Austin Equine Photographers | Gordy the Apha Paint

Gordie, Hurricane Keno, is a Bay and White Overo Paint Gelding with Blue Eyes that is registered with APHA and PtHa. His sire is Far Ute Keno, the APHA all around leading sire who competed in everything from Reined Cow Horse to Jumping and English Pleasure.  His dam is Hurricaine Fergie. He was bred by Donna Johnson.

Gordie, is owned my Marisa, and lives at Galloping Springs Ranch in Dripping Springs,TX where she trains with Jennifer Jarvis. Gordie is a very unique horse. Marisa says, “He is truly a steady-eddy. He is the same horse basically day in and day out. The quirkiest thing about him is that he is in love with Jen’s gelding, Sparks and doesn’t like to be away from him too much.”

At the ripe young age of 24, Gordie still loves to work! The pair started taking lessons with Jennifer Jarvis over two years ago, and Gordie LOVES it! She says that many moons ago they committed at the Paint, Pinto, and Open shows in showmanship, halter, hunter under saddle, english pleasure, hunter had, and disciplined rail classes. He really loved jumping and showmanship. She says his favorite part about showmanship is that he could sleep through most of the class.

Marisa first found Gordie when she was at a barn in California, he was brought in by a man who bought and sold horses. He was one of the calmest and most gorgeous horses she had ever seen. The same night that he arrived at the barn there was a carnival happening next door at the country club, and he didn’t even bat an eye at the Ferris Wheel when he stepped foot off of the trailer. As a 2 year old she knew that he was a horse she had to have. Marisa’s dad purchased him for her in October of 1993, and she has had Gordie ever since. That makes 22 years together!

Gordie is a extremely loyal and his favorite treats are Mrs. Pastures and Red Vines.

Gordie has won many awards in his lifetime. Together they were the number two senior youth all around in PtHA Zone 2. He has also won year end and reserve awards in Halter, Showmanship, Hunter Under Saddle, All Around English and All Around Youth.

Marisa started riding horses when she was 11, right after moving from New York to California. Her mom rode as a child and loved it, so it was only natural that she picked up the sport. When she started, she says her parents didn’t think it would stick forever (I know mine said the same thing, maybe they all do). She leased several horses before finding Gordie. When she moved to Texas a few years later, her friend even let her take her mare Ginger, because they had been barn mates for over 15 years. Sadly, they lost Ginger two years ago. Ginger was the only other horse that Marisa had owned.

Marisa’s favorite part about owning two horses is that Gordie is her best friend. She has had him her entire life, and he has gone through everything with her through high school, college, getting married, graduate school, and now even raising two boys. They truly have the perfect partnership, and she doesn’t think that she will ever own such a perfect horse again.

Marisa’s best tricks to keeping him clean is Orvis shampoo and Quicksilver, which work wonders for keeping whites white.

“If you truly love the horses, they can tell and are willing to do whatever you ask.”-Marisa 

It is amazing how a horse can become such a huge part of someone’s life, Marisa shares,  “I think now my favorite memories are of my two sons riding Gordie and grooming him and getting to see the love they show him and that he radiates back to them.”