Senior Horse Photo Contest Winners!
After reviewing the many wonderful entries we received, we’ve made our final picks. Picking the winners wasn’t easy as we had many excellent submissions. We’d like to thank everyone who entered for making this such a successful program. Don't forget to enter our Performance Horse Photo Contest and our Cat Photo Contest!
GRAND PRIZE
Winner of ONE TON of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, a Feed Scoop and Horse Cooler!
Lindsay G. of Chester, NH
Pony Express (A.K.A Ditto) was my first pony. He is a quarter horse/arab cross. He is currently 19 years old, this picture was taken 2 years ago when he was 17. Ditto was given to my sister and I as a Christmas present many years ago. He was 6 years old and not broke to ride! With in a year or so I was showing him successfully in the Childrens Pony Hunters. When I outgrew Ditto, my sister showed him, and when she outgrew him, we couldn't come to terms with selling him. We decided to build a barn and bring him home. I now have my own business teaching lessons and he is a favorite among the students. He is one of the sweetest, well mannered ponies I have ever come across. He likes to give kisses. Ditto is extremely special to us and doesn't act a day older than when we got him!
First Place
Winner of 1,000 lbs. of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, and a Feed Scoop!
Annie H. of Bradford, ME
My almost 21 year old mare, April. This was at her final show in her career. After 10 years off she came back to do what she does best. My now 17 year old son decided he wanted to try a his hand at showing, she was my obvious choice for a partnership. While she is a great mare she can be a handful even in her older years. However being at a show is just another day. This was his only A rated show and they did quite well as a team. Him only riding for a few short months and having to learn what most people learn over years, she was a great teacher. My youngest son will learn to ride on her as she goes onto her "golden years". With proper feed and vet care I hope to see her live a long, long retirement. She has touched the lives of every person that has met her, and given many pony rides. She is an unforgettable horse.
First Place
Winner of 1,000 lbs. of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, and a Feed Scoop!
Laura S. of Ghent, NY
Ol' Poco is 22 and even at this age has more heart than all the rest of our horses combined. Despite his old age aches and pains he gives everything he has no matter what the task. Too this day he still competes in Team Roping and Mounted Shooting, is used as a helper with starting colts, and schleps our tails out on the occasional trail ride. Poco is like "Denny" in "The Man from Snowy River". The talented trusted horse who gets pulled out when no other horse can get the job done. Most recently, he had to go help capture a half wild Haflinger who broke out of its pasture and was running amuck in the neighborhood for a few weeks. As sure footed as ever, he succeeded where all others had failed. Although, it wasn't his feet that got the job done this time, it was more his gentlemanly ways. He just whinnied and snorted and she followed him into the enclosure. I guess he was her type. And he is our type too. We are hoping for many more years with our trusted friend, Ol' Poco.
Second Prize
Winner of 500 lbs. of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, and a Feed Scoop!
Candace D. of Galion, OH
King Of Poco Pine, aka "Beau", is a 17 yr. old Quarter Horse that I have owned for 12 years. Beau is now retired from riding because of physical issues but is still very active both physically and mentally. He is a very intelligent horse always getting into my business, carrying off hammers, shovels and other tools as I work around the barn. Beau's greatest love is food. He is always devising ways to obtain meals and treats. I feed Beau and his stablemate, Sweetie, in the paddock or pasture from a feed barn where I prepare their meals. Beau has gotten in the habit of looking for his rubber dish in the pasture and bringing it to the feed barn to be served first. If he forgets, I ask him for his dish and he promptly finds his dish and delivers it to me. Beau also fetches thrown objects for treats and on occasion will bring a gift on his own hopeful for a cookie. I feel his future career may be as a trick horse!
Second Prize
Winner of 500 lbs. of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, and a Feed Scoop!
Meg S. of Newington, CT
My flea bitten gray girl is 25 yrs old, I've known her half her life. Thirteen years ago, I was offered to purchase her for $1 and reluctantly agreed. She was docile, well behaved, white and a little older than I was expecting. I guess I was looking for a dark and moody challenge. but for a dollar?...Sold!
