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going to be something he would love. “By this time I had leased an extremely
“For whatever reason there was, I unattractive Appaloosa named ‘Tumak.’
just wanted to ride. My only choice Probably the ugliest horse I had ever
was rental horses whenever I could seen, but he was beautiful to me because
scrape up the money. Pretty soon I he jumped and that was what I loved.
started working at the stables so I could Tumak was all I needed, I thought. I
ride more often. I cleaned terribly dirty would take a lesson a week. Then I would
rental stalls, and tried to brush the take off to the beach on him so we could
horses. Eventually, they let me take run and jump the logs that had washed
riders out on trail, but it was either up from the logging barges. Pretty scary
bareback or in a western saddle. I got knowing what I know now, but then I
to be the leader!” said Patrick. didn’t know that I could get killed doing
At that stable there were boarders that and it was great.”
also, and one day someone put him
on a ‘good’ horse in an English saddle.
They taught him to post, and a few days
later off they went to his first show. The
“For whatever
only thing available for someone not
jumping was, of course, flat equitation reason there
classes.
“I had just learned to post a few days
was, I just
before so, of course, I didn’t do very
well by their standards! I’m sure I was
wanted to ride.”
on the wrong diagonal because I didn’t
know what that was. I had heard there
was such a thing, but I didn’t really know
anything about them except they ‘existed’ Showing when he could, he noticed
somewhere in the English world. The a trainer that did well and her riders
fact that I didn’t do well annoyed me were prepared for the ring. Leslie Reid,
because I, personally, thought I really Seahorse Farm, Richmond, showed
did good!” he said laughing. “I decided dressage and jumping and took Patrick
I better take some lessons so I could at on as a student. Leslie’s career has since
least figure out what that diagonal thing taken her to the top of the Dressage
was!” world; competing in the Olympics
Linda Adler, Riverside Stables in and wins at the Pan American Games.
Richmond, was to be the first of several For Patrick it was a perfect match, and
instructors. Starting right off the bat with he became immersed in the flat work
the basics, Patrick decided that he wanted necessary for top hunter-jumpers by
to know all that was available for him to showing Dressage also.
learn, no matter what it was. He credits Blue Drift, his first horse, was bought
her with the patience and determination for $2,000 from a dealer. Half Arab and
to see that he really understood what the half Thoroughbred (Anglo-Arab), he
base meant before taking the next step would be Patrick’s first real show horse
each time. She introduced him to the for the next four years. “He wasn’t much
daily horse responsibilities also. of a horse, but he did great over the
Photo © Cathrin Cammett
jumps even though I still had very little
idea of how to do it right. I simply hung
on and stayed on in a sort of ‘cling-on’
kind of way. It was great and I hated to
Top: Patrick on ‘Brooklyn’
sell him when I went off to college,”
at The Oaks. Right: Patrick reminisced. cont. next page
Patrick at the “old” Oaks
with Linda Gatti Sears
and Rachael Sears in
1993. Rachael now shows
in the 15 - 17 division.
Far Right: Patrick
Spanton with 1/2 Arab
“Blue Drift” in 1985
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