Darlene Dorkins and Muffin (GA)
Team #938: Darlene Dorkins and Muffin
From: Port Wentworth, Georgia
Ages: 73 & 29
Combined Ages: 102
Test: Training Level Test 2
The fractures in idealism are the first things Muffin taught me. Idealism is inherent in most people who care for horses. It is a good thing that is best to behold but not practice. When I first saw Muffin, she was in the newsprint of Stablemates, a bimonthly publication stacked on the counter of our local feed store. I had the idea that I was going to train a horse to be my school horse. I wanted to teach riding students the best way to sit on a horse. My budget was small.
I decided I wanted a size that was not intimidating but could carry most riders and would be easy on the feed bill. Under 15 hands and not trained. I believed it was best not to have prior training that would conflict with my ideals. Muffin fit the criteria when I saw her in Stablemates.
They brought her to me and said, “She’s a little hard to catch.” That was an understatement. She also displayed inflated milk bags. When I asked, they said they just weaned her off her baby. She was three, and little did I know a horse so young could procreate.
It has been a long and interesting life we have had together. After 12 years of her as my working girl, she retired. I thought that was enough. I wanted her for myself. I decided to give her a few months’ rest. In that time, she got laminitis. My vet said every horse has their threshold of what is too much, such as grass. At the time, there wasn’t feed made with low sugar and starch.
She recovered but soon developed Head-Shaking Syndrome. I attacked that with everything available for a cure. It was devastating. It has been a huge influence on how I train because you really must read your horse finer than a frog’s hair.
As I became more involved with the local USDF GMO, I wanted to show Muffin at Training Level despite her Head-Shaking. She did better than just getting some feedback from the judges. She won against the odds in some competitive classes.
Muffin is the poster child for the longevity obtained from good dressage training.
The Dressage Foundation has given me an avenue of experience that has brightened my world, feeling that I can promote all the good things that come from a horse, my heart horse, Muffin.
