Testimonials

I believe I was 14 years old or so when I heard of “Katie Breckenridge”. She already had a reputation for being one of those ‘elite’ horsewomen making a difference in an industry that didn’t have many women in leadership roles. She helped pave the way for many other women (girls) to become successful in the horse world.

We had several occasions over the years where we ran into each other, but it was in the last 10 or so years I had the pleasure of being around Katie more often. I would go to the B Bar B’s annual production sale, just to see the nice colts and take photographs of the horses and of the sale. In the back of my mind, I had thought that one day I would buy one of Katie’s colts. In 2017, Katie and I had talked about ‘if’ I happen to be interested in getting one from her, which ones and what lines would she recommend. In my mind, I envisioned one of her flashy black mares in my corrals and I’d start it myself. Well, it had been 10 years prior when I lost my best buddy and I had hardly ridden at all since then.

Katie, knowing that I hadn’t ridden much in the past few years, pointed out a few fillies, but then steered me more in the direction of a certain one. She said, “Go look at #17. She’s pretty plain but a kind disposition.” Well #17 wasn’t black or flashy, but nice looking with a soft eye and a curious and kind personality. I still hadn’t planned on buying one. Maybe next year, I told myself. Well on sale day, when #17 came through, my hand went up and #17 was mine.

That was where a deeper relationship began over the next several years between Katie & I. The filly didn’t go home with me to start but went to a great trainer for a few months. And the trainer didn’t mind me coming over to his place (often) to play with my new little ‘plain brown mare’, Mirrors. Her disposition from the start was quiet, kind and wanting to be my friend.

The support I received from Katie didn’t end when I purchased a horse. About a month or so later, I ‘borrowed’ Mirrors back from the trainer for a day and accepted an invitation from Katie to come for a visit. I wanted to show Katie how well Mirrors was doing and how smart she was. (for I knew she was the smartest ever!) So, Mirrors and I made the drive to Picabo and Katie spent a few hours with us sharing her knowledge, tips, advice and thoughts on horses, training, and life. She shared how her program has evolved over the years to give the colts a good head start, in life and why.

There are some individuals that teaching and sharing comes naturally and they just seem to know what the 'student' needs and how to teach it in a way that fuels the student's desire to learn more. That would be Katie. And it doesn’t matter whether the 'student' is a person or a horse. Katie is a great teacher and mentor.

Mirrors was the perfect horse for me at that time in my life and was indeed a kind mare with plenty of potential just like Katie said. A couple years later, my ‘brother-by-heart’ wanted a good horse for his family, especially his young daughter just learning to ride. Mirrors is currently on a regular campaign circuit of barrel racing and pole bending with a young lady who loves her. She is living the life that allows her to be all she can be. Plus she is the favored mount of the whole family whether it is riding in the ring or up a mountain.
Thank you, Katie and Rob.
Shari Hart