We bonded slow but solid, she was my first. We grew together. Circles around the neighborhood, soon expanded to trail rides through enchanting forests. In 2003, we joined the CT Horse Council Horse Patrol. My Dancer clears leaves and tall grasses, while I clip and saw twigs and branches. She is a hard worker and a great partner. I trust her not to leave me when dismounted, and she trusts me to lead her safely down the road less traveled. We have gotten lost, faced off bears, and endured other minor mishaps that we laugh about now. Because we spend a lot of time together, every day is a new adventure, every moment, a comfortable memory. I'm just glad to be with such a good friend to sail down uncharted paths with.
I believe Blue Seal has given Dancer the vitality to remain healthy and hearty. She always enjoys dinner time (we're a lot alike that way). But she likes carrots for dessert, me? not so much with the carrots. Dancer is featured in the CT Horse Council 2012 Calendar. Her ice clumped chin whisker are the feature photo for January, and she is the pin up girl for June. Pretty good for an old girl, no? I'm very proud of her and blessed to have her in my life.
And by the way, I prefer to describe my spice girl as cinnamon sprinkled; flea bitten gray just doesn't begin to tell her story.
Third Prize
Winner of 250 lbs. of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, and a Feed Scoop!
Jamee A. of Penrose, CO
Durango is a 1989 model and he has been through absolutely everything with me. I bought him as a very green horse owner and have owned him since he was 3 years old. He has been through driver's license, high school graduation, college graduation, graduate school graduation, marriage, divorce and a whole lot of career changes. He has absolutely been my rock through all of life and helped shaped my ideas about work ethic, dedication and hard work. He is the poster child for dressage training is for every horse. Despite many periods with people telling my parents and my trainer to "just buy a new horse" or "buy a more talented horse", I believed in him and he is a Prix St. George horse that schools many more advanced movements. I earned my USDF Bronze Medal and 1/2 of my Silver medal scores on him. He's the most wonderful, bright soul. He has been on Dynasty Senior for 4 years now and I have no doubt that the feed is a large part of why he is still sound, healthy, happy and still competing at 23.
Third Prize
Winner of 250 lbs. of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, and a Feed Scoop
Hanna B. of Mattituck, MA
For many years I rode at a 4-H camp where there was a summer horse program. My 4-h club rode and took care of all the horses and animals on the farm year-round. Dickens, a Shetland pony was one of these faithful camp horses. He was the go-to guy for all the little kids who were too afraid of the big horses. He gave them confidence and happiness when they were scared or sad. I have known him for more than half my life and he has taught me more about myself and about horsemanship than any person could have. I took him in after he was retired to be a companion to my miniature horse. Dickens is now in his late 40's but can still give my 6 year old miniature horse a run for his money. From the first day i set eyes on this little, golden pony, my life has been more colorful and happy than I could have imagined, and its all thanks to a senior pony named Dickens.
Honorable Mention
Winner of 100 lbs. of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, and a Feed Scoop
Erin C. of Hampton Falls, NH
Count Suleyn ("Su") is a 26 year old Arabian gelding. I bought him as a three-year old when I was thirteen, and trained him myself.
Su has done a little bit of everything in the 23 years we've been together. We've done thousands of hours of trail rides, low level eventing, dressage, and hunter paces.
He's a great confidence builder for timid riders. I do Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and my Little Sister can trail ride him by herself. She was very nervous on her first trail ride, and Su (who normally walks quickly) made sure he took baby steps and stopped if he felt her get the slightest bit off balance. It's been nice to see her develop her self-confidence riding, and watch it carry over into other parts of her life.
Su has aged remarkeably well. Every year the vet looks at him and says, "He's how old?". I fully expect to be riding him into his 30s.
