We have a special place in our hearts for every horse that’s trotted in and out of our lives. But what about the people who have peppered the breezeways and barn aisles of our stables? Lots of them have been great friends and acquaintances. But which one has earned the title of BBBF: Best Barn Buddy Forever?
“I’ve been lucky to have had a lot of horse pals over the years,” says Doreen Hagar. “But if I had to single out my most memorable barn buddy, it’d have to be Mindy. She and I rode at the same barn, with the same trainer, and we showed in the same divisions. Whether I was taking a lesson or competing, Mindy was always around. She was a very good rider with an awesome mare. That could’ve been kind of ugly if you think about it,” Doreen explains with a laugh. But she reflects for a moment and adds, “Fortunately, Mindy was driven to win, just like me, but she wasn’t ruthless or cutthroat. In fact, she was a lot of fun. It seems like we were always cracking each other up. That camaraderie carried over to the show ring. We’d root for each other and most of the time we’d place right next to each other. Like if Mindy won, I’d be second, or vice versa. At one big show, when I suddenly got very ill and was in the hospital, Mindy showed my horse for me, and won a couple of championships on him. She was genuinely sorry, almost apologetic, that I wasn’t able to be the one collecting the prizes. I’ll never forget that. Even though Mindy has moved hundreds of miles away, I’ll always think of her fondly. She was a good rider, a good horsewoman and a good friend.”
Cindy HaleCindy Hale’s life with horses has been filled with variety. As a child she rode western and learned to barrel race. Then she worked as a groom for a show barn, and was taught to harness and drive Welsh ponies. But once she’d taken her first lessons aboard American Saddlebreds she was hooked on English riding. Hunters and hunt seat equitation came next, and she spent decades competing in those divisions on the West Coast. Always seeking to improve her horsemanship, she rode in clinics conducted by world-class riders like George Morris, Kathy Kusner and Anne Kursinski. During that time, her family began raising Thoroughbred and warmblood sport horses, and Cindy experienced the thrills and challenges of training and showing the homebred greenies. Now retired from active competition, she’s a popular judge at local and county-rated open and hunter/jumper shows. She rides recreationally both English and western. Her Paint gelding, Wally, lives at home with her and her non-horsey husband, Ron.