Traveller:  A Lesson in Versatility.

 

 

As an active observer of horses and their humans I have had the pleasure of watching various clinics and demonstrations of horsemanship methods but the one that seems the most “useful” to me is Versatility.  Versatility is teaching the horse to be confident in all situations and usually has the horse walking in, on, under or through a number of obstacles.  Invariably one of these obstacles is the infamous “Blue Tarp of Death”.  The Blue Tarp of Death seems to be the gold standard for testing the bravery of horses.  Every trainer I have ever seen seems to employ this in their arsenal of obstacles.  It seems that through some cosmic intervention, blue tarps show up in fields, show rings, and trails all for the direct purpose of scaring the bejeebers out of your horse.  They’re everywhere folks.  You NEED to train your horses accordingly or horse riding, as you know it, will cease!

Now, everyone claims to have the “most sane, intelligent, bombproof” horse that ever lived (especially if it is for sale).  The only horse that I know that has ever really fit that description is none other than Carousel Horse Farm’s own Traveller.  Traveller was one of the last great Clydesdale-cross horses from Newfoundland Island and the first one Carousel decided to keep after selling 20 or more. 

Without much known about his formal training, Traveller was invited to be a mount at the University of Maine’s first intercollegiate show.  In each class he had a different rider and jumped at 2’6” with flying lead changes though he hadn’t jumped more than a couple jumps at a time previously.  Traveller won third or better with every rider!  

Traveller loves crowds, noise and commotion. He’s the only horse with whom you can drive the carriage past an amusement park ride at Old Orchard beach at night with people screaming and lights flashing. Even though it seems like the ride is going to come out over the fence at him, Traveller just strolls by with ears up, eyes bright as if to say, “Hey!  I want to go on that ride!”

Always willing to be a good sport, Traveller has participated in camp productions playing the roles of cowboy, Paul Revere, Peter Pan and even did a grand entrance, after dark with a new rider into a crowd of 400 children whooping and screaming, to start off the annual color wars at The Seeds of Peace camp. He trotted confidently and full of curiosity.  Even after exiting out into the woods, out of sight of the screaming kids his rider would have to turn him away from the noise because he wanted to trot back down the trail to the sound! 

Traveller’s resume also boasts that he drives anywhere—single or as a team, chases cows, overnight camping trail rides, foxhunts, camp horse, hunter/jumper and dressage and then will happily take a six year old to Pear’s Ice Cream every day of the week as safe as can be.  When pulling the carriage over the bridge on the Naples Causeway, he loves to look down and watch the boats going by underneath! 

My most recent sighting of Traveller was at the Freeport Theater of Awesome.   You would expect me to say he was pulling a carriage out on Depot Street but you would be wrong.  Traveller was an invited guest on the stage of the Early Evening Show with Mike Miclon, Jason and Matt Tardy.  For four shows (with only one rehearsal) Traveller thrilled the sold-out audiences by walking in the front door, through the curtains and onto the darkened stage (stealing the spotlight from Oren Robinson and the Early Evening Show Orchestra).  After “answering” a few questions from Mike (with the help of Jason Tardy) he calmly backed out the door with the promise of his pay—a highly-coveted Wicked Whoopie Pie before boarding his trailer to be chauffeured back to Carousel Horse Farm.    

You can versatility-train your horses with sacks and cones and blue tarps all you want, but you will be hard-pressed to find one as talented and versatile as Traveller.  Come and pay him a visit at Carousel Horse Farm or keep up with his busy life on his Facebook page, “Traveller and Friends”.