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The Challenge | The Trainers and Students | Event Information

Wednesday, August 5

Maggie has been an amazing horse to work with. Every day she continues to amaze me. She continues to take everything that I ask her right in stride. It’s almost like she knows what she is doing, even though her and I have never worked on it before.

Maggie can be handled by anyone. She is so kind and laid back that even beginners are able to handle her. Nothing bothers her. This photo is from our ride the other day. She doesn’t really care about what goes on around her and just wants to please.

Monday, July 20

Maggie has been doing great these past few weeks. Here are some pictures that we have taken over the course of our training. The picture of me and Maggie walking together is when Maggie was learning to steer - this was from a month ago or so. She picked right up on the concept. She is such a smart cookie!

Maggie has also been working on learning how to ground tie. The other photo is of her ground tying in the yard. Every day I am able to increase the amount of time she stands and the distance away from her I can get. Of course, Maggie thinks it's a pretty boring game, but she is such a trooper and understands the concept and rules!

Doesn't she look cute under saddle? She is such a doll and sweet little gal!

Wednesday, July 1

"Maggie you are not going to be a jumper. We are going to work on other things."

These were the first things I told Maggie when she came to the farm, but Maggie was going to prove me wrong. Maggie had been at our farm for a week. She was separated from the other horses, in the beginning so I could learn more about her as an individual. Maggie decided one day that she wanted to be a jumper and to also be with the other horses. This is when Maggie took a flying leap over our fence. When I found Maggie in the field with the other horses her legs were badly scraped up and swollen. At this time I called the vet and he said that she had ripped her legs open down to the extensory tendon, but said, thankfully, the tendon was not cut! This put Maggie out of commission for the next few weeks as her back legs were completely wrapped. She really did become a painted horse with her green legs. During this time Maggie and I spent time just getting to know each other and building the trust she greatly needed in humans.

Maggie has improved greatly since her accident. There will be minimal scarring when her legs completely heal. She was a real trooper through the whole ordeal and now stands like a dream for the vet. THANKS JON! I have really grown to love this little mare. I have yet to find something that scares this little horse. Nothing seems to bother her, tarps, ropes around her legs, plastic bags, flying saddle pads, a jumping trainer :), saddles, etc. I am always waiting for the big blow up or the spook, but nothing ever comes. Maggie just looks and then that is it. She continues to amaze me! The other surprise that Maggie threw at me was she is not mare-ish at all. I have 3 other mares on the farm and when we introduced Maggie I was waiting for all the squealing and stomping, but it never came. Even when the time came for Maggie to be turned out into the field with the other horses, she just took the kicks from the others and continued on. It has been great to have such a kind, easy going horse.

Maggie may be kind and easy going, but she does have some sass in her! :) But that's what makes her Maggie. She likes to have things her way right at first but after you take the time to introduce things, she then begins to accept them. Maggie's sass comes in the form of "I'm not going to chew when I'm praised or I really don't want to look at that and you can't make me." It just makes me laugh when she puts on her sassy, opinionated face because she thinks she can be so tough, but really she is just a softy that wants someone to love her.

I can't wait to see how Maggie continues to progress and how she will take things as we begin to ride out of the round pen and in the small arena. I think it will be like everything else, right in stride. (I will work to get some pictures over the holiday weekend!)

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To get in touch with Haley Furchner regarding Maggie, or to set up a time where you can meet them both, please feel free to contact Haley via e-mail or at 651-212-1426 or 651-385-7546.

About Haley Furchner: Hi, I'm Haley Furchner and I will be Maggie's trainer for the next few months. I am 17 years old and have been riding horse for as long as I can remember. I got my first horse, a naughty little Shetland Pony, when I was 6 years old and from there my love for the animal has grown. When I was 8 years old I knew that riding would always be a huge part of my life and I got a POA that taught me what I know today. I have worked with many instructors and trainers. I trained my first horse when I was 9 years old. She was a little Arab mare that was on the farm I rode at and us kids got to go out to the field and pick any of the young horses that we wanted to work. I chose Sunny and she was a fabulous little mare to work. I now am working at improving as a 3-Day Event rider. I have also recently picked up showing Shire's. I am looking forward to working with Maggie and improving as a rider and trainer. Every horse can teach you something new, as you teach them; we both just need to listen.

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have of Maggie! I am here to answer and to tell you what I know.