the pasture and galloping across the field as a favored pastime. She quickly realized what a special filly she had and gave her all the time she needed to develop her confidence.
Uloma’s started her riding career with Colleen O’Connor Dzik. While she was with Colleen, she earned her Sport and Keur predicates through KPWN-NA and went on to become the #1 Dressage-bred horse of the North American keuring tour of 2007. She had competed through third level during that time. After her success with Colleen, Uloma went home to Majestic Gaits to start her intended career as a broodmare. She produced seven lovely foals in the following years.
In September of 2017, I reached out to Kathy, inquiring about her plans for Uloma for the winter and following year. After some discussion, Kathy and I decided Uloma would reenter competition to allow me to get my scores for the L program and finish my USDF bronze medal requirements. Kathy had always said Uloma was the best mare to ride and compete because of her work ethic and bravery. The only thing was she hadn’t been ridden in years. So, with a lot of trust in Kathy, our journey began…
“It WAS thE hoRSE thAt tAuGht mE WhAt It mEANS to tRuly lIStEN, to BE A BEtTER pARtNER, to StRIvE to BE WoRthy of WhAt ShE hAS to offER”
After some trial and error, Uloma helped me to understand what she needed from me as her rider. Once I put her in the wrong girth and she refused to do a single flying change the entire ride. To be happiest in work, we developed a program in which she schooled four days per week, broken up by two days hacking, one of which was walk only and the other let her blow off some steam cantering and galloping in the woods. The more I got to know her, the more her impeccable sense of humor blossomed. Some of my fondest memories of her are of moments out on the trails when she would see something she might be able to chase. I learned to just sit tight when she saw a turkey, deer, or even the odd hiker, because she was off to the races!
Within our first season together she not only helped me achieve my goals but started to show me that, at 17 years of age, she had so much more to offer. By the end of 2018 she helped me earn my Silver medal, which is when Kathy and I decided she would stay with me and see what we could do, instead of heading back home for more time as a broodmare. Feeling that we were capable of more than I thought possible when our journey began, I realized it was time to buckle down and really learn to ride the intricacies of the FEI work to earn higher scores.
This is when Bill Warren entered our life. It was most important to me to find a trainer who would be kind and empathetic to the horse and not take advantage of her generous character and amazing work ethic. He understood her straight away and we began the slow work of getting higher quality work while maintaining relaxation; always a work in progress on such a hot horse.
We received a scholarship from NEDA to spend the 2021/2022 winter season in Florida with Warren-McMullin Dressage. That afforded me the opportunity to improve my riding and my partnership with Uloma immensely. Our scores improved through the season and we gained even more confidence in each other with every ride. We left Florida with all of the scores I will eventually need for the r and R judging programs and schooling all of the grand prix. We capped off 2022 with a trip to Dressage at Devon, where we competed in our first CDI*. I remember riding into the Dixon Oval at 10pm for our arena familiarization; it was full of fancy riders on even fancier horses. It was a bit overwhelming and I didn’t quite know what to do at first. Uloma, of course, didn’t miss a beat. That sweet mare took my hand and said “no problem, mom, we got this;” marching right in and showing them exactly why she deserved to be there.
“A REmINDER thAt AN uNcoNvENtIoNAl pAth oftEN hAS thE GREAtESt REWARDS.”
To be able to go to Devon at all was such an amazing experience. To do it with this special mare, with whom I have developed this incredible partnership, was simply indescribable. At 21 years of age Uloma was a happy, fit, sound, and confident mare competing at the CDI level. Out of all of our accomplishments, that will always be what makes me the most proud.
In my struggle to figure out what to say about her, I reached out to Colleen. As we reminisced, there were a lot of tears shed thinking of all the ways in which Uloma is perfect. In the end, it’s always the little things that come to mind. It’s the habits, likes, and dislikes which only a small group of people are privy that make a relationship special. For example, Uloma requires a quiet moment with her rider before being bridled. She wraps her head and neck around you in the gentlest hug. Most horses get a sugar or a mint as part of their routine, Uloma just needs a hug and a good scratch after a ride. We talked about her immense, never-ending love of work and her bravery. Both Colleen and I recall tests during storms with flying tents and letters. Uloma never batted an eye, being scared is not in her nature. We will never know if she is truly that brave or if she trusts her people so much that she doesn’t consider the possibility that we don’t have complete control of everything outside of our bubble. Either way, every time I sit in that saddle I feel safe and at home. I know she’s going to take care of me and the most humbling thing is that she trusts me to do the same for her.
When I think back on Uloma’s career with her enthusiastic commitment to being the best, whether it be competition horse, broodmare, or even her dedication to winning her hacks, beating everyone else back home (my deepest apologies to the riders and horses in White Fences who became unwittingly involved in her walking race back to the farm), the undeniable truth is that she is a force of nature. She’s become my safe place, my compass, for moving through the layers and the ups and downs of this industry.
So, what is the perfect horse? It’s the one who teaches, the one who commiserates, sympathizes, and then gives you the kick you need to be better. A better person, partner, rider, instructor; the one who centers you and reminds you of the simple pleasures because we’re human and we forget. For me, it’s Uloma; she taught me to find the victory in each day, no matter how small, and to celebrate every stage with gusto.
“I kNoW ShE’S GoING to tAkE cARE of mE AND thE moSt humBlING thING IS thAt ShE tRuStS mE to Do thE SAmE foR hER”
