Joan Peck and Clem (PA)
Team #1,015: Joan Peck and Clem
From: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Ages: 75 & 25
Combined Age: 100
Test: Training Level Test 1
Clem here. Joan and I have been partners since I was 10. I think this is a permanent relationship, as I am now 25 and she shows no sign of having me move on. I have trained Joan pretty well. She is not as good a rider as my former rider, but she is acceptable. A challenge is that she has been taking lessons, which makes it harder for me to get away with some of my trickier behaviors. The good thing is that she has gotten an Andalusian pony for her dressage endeavors, so I don’t have to endure that foolishness. We get to do eventing, which I adore except for the dressage part, but that’s only a few minutes before I get to jump in the stadium and cross country. She only enters starter events, which is a little tame for me, but she is old, so I need to make some concessions. Life is quite satisfying these days. I get to jump and ride out, which is great fun. I like to shy unexpectedly to keep Joan on her toes, and I refuse to load every now and then to remind her of who is really in charge. But the alfalfa keeps coming, and I enjoy my chiropractic and body work sessions immensely. I am King Clem. I deserve the best.
Joan here. I’ll add a few words about our partnership. I knew about Clem long before I met him. I had a passing acquaintance with his owner who told me she had an Appaloosa. I immediately formed a negative opinion – spots made me think of western trail riding with no finesse. After retirement, I promised that I would ride again. I found myself at Clem’s barn. I quickly reassessed my opinion of spots. I discovered that Clem was very well trained - a testament to his owner’s skill as a rider. I credit her with his strong foundation. After a short time, she decided that she was ready to move on to a fancier horse and offered me a free lease with Clem. I have never looked back. He has taught me an incredible amount about riding and horsemanship. Our nearly 15 years together have been very rewarding. I credit my lessons with Sally Shirley and Andrea Velas for helping me become the rider that Clem wants me to be.
