Carol Morehouse and Batiste

Century Club Team #74

A lifetime of loving and riding horses started in 1937 when a 3 year old was set on the back of a 17 hand draft horse named Dan - and the love of that position was born.  For the next 10 years Carol would pet, groom, sit on, or ride any horse available - but most often rode one of two Iowa 'work' horses - Queen or Kale - bareback with work bridles.  At 13, her mother bought her a 13.5 hand mustang off the Montana range - complete with all tack - for $200!  Babe was small, fast, and taught Carol a lot.  Two years later she bought a draft/Morgan cross 2 year old for $75 and 'broke-trained' Cindy to where she was safe to ride in traffic all about town in any season.

Upon high school graduation, Babe and Cindy were given to family members and Carol moved to Washington State where she worked - and met and married Bob, her husband of 56 years.  Riding for the next 20 years was occasional - mostly on rental horses - as Bob and Carol raised their four children.  In 1977 they bought a buckskin Quarter Horse mare ($600) for their youngest son who soon went off to college, and Carol had a horse again - a true lady named Crackerjack.  Carol turned Crackerjack from a western horse to English pleasure and jumper and then bred her ($250) to a 17 hand chestnut Thoroughbred, hoping for a tall dressage horse - but got another 15 hand buckskin mare named Toy Surprise!  Eventually Crackerjack had to be put down at age 21 and Toy was injured in a trailer accident.  For 7 years Carol rode school horses and honed her skills - and then - magic happened.

She was offered the opportunity to lease Batiste - a Quarter Horse/Trakehner cross who had been trained and ridden to Prix St. George level by his owner, and in the fall of 2000 Carol took him as her friend, teacher, and soon to be therapist.  When Carol was hit by a car in February 2001, Batiste went home for a few months as she healed.  Then they were rejoined while the healing continued.  In January 2002, Carol was diagnosed with breast cancer and Batiste remained as her therapist as she went through a bilateral mastectomy and 6 months of chemo and radiation.  He always asked her how she was feeling before the ride began!  (With his ears, you know.)  For the next 8 years, Carol and Batiste did some schooling shows at training level and 1st level, and Carol survived another bout of cancer.  As time approached for Batiste to retire, they decided to do their Century Club ride.  On July 18, 2010, Carol at 76 and Batiste at 29 rode a training level test, since both were a little too arthritic for a higher level, at Broken Auger Farm with many friends and family in attendance.  Following the test, there was a lovely retirement ceremony for Batiste - complete with cake and champagne!  It was a GREAT day!!

It has been an unbelievable 10 years for me and I thank Batiste for his enduring patience; Carol Landt, his owner, for giving me the opportunity to know this great horse; Marg Clumpner of Fox Bay Farm, my trainer, for her constant encouragement; and, especially, my husband, Bob, for his love and support.

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