My Horse Background   Hello!  Here is about me and my experience with horses. I have always been obsessed with anything to do with horses and I started drawing them as soon as I could hold a pencil. My Mom said she gave me a toy horse instead of a doll as a very small child. So it began. You can click on the photo for a larger version. 1971   I was determined to ride, so with my Mother's undying support, I started taking lessons at the age of 8 and was in my first hunter horse show at the age of 9, breaking thoroughbreds at 12. My trainer made me ride anything and everything and many times I went to a show with no horse to ride. I always ended up with some horse that someone was having problems with and I always did well in the division. I did not own my own horse when I was showing and it made me a better rider. (In my opinion.) I was obsessed with winning and was very competitive and extremely intense when I was in the show ring. I was Reserve Champion for the year in my division (equitation) for four years in a row. One year I missed Champion for the year by one point!! Ugg!! I would show in A rated shows  with some frequency(and took Champion in my division three times), but mostly just regular shows. Unfortunately, it did not take long for the expensenses to dictate my show career ending. Now, my showing is mostly for fun and spread out. It is my first love but I had to branch out in to anything horse related. Here I am (pictured below) at a horse show in Jackson, MS. I took Champion in the division. I was 16 years old. This is just a little trivia for you: I was in a small hunter show about 2 yeras ago. Now I had not shown in about 15 years. The horse I had I was using at the racetrack for a pony horse (a true 17.2 hand thoroughbred) and someone told me "Hey you know that horse used to be a show horse?" No I didn't, so I went with one of my buddies to Holly Hill and we were goofing off going over the prelim fences on the cross country course. My buddy said that there was a show that weekend and I should go. Well, I did, and so with only 2 days schooling we took Reserve Champion in the Limit Over Fences division!! What a hoot and what fun!! You can click on the photo for a larger version. "Shennadoah Tea Time" 1979 Horse Show I was fortunate to have an extraordinary trainer that taught me, her name is Denitia Newman. She trained under George Morris and she was exceptional on a horse, could ride anything. She was a stickler about equitation and was very though. Many times she would make me take my irons off the saddle and take my lesson like that, including jumping. She taught me about general care of horses, breaking, training, sales prep for thoroughbreds, working thoroughbred horses sales, handling and care of mares and foals, handling and care of stallions, foaling, different tack uses, different bit functions, barn work, show jumping, learning how to handle "problem" horses, anything and everything horses. There was always something that needed to be polished, cleaned, swept or raked up. Needless to say I learned everything concerning horses from the ground up. She taught me how to "read" a horses body language, facial expressions, how to "feel" a horse when I am riding or handling one, etc. Naturally I still learn something else about horses daily. I was taught from A to Z about them, nothing overlooked, too small or irrelevant to learn. I have found that all she taught me over 30 years ago is still good, solid, common horse sense. I am forever grateful. You can click on the photo for a larger version. "Seabreeze" 1985 Horse Show "Sham" schooling 1986

	Here I am Doing My Job The photos below show what I do for a job. I am not a jockey! I exercise racehorses which means I take racehorses to the track and get them fit for racing. It is great fun but of course there is always great risk in getting hurt. The fantastic horses, the thrill and all the great people out weigh any negatives. You can click on the photo for a larger view. Here is "Grade One" and I think he is one of the most stunning horses I have ever seen! He is 16.2 hands and made over $350,000 racing. Photo at Gulfstream Park, Miami, Florida 2003. You can click on the photo for a larger version. Here is "Touch Tone". One of my favorite horses to gallop. He made over $600,000 dollars racing. He was such a cool horse and he ran 2nd to Point Given in the Haskell! Photo taken at the New Orleans Farigrounds, 2001. Click on the photo for a larger view.   Here I am ponying(taking a horse to the starting gate) the Kentucky Derby, 2003. The racehorse I am taking is "Private Emblem," winner of the Arkansas Derby. Barbara Livingston photo.

Located in Bossier City,Louisiana. (318) 549-9676