Honorable Mention
Winner of 100 lbs. of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, and a Feed Scoop
Addie May N.. of Goshen, CT
Magnus is our rescue horse that we adopted from a shelter in New York. When we drove west that day to first meet him we didn't know much about his past. After the long drive to the shelter, both of our children cried out with excitement that they saw Magnus at pasture. I was sure that such a handsome horse could not be the very horse that was being offered as a rescue, but I was proven wrong when the owner of the shelter reassured me that the horse the children were hugging was indeed Magnus. My husband wasted no time in saddling and bridling Magnus with the tack we had brought along. My daughter jumped onto his back and her father led her around the pasture on Magnus. Soon a small crowd of people arrived and stared with wonder at the pair riding with ease around the field. It was then that the shelter owner told me that in the year that they had Magnus our daughter was the first to ride him. Why this was is a mystery, as is much of Magnus' life before we met him. The adoption would be blind. We would be ignorant of his origins and who ever gave him up for adoption would not know where his new home was. Although we had been warned that Magnus had suffered some illness that might prevent him being ridden, we have yet to find any sign of permanent disability in him. He was under weight, that and his immense size, 18.2 hands, meant that Magnus spent most of his time eating. Even after he filled-out most of his waking time was spent in eating. We had experience with feeding extra large horses as we already had two draft crossbreds in our barn. Little did we expect that upon Magnus' arrival that our two mares would look like ponies compared to the giant Magnus. First my husband and son demolished a wall between two stalls to make one large one, because Magnus could not fit in a 12' by 12.5' stall. Then the more frequent trips to Blue Seals began, so did the extra purchases of hay. It is hard to believe that nine long years have gone by since Magnus first arrived at our home, but it has, and he is now a senior horse. We had been feeding our two mares a senior horse grain diet for some time, so making the switch for Magnus was easy, especially since he did not miss his Charger that had been swapped for Vintage Senior. Now there are three lawn ornaments in our pasture and since the children are now adults living in other states, Magnus has gone a year without anyone on his back. He doesn't mind his retirement, as long as his meals are on time.
Honorable Mention
Winner of 100 lbs. of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, and a Feed Scoop
Brandi J. of Mason, MI
My parents purchased Linus (Headline Story) for me as my show horse when I was 15 and he was 3. He was my dream horse and was so special in my life. We competed very successfully on the Michigan ApHC circuit but more than our achievements, he truly gave me the confidence to become the woman that I am today. Because we lived in town, the deal was that I had to sell him to help pay for college. That day came and we sold him...and it shattered my heart but I knew that was part of the deal. Six years ago, I was given the unbelievable opportunity to purchase him back. At 21, he is the true definition of what a senior horse should be. Wise, unflappable, talented, athletic. To my amazement, he has competed and held his own back out on the ApHC circuit for the last two years, even accumulating year-end awards. He has met and kissed my children, has a fan club of Linus "groupies" everywhere he goes, and remembered the bond that we shared all those years ago. Even after all these years, he is my heart and is still my dream horse.
Honorable Mention
Winner of 100 lbs. of Senior Feed, a Tote Bag, and a Feed Scoop
Gabrielle S. of Hopkinton, NH
My horse, Tigger Too, is a 21 year old Hanoverian/Thoroughbred cross. I've been his "mom" for the past 12 years, first working part time and cleaning a barn of 4 horses after school to keep him as a teenager, and later continuing to work through college so I could afford bring him to school with me. He has been many things to me over the years; a teacher, a riding instructor, a tester of patience and responsibility, and most importantly, my friend.
While Tig looks quite spry in his photo, he is plagued by a multitude of heath issues including Navicular disease, lower-articular ring bone, a heart murmur and respiratory problems. It is with the help of exceptional care, high quality feed and supplements that allow him to continue living comfortably in his senior years.
This photo was taken when he was about 20 years old, and although he has suffered from these health issues for a number of years, he still acts like a three year old on a regular basis. He is the first horse out every morning at his barn, bucking, kicking and rolling as soon as he is turned loose.
Special trips to the beach end with aching arms and legs - mine - not his, from trying to rein in 1200lbs of pure excitement. He absolutely loves to splash in the waves, sticking his tongue out just like in this photo to catch a taste of the salty spray. I feel so lucky to have the privilege of tagging along for the ride.
