ACTHA Monthly | June 2015 | 22
Quixoté was frightened, angry and defiant when he came home to Hawk Hill Farm in Fincastle, Virginia. For over a year, Leah and Qui built a relationship beginning with groundwork, grooming and affection, ground work and more groundwork. Together, they explored the neighborhood and Qui learned about gates, bridges, tractors and farm equipment, lawnmowers, ATVs and traffic – all the things a future trail horse should know. When it was time to start under saddle, Leah enlisted the aid of Diane Long, a gentle and patient trainer who worked with both of them every day. Through it all, Leah told Quixoté how wonderful he was,
wonderful he was, and gradually, Quixoté came to believe it. By four years of age, the partnership had deepened and there was no trail they wouldn’t explore together. Leah’s favorite comment when trail riding, is. “I wonder where that goes?”
I named him Rafik and brought him home that weekend. BIG mistake. I couldn't hardly get near him once he was turned loose and although I was good with horses, he was just too spooky and flighty for me to work with at the time. I finally asked the barn where we purchased him to put 60 days on him. Rafik fought them in his training, he acted terrified of people walking up to him, always twitching in nervousness.
Qui in training with Leah at age 3