PRETTY BLONDE QUEEN | 12 YEAR OLD QUARTER HORSE MARE | LEXINGTON,KY

Reese, Pretty Blonde Queen, is a 12 year old Quarter Horse. This gorgeous girl is out of Ole Pretty Alice and by Hartona Joe Jack.

Reese is owned by Alyssa, and the pair trains with Emily Brollier Curtis of Miramonte Equine and board at Noble Spirit Stables in Nicholasville,KY. Reese is the perfect example of a blonde diva. She is sassy and has an attitude, but has enough genuine kindness in her eye to balance it all out. She is the most down the heart and bombproof horse that Alyssa has ever worked with.

The pair started eventing in 2011, and transitioned into the dressage world in 2016. Before semi-retiring her this past year, the pair was schooling second and third level movements and competed in their first recognized dressage show together to get Alyssa her first level scores towards her Bronze Medal. Back in her day she was a cross country machine, she was so incredibly bold and confident to every fence.

Reece’s former owner boarded her at the barn Alyssa grew up riding at. During Alyssa’s junior year in college she had an accident that resulted in several months of stall rest. When she was allowed to be turned out again she became a little too full of herself and was simply too much for her green owner to handle and ride. Alyssa stepped in and volunteered to start working with her in her free time, which resulted in quite the rodeo. “My first time working her in hand, she swung around maliciously and got me right in the hip. We worked for weeks in hand and on the lunge line, and when it came time for my first ride on her I was accompanied by my cross country vest and a person on the ground…”just in case.” Reese picked up things so easily and we quickly progressed as a team. Once she became “too much horse” to have on the property, the owner agreed to let me have her up at school with me and she would soon be sold to a young amateur in June 2013 after I graduated. Not even a whole year later, she was offered back to me as the owners did not have time and could no longer afford her. I quickly agreed to buy her back for a dollar and I moved her to Kentucky in the summer of 2014. And here we are!”

This humbling horse loves to eat Pumpkin Muffins from Panera.

“I started riding at a little backyard barn at the age of 6 or 7. For years, like many other little girls, I jogged around on little lesson ponies always hoping one day I would have my own horse. Though that day didn’t come for a LONG time, I was fortunate enough to lease a few horses through the years who took me up the levels in eventing. They each had their own valuable lessons to offer, all for which I am forever grateful. I think my favorite thing about owning horses is the freedom and pride that comes with it. I love being able to go out and do whatever I want with my horse, at any time I want. I love knowing that she is a product of my own abilities to train and I love the fact that she has a forever home with me. We sure have been through it all together – the passing of family members, the dissolving of friendships, the bad breakups, moving 1000 miles away from home. She is my constant.”

“My horse is a saint. As difficult and as humbling as she was to take on, she always has my back. My absolute most favorite memory is when we used to ride around campus when I was a student at University of New Hampshire – we rode through the commons of the Gables Apartments and asked a bunch of guys to move two picnic tables together in the middle. And….we jumped them! It was amazing.”

Some of you may actually know Alyssa from her business, Braiding for Success. Make sure you head over and follow her page for grooming tips and tricks.