CW Horses

I have had the most wonderful horses throughout the years and it's down to them that I am doing what I do today...BUT ... The one horse that I just pinch myself everyday that we were together is the amazing Chocolate teddy CT.

He was the smartest horse I have ever met and the belief we had in each other from the moment we set eyes on each other has made for the best moments of my life.

A beautiful liver sorrel American Quarter horse out of top cutting stallion Tamulena and dam Eclipse Cutter. 

Born 02/04/96 in Oklahoma City OK USA 🇺🇸

 He started his cutting career early still entire and competed in the Midwest and down to Texas

At the age of 5 he was gelded in 2001 and he ended up at a the Kentucky Horse sales where he was bought by Harry O‘Rouke of Pond Hill Ranch, Vermont 

Harry used him a his Pick up horse in the Rodeos while he was up for sale.

CT was bought and returned a number of times due to his behaviour and not compatible with any of his owners.
Harry was the only one CT would let handle and ride him, proving CT chose his people !!

Unfortunately as CT was bought to sell on Harry couldn’t keep him for himself so it Wasn’t looking promising for CT 

In 2002 I was booked on a CHA clinic at CCC to aim for my advanced Western Instructor certification and clinician certificate 

Camp had some great advanced English horses but nothing advanced for western.
We came up with the idea that I looked at leasing an advanced western horse just for the week

I contacted Harry at Pond Hill as being a top leasing barn for the whole of the East coast and where we leased horses from every summer for camp, I knew he’d have a great Western horse 

Phone call made to the United States Harry had 5 good advanced horses I could try before my exams started. 

I flew to the states in June, made my way to Pond Hill and got to try the 5 horses

CT was one of the 5 !!!

Harry warned me the big leggy liver horse was his best horse but difficult and only he seemed to be able to ride him

I first saw CT in the corridor of the main leasing barn with the guys trying to keep him steady while Harry tacked him up 

His eyes were wild but as soon as we met he had this look of deep intelligence and kindness when he looked at me. I could completely see past his big aggressive behaviour 

Wow it was like a jolt to my heart it was like we both knew what each was thinking 

Harry rode him and you could tell he was only just trusting harry, but Harry was quiet and calm with him.

I got on him and his back roached as soon as my foot was in the stirrup

His eyes watching my every move, he froze and I asked for walk on and he stood his ground so patted him and said ‘you’re ok’ and with that he moved off without any leg, It was like he was saying as long as you ask me I will do anything.…. make me and you are done. I respected what he had asked for and rode quiet just like Harry had done and bit by bit he let me walk jog stop lope 

Only thing he couldn’t do was a left lead. Harry said if I take him and manage to get him doing a left lead I can have for the week for free.

He said as he’d sold him and he’d been returned that many times that this was his last chance and if I didn’t want him he’d be on the meat wagon by the weekend 

This horse had completely got me invested in him so I shook on the deal that I’d take him and bring him back left lead and all!!!

When he was handed to the guys to untack him, he looked at me again with those kind eyes, I really didn’t want to leave him

He was to be shipped over to Camp the next day.
Really couldn’t wait for him to arrive

He got dropped off the goose neck trailer and handed to me and he gave me that look again and this deep Whicker, I was blown away how he’d remembered me from the day before 

I leased him off Harry for the week during the CHA clinic and in that short time we became soul mates and I could not leave America without him. In October 2002 i flew him to the UK and CT has stayed by my side ever since

TBC ……