PYTRides
By Larry Palmer
southern California devoted to horses and the people who love them. The Ariss’s train horses and riders and show Friesians. In addition, Ray is internationally known for training a wild mustang that brought the highest bid ever for a BLM mustang— $50,000—and doing it in a hundred days. In October 2009 in Reno
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Nevada, Ray and Pippa participated in the 25th Anniversary Convention of the Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA). They took four first place and two second place ribbons. Those may be the facts, but they’re not the story.
CHAMPIONS ARE MADE
The real story begins almost twenty years ago with a horse named Pyt (pronounced Pete). He was foaled by Pippa’s mare, and his sire was originally from Holland. Pyt was an extraordinary horse, even in birth. He was born on the other side of the fence—literally. His mother had selected an area adjacent to the corral fence to give birth. When the foal came, he slipped through the fence to the other side. When Pippa arrived on the scene two hours later, mother and son were in a panic. Neither could get to the other. In a panic herself, Pippa ran to the other corral and tried to herd the anxious foal over to mom. Being more than ready to get to mother, he pranced, high stepping, to Pippa’s frantic hand directions. She remembers looking at him, finding no other words to express what she felt inside and could only say “Wow!!”
58 March/April 2010
ay and Pippa Ariss own Starbrite Riding Academy in Norco, California. Known as “Horsetown USA”, Norco is a small town of 25,000 people in
Love affairs happen with animals. We all know that.
Pippa Ariss says Pyt looked like “anthracite polished by falling rain.”
Most of us also know some connections are even more special than others. The bond between Pippa and Pyt was instant and inviolable. With immense pride, Pippa presented him to the Friesian judges when he was six months old. The judges graded him as “Third Premium.” The only lower rating was “No Rating.” Defeated and deflated, Pippa did not attempt to present Pyt again until he was a four-year-old. Time had worked its magic and like “Cinderella Man,” Pyt became a miracle. He was seventeen hands. His color iridescent or, as Pippa describes him, “He was blue-black and looked like anthracite polished by falling rain.” Pyt was approved as
a “breed stallion” (only one percent of all Friesian Stallions are ever qualified as such.) He was the National Grand Friesian Stallion while still four and
an International Driving Champion. Pyt sired hundreds of foals in his career, was National Grand Champion Friesian Stallion four separate times; was International Driving Champion and won many other blue ribbons. He was a true a champion in every way and was Pippa’s “once-in-a- lifetime.”
TRAGIC LOSS
At age thirteen, a bone chip was discovered in one of his legs. The vets said it was no problem to surgically fix it. Pyt was perfect—except for the bone chip. Why not keep
At top: Pyt and Pippa at the Pomona National Friesian Show.
Again
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