My Miniature: A Big Gift in a Small Package

by Rebecca Myers There is a quote I like that I feel represents my situation perfectly. “Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it, establish your priorities and go to work” -Anonymous. My name is Rebecca Myers. I was raised showing miniature horses on a national level since the time I was four years old. We have been showing in the American Miniature Horse Association since 2005 and recently have taken up the American Miniature Horse Registry. When my family and I were on summer vacation over fourth of July in Colorado in 2013, during lunch one day I told my family that someday soon I wanted to buy my own horse. It was a few weeks later that I put a down payment down on a foal from a world-renowned miniature horse breeder, Limestone Miniatures. The owner of the farm, Janet King showed me some of the foals she had for sale and I chose a sorrel and white little colt with an Arabian look. I was so excited to meet him and drew pictures that I put up in my room. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be as he went to live in heaven before I ever met him. I was devastated and didn’t know what to do with myself. Being the sweet angel she is, Janet decided to let me pick out a horse the following year. When the following spring came around, Janet sent me pictures of four of the colts she had available. I was looking through them and narrowed it down to two of them, a black one a palomino and mostly white pinto. I almost chose the black one just because I wasn’t a fan of the upkeep for white horses but inevitably, I chose the white one. It was one of the greatest decisions I have ever made. One of my other greatest decisions was to sell two of my pigs in order to pay for him so before he had a name, he had a nickname, the two-pig horse. From there I started thinking and researching different names, one, a barn name, the other, a registered show name. the barn name came first thanks to one of my favorite movies and books of all time, War Horse. I decided to name him Joey and it stuck. The show name came to fruition when I woke up one morning; my mom and I were talking, and we came up with LM Idols Heza Hawk Star. After that I waited patiently for a few

more months for him to become old enough to be hauled to Arizona. I was so excited to get him that I remember the exact date and time. It was August 17th at 5:47 in the afternoon. When he came off the trailer, he leaped like a jumper and I was instantly in love. For the entire first week I had him I got up at five o’clock in the morning and would go train him and desensitize him to being touched/ handled. Joey was so willing to do anything and caught on so fast to things I taught him. I was amazed at the elasticity of his mind. Over the next year I trained him to do halter, tricks, showmanship, halter obstacle (in hand trail), and jump. When we went to the first show of the year at Westworld in March, he was completely undefeated in the competition. When we went to the World Show in September 2015, we placed third tying for reserve in both of our classes. The following year he was in training with Casey Campbell of Wingate Training Center in Vacaville, Ca. This was the year he won his first grand. He went Reserve World Grand Junior Gelding and the following year in training again he went Reserve World Grand Senior Gelding Amateur to Show and Reserve World Grand Classic Pleasure Driving Amateur to Show. He was in training one more year to finish off his driving training and then he came home to me were for the 2019 season we decided to make our debut in all around classes such as Halter Obstacle, Driving Obstacle, and Showmanship. Together we have accomplished so much I could not be a prouder horse mama. My little guy is now a three time Reserve World Grand Champion, tied for Reserve National Grand Gelding Under 34” , was Unanimous Senior Gelding Champion in the under division at Nationals, a one time National Champion, 10 time World Champion, and 16 time Reserve World Champion, winner of the TW Glosser Ultimate Gelding Award, and was a big contributor to me winning the Alvadar Future of the Industry Award. While working with and getting to know him over the last few years, I found that he is the sweetest goofball on the planet. I personally think it is because he was born on April Fools. I try to celebrate his birthday every year and I think he enjoys it. He views life much like Olaf from Frozen. He is always getting into things he shouldn’t and always wants to make friends out of strangers. He, of course hates to be a white horse so when he finds a puddle, he splashes it all over himself and at show I have to wash him every day, sometimes multiple times because somehow, he finds a way to get himself filthy every time. He also never forgets to rub or spill the hoof black all over his legs and sometimes mine. I could not be more blessed and grateful for the gift God gave which is this little horse to make my life whole. He really does work in mysterious ways and I hope to always remember that. Joey is one of the brightest lights in my life and he always makes me smile even when he’s being obnoxious. Hawk, alias “Joey”, along with many other Miniature horses from Arizona and neighboring states can be seen in action at the Arizona Miniature Horse March Festival with four shows back to back from March 26 through 29, 2020, at Westworld of Scottsdale. Free admission and free parking for the public. Sponsored by Miniature Horse Assn. of Arizona. Info: 480-567- 2067. www.AZminis-mhaa.com.