Of Horses and Heart

By Thom Moore

Suzette Howard.

She comes by it honestly. What can she say? It’s in her blood, so to speak. Suzette (Suzy) Howard, Accounting Manager at Farmers’ Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Clovis, cut her teeth on drawing pencils and her mother’s leatherwork. Growing up in Portales, she fell in love with horses and began to notice their different personalities, attitudes, intelligence, strength, and of course, their beauty. Suzy had inherited what would become a “true love.” Inherited because she comes from an impressive pedigree of fine eastern New Mexico horsemen and women.

Floyd (Mutt) Cater, Suzy’s maternal great-grandfather, and his wife Gertrude (Mammie), moved to Liberty, New Mexico (no longer existing, but was located south of Taiban, New Mexico) from Post, Texas in the late 1920s. They traveled there by covered wagon. On their arrival in Liberty, they built a half dugout, repurposing the wagon as the upper part of the home. Mutt was a veteran of World War I, having served in Italy. His duty: working in the cavalry maternity ward, foaling out mares. It would be safe to say that Mutt knew just a little about horses. With the ugliness of the war a distant memory, Mutt and Mammie, raised four children on the ol’ desert farm and ranch at Liberty. The Cater’s only daughter became Eleanor Finley when she married a local cowboy, Pecos Finley. The Finleys became members of Farmers’ Electric Cooperative in 1954. In 1959, they purchased the mercantile store and post office in Taiban. Eleanor was the postmaster and storekeeper, while Pecos would do any job available. There was only one caveat, whatever job it was, it had to be done from the back of his horse. You see, the tall, lanky young man preferred sitting in the saddle versus sitting on the hard seat of a horse-drawn or muledrawn plow, as his father before him. Pecos believed that horses were meant to be ridden. And with a name like Pecos, could one expect anything less? He worked for the sheriff’s department, the game department, the livestock board, and “cowboyed” for various ranches in the area. It was often said by people who knew him, “If Pecos can’t do it with a horse, it can’t be done.” It was in Taiban that the Finleys raised their three girls. The love of horses passed onto the girls, especially their middle child, Arlie.

Arlie Mitchell is Suzy’s mother and greatest influence. Arlie and her sisters had an affinity for Farmers’ Electric Cooperative long before Suzy came into the picture. They appreciated being able to flip a switch and have plenty of light. Before connecting to Farmers’ Electric’s lines, the Finley sisters would read by keyless light fixtures powered by a wind-charger. When the wind wasn’t cooperating, the girls would have to do their lessons by kerosene lamp. Arlie never let her lessons or the lack of good light get in the way of her and her horses. She has always loved her horses. Arlie is a talented horsewoman in her own right and rodeoed before her children came along. Now that the kids are grown and gone, she continues to own, show, and ride her own horses. Another love of Arlie’s is art. Arlie has excelled in many mediums and has enjoyed creating western art pieces in pastel of horses and native Americans. Quite well, her most proficient medium is leatherwork. As a matter of fact, sales from her leatherwork supplemented her meager income while she worked hard to put herself through college and provide for her three kids. She continues to produce beautiful leather products for the public.

As you might have guessed, because Suzy’s family was steeped in the tradition of horses and art, it was only natural that Suzy pick up on it as well. Some might say that it is genetic. Perhaps, but it is much more than that

to Suzy. It is driven by something far more unexplainable than just a simple family trait. Together, horses and art, have become Suzy’s passion.

The art world says, “paint what you know,” and she “knows” horses. Suzy can’t hardly remember a time when horses weren’t a daily part of her life. Horses were always around growing up and now that she and her husband, Gary, have their own land in Melrose, New Mexico, she made it a choice. In her words, “I wouldn’t have it any other way… I choose horses, or maybe they choose me.” According to Suzy, “Art has always been my way of connecting to who I really am. The ability to stir a memory or an emotion in someone is a wonderful gift, and I hope that my work does that for someone.” Gary has indulged Suzy over the last 36 years because he, better than anyone, understands where her passion lies and is fully aware that if she didn’t have the ability to put on canvas what she feels in her soul, she wouldn’t be the person she is. It didn’t take much convincing when Suzy asked for an art studio when together they rebuilt the old DeGraftenreid house in Melrose. Interestingly, Mr. DeGraftenreid served as Melrose’s first town marshal. The ambiance of the old home, particularly in the studio, inspires Suzy from a creative perspective. Gary awakes most mornings to Suzy sitting under her studio lights, rockin’ out with her earbuds, and surrounded by the smell of oil paint.

“Only God knows the true purpose of my artistic path, but I believe I was given these gifts to share a small moment in time from our western culture so that it might ignite something in the viewer to motivate them to perpetuate that feeling in others.” Suzy’s horsemanship and art have not gone unnoticed by others. Doyle Stowe, a horse trainer that she admired, when discussing pieces of her art, once told her, “I can almost smell your horses.” Suzy proclaims proudly, “To me, there is no greater compliment.”

To see more of Suzy’s artwork, you can follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/suzettehoward.westernart