Texas Equine Photographer | Kyle the Hanoverian Thoroughbred

Emma rides Kyle in Dressage, although she bought him as an experienced eventer to help her move up the levels. When she moved barns a little less than a year ago and started training with Janine, she fell in love with Dressage. And Kyle loves it! Emma has owned Kyle for 3 years this April. He came from one of her trainer’s students who was stationed in Florida. Emma and her mother went on a whirlwind trip up to Florida to try him out. She met his owner at a gorgeous barn in Ocala, Florida. The most beautiful barn she’s ever seen. The second he got out of the trailer, she knew one thing for sure, he was BOSSY. The second he set foot on the grass he dove for it. He would not lift his head. This is why he was called “anchorhead” by them. Once it came to riding him and grooming him, he was a dreamboat. That was the day she fell in love with this horse, and hasn’t stopped since. He is Emma’s dream come true and definitely worth his weight in gold.

Emma got into horses at age 5- right after her move to California. She always loved riding the horses at pumpkin patches and what not and she begged her mom to let her ride after they moved in. She explains, “my love of horses just took off from there. Kyle is the only horse I have ever owned and I’ve had him for 3 years. My favorite thing about owning a horse is the unbreakable bond that you get with this animal, and the amazing lessons that I’ve learned through owning horses that I couldn’t have learned anywhere else in life.”

She continues, “My best tips for riding are to never try to force anything. If you allow the horse to developed through correct training, everything will come on its own, nothing will need to be forced. I also taught my horse so many tricks through clicker training. My best grooming tips is to let your horse have as natural a coat as you can, because over all their coat looks healthier that way.”

Emma also told me the story of Kyle before she had him, “He started out at a breeding farm called High Point Hanoverians and was bred by a woman named Angela Barilar. He was her favorite horse and she planned on keeping him forever. Sadly, she got brain cancer and was forced to unload all of her horses before she then passed away soon after. He then went from home to home until he found his way to me. I am so very fortunate for that. Then, his story with me sure was a crazy one. Our first year together was amazing and we were doing really well together. Then in April of 2015 it all went downhill fast. From colic, to strep infections, to EPM, to lameness. Everything went wrong. But thanks to our amazing, amazing vet Dr. Huffman at Retama, Kyle went from a 95% chance of retiring, to a happy, healthy 21 year old horse that can do anything. Dr. Huffman saved my horses life and I will forever be grateful to him for that. My favorite memory with Kyle happened pretty recently. He had a year off due to his illnesses and it was my first time galloping him in what seemed like forever. I went out in the field with my best friend Emily and her horse sparkle, who was also rehabbing from a bad injury, and we just decided to let the horses go. The two of them went flying through the pasture together, racing eachother although we weren’t pushing them at all. It was the most amazing feeling to have my old man feeling good and wanting to run and have fun again. It was amazing.”