I have loved horses for as long as I can remember. As a child I spent hours watching the horses graze in the field across the road from our subdivision. I begged my parents for a horse of my own at every opportunity, knowing that my wish would not come true. I settled for collecting Breyer horses and pretending they were real. I still have the collection of nineteen horses of various breeds and colors displayed in my computer room.

My first real ride was through an orange grove in Florida on a horse named Windsong when I was about nine years old. I had been on the pony rides at the zoo that just went around in circles, but the trail ride that day sealed my love of riding for good.

A couple of years later I was able to attend a summer camp that offered daily riding lessons. Strawberry was my faithful partner for a month of lessons and trail riding at the camp.

I bought my first horse when I was nineteen. Barritt was an Arab/Morgan cross who was always ready for whatever I chose to do, whether it was a trail ride or jumping a few fences. It was about this time that I first heard of Jim and Sharon Rowe and Rowe Dressage Stable.

I first saw Jim and Sharon Rowe at a demonstration they put on at Michigan State University in the old livestock pavilion. I remember being in awe of Sharon’s riding ability and her invisible aids. I had never seen anything like it before. Dressage? What’s that? Little did I know what a big part they would eventually become in my life.

I began taking riding lessons at Rowe Stables from Lynda Martin (now Weese). Lynda was a fun and patient instructor and I looked forward to my weekly lessons. Through Lynda’s instruction and observation of Sharon and Jim’s riding as well as their students, I began to see riding not only as a sport, but also as an art. Dressage was where I wanted to be.

I have been given the opportunity to ride many different horses while at Rowe’s including their well trained school horses: Sailor, Muffin, Mandy, Jet, Happy, Cadenza and Wagg have each taught me in their own individual way. Marida, who I rode for many years, showed me the kindness and loyalty of the Andalusian breed. Gent came to Rowe Stables as an off-the-track TB who had been used for walk-trot lessons, but had little dressage background other than an unsteady leg-yield. Gent and I got along wonderfully. I was able to show Gent for three years progressing from first to third level with a lot of help from Sharon. Gent then became, and still is a school horse. I bought Striker from the Rowes in 1998. Striker was trained by Tracy and Sharon and was to be the horse I could take to FEI levels. Striker, an Arab/Saddlebred cross was quite a change from the calm steadiness of the horses I was used to riding. With Striker I achieved a new level of understanding of lightness, although I don’t believe I was ever as light as Striker was capable of being. Unfortunately, Striker’s FEI career was not meant to be, and he now lives and enjoys his semi-retirement with Mary Rabe, a student of Tracy’s.

My new horse, Unforgettable Journey, a coming four-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Branco out of a TB mare, Pachyderm Parade, was purchased last summer from Cindy Lang. Cindy owns a small breeding farm in St. Johns and is also a student of Sharon’s. Journey is my first young horse and is progressing nicely in his training. I hope to be able take him to some shows this summer. Hopefully, some day we will reach Grand Prix. I know I would not be where I am without the literally hundreds of hours of Sharon’s excellent instruction and infinite patience. I also know I have a very long way to go in my dressage education, and Jim, Sharon and Tracy will be there to help me achieve my goals.

When I am not at the barn with my horse, I work as a forensic scientist with the Michigan State Police Crime Lab in the toxicology unit. I have a border collie named Charlie who loves to hunt squirrels in the backyard and go on long walks. My boyfriend, John, has come to appreciate my horsey habit, even if he doesn’t always understand it.