Meet the Horses
Sequoia
The horse that started it all
Sequoia is Olivia's personal horse, and the one that has been with her for the entirety of her horsemanship journey. They started riding together in the summer of 2014, and Sequoia was purchased for Olivia in 2016. Since then the pair have experimented with a number of training and riding syles, before settling into their happy place of classical dressage. This doesn't mean that the occaisional jump or long gallop is out of the question though!
Sequoia is a bay thoroughbred mare with no markings, and never raced. Right now she is doubling as a broodmare.
Calligraphy (Triple Blue Bars)
The project horse that stayed
Calligraphy (or Calli) was purchased as a 4 year old in June 2020 to train and sell in the fall. She was the easiest horse to start, taking everything in stride and basically starting herself. She was sold, but after she fell in love with my now husband her sale fell through and she stuck around. She was for sale once more the following spring just before we discovered she was pregnant, and once again her sale fell through. After having a few months off to have her foal she came back and makes a spectacular lesson horse with her amazing patience, and with her nice breeding she also doubles as a broodmare.
Sadie
Noodlebred
Sadie has been in my training program off and on for a few years. She joined the lesson program for the 2023-2024 season before she was sold to a trail riding camp. She will be back for lessons over fall and winter, so those that enjoyed riding her will get to see her again.
Gooseberry
Little Orchards first foal
Goose (Triple Blue Bars x ?) is the surprise foal that came with Calligraphy born on April 29, 2021. This sweet gelding is a handful, and loves to wreck any fences that aren't up to his stardards. He exhibits the same trainability of his dam, trailer training himself at 3 weeks old, and taking the halter in stride when he had to wear and lead with it for the first time ever when he escaped his pasture at 1 month old. He is now starting as a riding horse, having had his unofficial first ride out in the pasture.
Hickory (Nightmare on Hickory Street)
Tall dark and handsome
Hickory (Sequoia x Windy Coulee Dawn Zephyr) was born May 13 2022, which was a Friday the 13th, inspring his registered name. He is registered Canadian Sport Horse (CSHA) and exceptionally athletic. He is the first foal I bred on purpose, and the pairing worked out beautifully. So nicely that he was going to be a stallion prospect, but due to a lack of papers on his dam that will not be happening. He will make a fine gelding, and with any luck go into a sporting career, and maybe ever joust in his future.
Maddie
Lesson horse extrordinaire
Maddie is lovely little quarter horse that came to me in Spring 2023 due to a referral. She was previously a reining horse but had to retire due to injury. She was retrained using classical dressage priciples, which we continue working on to this day keeping her relatively sound. She has gone on to be a spectacular horse for the beginner riders, exhibiting astounding patience while they learn the basics of riding, but she has quite a bit of spunk when it comes to taking her older riders.
Lulu (Luminous)
Quiet thoroughbred
Lulu was already on the property when I moved stables in 2023, and after giving her an assessment she proved suitable for the lesson program, and I purchased her shortly after. Although she has been mostly retrained from her racing life, she still has some habits to work through that she exhibits in certain scenarios. When it comes to arena riding though, she is as careful as can be with her riders, and takes very good care of her beginner riders.
Seamus
Honorable mentionSchoolmaster
Seamus has joined the lesson herd. He is not for beginners, but those who enjoy learning classical dressage will find that he has lots to teach!
Rain
Best boy
Rain is owned by Katelynn Teyke as her first training project from scratch. This quiet boy is still a stallion, but you would never know because he is perfectly behaved. It doesn't take him long to pick things up!
He is looking like he'll join the lesson program from time to time possibly by the fall.
Arizona
Self proclaimed slow poke
Arizona is on loan from his owner and has proved invaluable to the lesson program. His favorite speed in slow, and he checks with his rider and the ground crew if the rider asks for more speed. If he is unsure he stops and waits for clearer instructions. We have discovered, though, that he has a secret love for jumping that you would never expect from looking at him!
Finny
Resident Jumper
Finny joines Little Orchard in the winter of 2024 and has been a great addition to the program. Anyone learning their first canter or going over a first jump has gotten to ride her!