The Phenomenal Paint Horse! Throughout the month of March, we are featuring Paints and Paint crosses.
Did you know… dressage riders who choose a member of this historic breed as their mounts are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program, as the American Paint Horse Association is a participating organization?
In this story, we hear from the faithful Paint Horse of a youth rider from Region 9, and how they’ve built a bond unlike any they’ve made before.
By Danielle Aymond, from the perspective of Oakley the Paint
My name is Oakley, and I am a cremello American Paint Horse who will be turning twelve this year. If you haven’t met a cremello Paint yet, I’m not surprised; we are a bit rare.
If you had told me back in my early days that I would one day be trotting down centerline and halting at X, I probably would have flicked my tail and walked away in disbelief. But, life has a funny way of leading us exactly where we need to be, and for me, that journey led to a young boy named Connor and a white rectangle I have come to love. And now, like my unique color, I have found a unique career for myself as well.
I was born in Oklahoma in 2014, and am cow horse bred through and through. My first career was as a team penning horse in Texas. I’ll be honest with you though: that life was not for me. The box made me nervous, and the whole experience left me unsettled. Before long, I found myself shipped off to a horse trader in Louisiana, and from there I was purchased at auction by a local kids’ camp farm. At the camp, I served as the counselor horse, which suited me well enough. During that time, a young girl leased me and introduced me to other disciplines, including jumping. My ears perked up at that. There was something about leaving the ground that felt like freedom.
Unfortunately, circumstances changed, and after just a couple of years, I found myself back in the horse trader’s barn, waiting for the next auction to come around. I had no idea what was in store for me, but I remember feeling uncertain about what my future would hold.
Then, Connor arrived.
He was just ten years old, small in stature but steady in his energy. The people at the trader’s facility put a small English saddle on my back and let him climb aboard. I remember thinking very clearly that I needed to be careful with this one. He smelled good, he had cookies, and most importantly, we vibed. There is no other way to describe it. Some partnerships are born of careful planning and methodical searching, but ours was born of something simpler: two souls recognizing each other.
Before I knew it, I was loaded onto a trailer and delivered to my very own farm, where Connor lived. It was August 2024, right around his tenth birthday, and I was his gift. We have been partners ever since.
Circles, Contact, and a Whole Lot of Learning
Our early days together involved a lot of time spent in a white rectangle doing circles. I came to learn that this was called dressage, and while I was skeptical at first, I quickly realized that Connor was serious about this discipline. Then the jumps came out, and I was so very happy. Combined tests became our thing, and we started tackling fences up to two feet high while also refining our flatwork.
One of our greatest accomplishments together has been learning contact. When Connor first started riding me, I really did not understand this whole business of accepting the bit and working into a steady connection. But here is the thing: Connor was transitioning from lesson horses and needed to develop a more independent hand. So while I was figuring out how to soften into the contact, he was figuring out how to offer it correctly. We taught each other. I think that is pretty special, honestly. Not every horse and rider gets to grow together like that, meeting each other in the middle and becoming better because of the partnership.
Currently, Connor and I are competing at Intro C in USDF-recognized shows, and we have earned scores as high as 69%. We school at Training Level and have our sights set on showing Training Level Test 3 at the end of this year. Our long-term goal is ambitious but achievable: we want to reach Third Level by the time Connor graduates from high school in 2031. That gives us five more years of partnership, learning, and growth. I am here for every single ride.
More Than a Dressage Horse
What I want people to understand about me is that I am not just a dressage horse. I want Connor to experience everything. If he decides tomorrow that he wants to try western riding or trail ride through the mountains, I am game. Just last week, he asked me for a flying lead change over a pole, and I said no problem. As long as Connor is asking, I am willing to try anything. That is the kind of horse I am.
I will admit that I do not give everyone the same ride I give Connor. His mom is fine and all, but she does not get the same level of effort from me. I am fiercely loyal to my kid, and he is my person. When he is in the saddle, I want to give him my best. That’s just how it is.
A Word About Paints
If you are reading this and considering a Paint Horse as your next dressage partner, let me offer you some perspective. People say Paints are stubborn, but I prefer to think of myself as smart. I’m much smarter than the warmbloods on this farm, but I let them think they are in charge. It keeps the peace.
What I bring to the table is heart, loyalty, and versatility. I may not have the traditional dressage pedigree, but I have something just as valuable: an unwavering commitment to my rider. When you find a Paint who chooses you, who vibes with you the way I vibed with Connor on that first day, you will have a partner who will give you everything.
My journey took me from the team penning arenas of Texas, to a horse trader in Louisiana, through a kids’ camp, and finally, to a small farm where a 10-year-old boy was waiting for me. It was not a straight path, but it was the right one. And now, every time I trot down that centerline and halt at X, I know exactly where I belong.
Great story, Connor and Oakley!