Meet Justin

Growing up my favorite movie was a Wonderful World of Disney movie called Run, Appaloosa, Run starring a bay blanket appaloosa named Holy Smoke. I loved Holy Smoke. He was the perfect horse. My senior year in high school I was a stall cleaner at a local stable. The stable owner, Glenda, owned a nice quarter horse mare named Kaycee who was in foal to an appaloosa stallion named Big Time Zippo. January 10, 2000 Justin was born. He looked very similar to the baby Holy Smoke. I was in love instantly but knew that he would most likely be sold before his first birthday so I tried not to get attached.

Left: baby Holy Smoke. Right: baby Justin

Kaycee Ann Wes

Big Time Zippo

 By the time Justin was born I had helped with 3 other foals. I found all of them, including Justin's full sister Bambi, to be cautious of people their first days of life. Not Justin. He was in the vet's pocket during his first day check up and would meet you at the stall door for attention. He was easy to love.  

Justin a week after I bought him

When Justin turned 1 he went into training for yearling lunge line. He failed. The trainer said he'd be a horse that was a little bit good at a lot of things but not really good at anything. Exactly what I was looking for in a horse. Justin came home and was purchased by some boarders who also fell in love with him. They hired me to help teach him the basics which I was extremely happy about but I only fell deeper in love with him. At the time I was also leasing an awesome half arab pinto named Jet and showing an appaloosa named Rio for experience on a part time cookie decorators income. When he was 18 months old I was lunging him in the arena and Glenda was watching. I was talking about how much I wished he was mine and she asked me if I wanted her to feel out the new owners to see if they would sell. I said that would be great and that evening I had an email from his owner saying they would sell him to me. They knew how much I loved him and knew I would take very good care of him. The next day he was mine. Thanks Tina and Randy!

Justin at the WS Finals Show

I had to give up riding Rio and once Justin turned two I gave up my lease on Jet. Justin was a blast to train. The second time I sat on him I hopped on bareback with a halter and lead and rode him around the arena. Probably not a smart idea when I think of it now. He was so simple as a 2 year old. At 3 he developed an opinion which is typical appy. I've been lucky to have the help of Glenda, Lu Ann LeMon and Lisa Gardner. Glenda has been there for me and Justin from the beginning. LuAnn helped me turn a canter into a lope and get him going in a bridle. Lisa has been helping me get him polished and is now helping us learn to do some low jumps.

Currently Justin and I enjoy doing the local Horseplay Schooling Series, Brookwood Schooling Series, and Lope On In B-System shows. I've also taken him on the Woodbrook Hunt and enjoy trail riding on the Fort Lewis Reservation.