THE HORSE GAZETTE horse event a boy and his mustang


could be clinically diagnosed as “horse crazy,” Troy England, never seemed to have the same passion. Troy, the son of natural horseman and cutting horse trainer Aaron England of En- gland’s Versatile Horsemanship,


By Timman Swearingen © 2013 With parents who


tang Makeover featured a youth class which allowed young competitors the opportunity to show yearling mustangs. Troy found himself fascinated by the partnership the kids and young


unfamiliar emotion…passion. The Extreme Mus-


one million dollars given to con- testants in various disciplines. Troy anxiously walked with Aaron and Riva through all the holding pens, searching for his new partner. That’s when he first laid eyes on her. Despite the coaxing from his father to find a yearling with better confirmation, Troy immediately knew that he had found the one. Troy saw past her burnt coat and a wormy pot-belly and formed an instant bond. The leggy buckskin yearling galloped her way into his heart. “Dad, she’s the one. Her name is Hershey.” Troy proudly brought


has quite literally grown up in a barn. Troy’s father was not born into a family that had horses, but his burning desire to ride brought him to the stables as fast as he could. And Troy’s mother, Riva, was riding before she could even walk. In fact, it was the love of the horse that brought Aaron and Riva together in marriage. Nat- urally, when Riva found herself pregnant with Troy, it was safe to assume Troy would be born sharing the same passion as his parents. That simply just wasn’t the case. Like many young boys his age, his interests were Army men and bugs, science projects and remote control cars. At just twelve years old, Troy has been to more horse shows, clinics, and equestrian centers, has more miles under his belt and has seen more American countryside than most people see in a lifetime. It was not uncommon to hear the steady lull of his father teaching a clinic, with Troy just a few yards away creating an elaborate science fair project or Army man battle scene, completely oblivi- ous to the horses nearby. Troy spent a large part


mustangs had developed in such a short amount of time. The mustangs, once feral and fearful, now tame and fully surrendered to the leadership of kids. After the show, Troy met some of the young competitors and many of them were offering their mus- tangs for sale just for $25. Troy, the young man who had never taken interest in horses, was now begging his parents to let him buy a mustang. “Mom, I have $25! I can afford him!,” Troy pleaded. His parents explained to him that owning a horse comes with great responsibility and that if he can save up his money, he can buy a mustang the following summer.


Hershey home in late May of 2013. Longing to spend every minute with her, he took his sleeping bag into the barn and slept next to her stall. He then began to apply his father’s nat- ural horsemanship principles to Hershey to further develop their bond. The story of Troy and Hershey is a profound ex- ample of the partnership that can be formed through natural horsemanship. As Hershey was learning to accept a human, Troy was learning how to relate to a horse. As Hershey progressed in her training, Troy’s confidence expanded and Hershey began looking to him as her leader. In preparation for


the Mustang Million in Sep- tember, Troy has successfully taken her to horse shows and parades where he has already won many awards. Judges are in awe when Troy places in showmanship classes with his once wild mustang against sea- soned Quarter Horses. Troy’s hard work, dedication, and love


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of his childhood at his family’s ranch in Goldthwaite, TX, where the stars are bright and cell service is scarce. In the summer of 2012, his family relocated to One Oak Ranch in Rockwall, TX and that’s when things started to change for Troy. Troy’s mother, Riva, has always been avid com- petitor in many disciplines and breeds of horses. From hunter/ jumpers to cutting horses, and now mustangs, Riva has ridden the all. One day, Troy loaded up in the family truck, taking that familiar ride to the Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, TX for the Extreme Mustang Make- over. Little did he know, his life would forever be changed. The Extreme Mustang Makeover is an exciting competition that gives people the opportunity to view and adopt wild mustangs, train them, and then show them all in approximately 100 days. Troy, thinking he was going to just another horse show, saw the spirit of the mustang and felt an


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Troy saved every penny he earned with the goal of being a proud mustang owner. His mother, Riva, was planning to adopt a mustang the summer of 2013 and Troy saw this as his opportunity. The 2013 Mustang Million adoption came to Fort Worth in late May and Troy told his parents that he was ready to adopt a mustang. The Mustang Million is a similar concept to the Extreme Mustang Makeover, but with prize money exceeding


For


the next year,


of mustangs will be showcased at the Mustang Million, Sep- tember 16-21, 2013. Troy will be showing in the youth class alongside other kids his age with the same passion. His mother, Riva, will also be competing in two classes with her mustangs, Peaches and Whisper, as well. It is evident that Troy and Hershey are mirroring each other and Troy finally has discovered a passion in life. It just took a wild mustang to awaken it.


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