With Out a Doubt

by Stevi Thompson
(Statesboro, Georiga)

Hi, my name is Stevi Thompson, I am 14 and my horse's name is Johnny. Johnny is my very first horse, I rode for 5 months then bought him! He was only 4 years old, but my trainer and I agreed he is the calmest horse you will ever meet. And by far the most lazy horse at the barn!! He is now almost 6 and here is his story. November 2008 Johnny arrived at the barn I ride at and take lessons. My trainer never went and tried him out, but she just went ahead and bought him. He is a beautiful 16.0 hh, solid Paint with a Flaxen mane and tail. He came to my barn and he was amazing to ride but his ground manners on the other hand were another story (not in a good way!) He would bite, kick, etc if ANYBODY got near him. I rode him for the first time and absolutely HATED him! I never even came across thinking I would by him. But my trainer saw something in us, and made me keep riding him. Soon I fell in love with him. His ground manners with me are perfect. He never tries to do anything to hurt me. He wants to protect me, and I can see it in his eyes. I read in a book that he has the eyes that takes time for him to trust you..well he trusted me the 4th time I rode him and we have became closer, and grew a stronger bond ever since. So I showed him at his very first show. He was perfect and we got champion! He has had no experience, and has only been ridden a few times before I bought him. But one day my trainer and I found out why his ground manners were so bad and why he wouldn't trust anybody at first. He was neglected, and we think at some point he was abused. Most people just think he is a mean horse, but really he just does not know how to act around people. I don't blame him. I mean he has never really been around anybody and nobody to love. Now he neighs every time he sees me walking towards his stall. I also read in a book that if a horse rests his head on your shoulders then he trusts you. He does that to me all the time, and wont do it to anybody else. We were unsure about what his show name should be for now on since I will be showing him a lot.His old owner named him "8 Second Pay Check" but that name was for sure not for him. The next day his show name was "With Out a Doubt" I named him that because no matter what he always tries his best, and that's more then what I could ever ask for. We get along so good. Mostly because we are both blonde and very clumsy!! I don't care how clumsy people think Johnny is because I love him so much, and we get champion at every show! so that proves to all the people who didn't think Johnny was worth anything or would never be a good horse!