By Amber Heintzberger


Allison’s Amazing Comeback


FOR CALLAN SOLEM THE HORSE OF A LIFETIME CAME ALONG WHEN SHE WAS ONLY 19 YEARS OLD AND WOULD BE THE HORSE THAT SHAPED HER CAREER AS A GRAND PRIX SHOW JUMPING RIDER.


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n her twelve years riding Quiet Winter Farm and BJ Maghan’s Rhinelander mare Allison, Callan won Grand Prix’s at HITS Saugerties, HITS Ocala, the Fairfield Hunt Club and Old Salem Farm. Together they also represented the United States in Nations Cups competitions in Rio de Janeiro, Rotterdam, Lummen and Falsterbo and were members of the winning Super League Team in 2005. As a relatively inexperienced rider, Callan learned along with Allison, but she said the mare gave her such confidence that she kept reaching greater heights. “I can’t count how many times I walked in the arena and felt intimidated, and Allison would just say, ‘Come on, don’t embarrass us now, act like you know what you’re doing!’”


14 November/December 2010


says Callan. “She invented me as a Grand Prix rider. That horse is unbelievable!” In the summer of 2009 at age 17, Allison’s career looked


ready for an untimely end. This time it was Callan’s turn to take care of Allison: the mare that had established Callan as one of the top riders in the United States had suddenly and without explanation foundered in all four feet.


Fighting Founder Throughout most of her career Allison stayed sound and


ready for action under the demands of international jumping training and competition. At one time she strained a deep flexor and had three months off, and another time she strained her annular ligament; but for the most part the mare was problem-free. “If there’s anything I can be proud of, in the 12 years I


rode her, I knew what a special horse she was and gave her the best preparation and care, icing her legs and whatever it took for her to recover well,” says Callan. Then in the summer of 2009 Allison came up inex-


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