WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD Vick i Humphrey CANTON, GEORGIA with Jeff Wallace
W
hat does your dream horse look like? As my eye as a horsewoman has matured, my dream horse has evolved. My first dream horse was most importantly high headed, very forward and had to be waving its legs. While all those things are still important, the word that moves to the top of the list is balance. My dream horse is proportioned to be compact, hip dropping as the front end comes up with equal motion front and back. He must exude quality and must work fluidly with expression and ambition that comes from heart and is not manmade. If you could resurrect any 2 horses, whom would they be and why? For breeding purposes, I would definitely resurrect Bask. He has contributed to the breed greatly, but it would be interesting to breed him to the mares that are available now. For riding, I would resurrect FF Summer Storm, a Bask daughter, and one of the most fun rides I’ve ever had. Who was the first Arabian horse you laid eyes on and what was the experience like? I was in school learning to ride jumpers, and an Arabian mare named Raitez threw me off into a four foot oxer three times in a row onto my back. How has the Arabian horse enriched your life? We get involved with the Arabian horse because of our attraction to their character and beauty. However, through our travels in the industry, we meet so many interesting people, here and abroad. We, as trainers, impact the lives and futures of the children we teach; we add joy to the lives of many owners and, as a result, our lives are enriched by the people we meet even more so than the horses.
130 | A R A BI A N HOR SE T I MES
You have had great success with your amateur and junior riders. What do you feel makes a great amateur and junior rider trainer? A trainer of children has a responsibility to teach not only the skills of horsemanship, but more importantly, the following: 1. Confidence 2. Self Esteem 3. Perseverance 4. Determination 5. Dedication and Work Ethic 6. Sportsmanship These are key elements for success in life—not just in the show ring and as a trainer—no riding skill can be taught that ranks above these.
Volume 46, No. 1 | 131