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PAGE THREE

With Buster at the riding center of Ursula Bruns
With Buster at the riding center of Ursula Bruns

Bringing Lad’s Black Buster home to the Netherlands was like the start of a new era. He was the first Tennessee Walker in this country and most probably the first gaited horse stallion being promoted as such, apart from Icelandic Horses. There had been imports before of American Saddlebreds, but this was because of interest from breeders in using them to enhance the presence of the Dutch Tuigpaard, which had been done with Hackneys before. So these ASHs were surely not imported because of their rack, but because of their elevated trot.

At the time (1986) it was still legally imperative both in Germany as well as in the Netherlands, to present a prospective breeding stallion before a stallion inspection commission. Only if your horse was approved by them, could he be offered at public stud. Buster succeeded both in Germany, for Schleswig-Holstein where he was born, as well as in the Netherlands, at the “Staatshengstenkeuring” – State Stallion Inspection, held in Ermelo (Uddel).

Buster is paying attention!
Buster is paying attention!

 
Later he successfully did his performance test, a further request of the Schleswig-Holstein authorities, as well as an additional German inspection for the Rheinisches Pferdestammbuch, of the German country, Nordrhein-Westphalia.

At the Center in Reken, Germany, Ursula Bruns discusses Tennessee Walkers with Rick Wies, TWH trainer from Montana
At the Center in Reken, Germany, Ursula Bruns discusses Tennessee Walkers with Rick Wies, TWH trainer from Montana


For riding lessons with a Tennessee Walker, virtually the only place to go at the time was the center of Ursula Bruns, at Reken, Westphalia. Now the FS Reit-Zentrum Reken, this place is still recommended to visit.

There many horse-people gathered and discussed their interests, also Tennessee Walking Horse riders. American horse-trainer Linda Tellington-Jones was a frequent guest there and she rode Buster too, clearly appreciating him!

Linda Tellington-Jones showing off her new riding clothes on Buster.
Linda Tellington-Jones showing off
her new riding clothes on Buster.

Anyway, when you have a special horse like Buster, there is a good chance for meeting celebrities. It was when I showed Buster in The Hague, Netherlands, at the “Haagse Paardendagen”, that we met Mario Luraschi. Mario’s job is cascadeur, French for show-stuntman with horses. He is the guy behind the horse and buffalo show at the French Disneyland of Paris. Mario told me that he had imported some Tennessee Walker geldings to France, to be used by bird hunters. Hunting is very popular all over the French countryside and of course a Tennessee Walker is a very special choice to use for bird hunting! For sure, Mario wanted to have a try riding Buster, when I offered that. On the pavement of The Hague city, Buster did his job carrying our French cascadeur around!

Mario Luraschi in The Hague, getting acquainted with Buster
Mario Luraschi in The Hague,
getting acquainted with Buster
After riding Buster, a big smile appeared on Mario's face!
After riding Buster, a big smile
appeared on Mario's face!

A very fine occasion to present my horse to the public, with even our Dutch Queen Beatrix among the spectators, was organized and performed by my friend Linda van der Horst. It was a show of the Dutch Side-Saddle Association (Nederlandse Vereniging Het Dameszadel), held during the CHIO of Rotterdam.

Buster and Linda in action during the CHIO, both dressed up very officially.
Buster and Linda in action during the CHIO, both dressed up very officially.

This international competition had interludes of various shows, among them the side-saddle show. The show-group was composed of several Dutch Warmbloods of the KWPN Studbook and one Tennessee Walking Horse. A few horses of this group were also shown jumping, among them this lone Tennessee Walker!  Whether our Queen noticed this smaller horse with the peculiar gait, bravely taking the same fences as the bigger ones, I cannot say, but at least Buster was there, strutting his stuff.

Buster taking one of the obstacles at the Rotterdam show grounds.
Buster taking one of the obstacles
at the Rotterdam show grounds.
The side-saddle show group at the CHIO of Rotterdam, Buster in front, quietly waiting for the job.
The side-saddle show group at the CHIO of Rotterdam, Buster in front, quietly waiting for the job.

That's me in England, at the court of TWH stud Pride of '76, showing which breed I go for.
That's me in England, at the court of TWH stud
Pride of '76, showing which breed I go for.

It will be clear from all these “horsey” activities, that our main goal is spreading the word about gaited horses, especially Tennessee Walking Horses. Also, my partner, Henk and I want to expand these activities by involving handicapped riders with this breed. For sure there are many advantages for people with various handicaps to ride a smooth gaited horse! Physical strength, partly lost because of an accident, can also be regained by horse-riding, but preferably without the stress induced by a trotting horse.
In Europe, gaited horses had virtually disappeared, to be found only in remote regions like Iceland. In the America’s, on both continents, gaited horses were often fostered and shaped into various breeds. Originally however, America’s gaited horses came from Europe, imported after Columbus’ discovery of the New World. Americans deserve credit for preserving these fabulous gaited horses and strengthening their gaits by selective breeding. We now welcome the original European heritage of gaited horses back on this continent!

Beautiful portrait of Postmark Delight, 3-gait champion in Alpenrod
Beautiful portrait of Postmark Delight,
3-gait champion in Alpenrod
. Photo by Hypo-Focus