Kay Oppenheimer and Pippin (SC)
Team #1,001: Kay Oppenheimer and Pippin
From: Aiken, South Carolina
Ages: 86 & 14
Combined Age: 100
Test: Introductory Level Test A
My riding life began at the age of seven, and except for the 25 years that I worked and raised a family, it continues to the present day. I will soon be 87. Riding for me is enriching and sustaining. It provides fitness, meditation, a deep connection to another species, and it is a perpetual challenge.
Riding has taken me to Italy, Spain, Ireland, and the Canadian Rockies. It has introduced me to wonderful instructors who challenged me to jump Training Level, helped me raise my dressage scores, and instilled in me the importance of persistence and courage. From them, I absorbed the true meaning of horsemanship.
While my heart is forever attached to Mint Julep, the off-the-track Thoroughbred mare who was my eventing partner, I now have a pony mare who teaches me other lessons, named Pippin. She is a 14-year-old Lipizzaner cross. When her owner dropped her off on trial in 2024, she was in poor condition, and under saddle she was rushed with a quick, short stride. I wanted to return her, but Tracey Breese Young, the manager where I board, had other ideas.
Tracey understood that Pippin, although very green, was a safe, dependable pony. After the trial period, she persuaded me to buy her. I am extremely grateful to Tracey for her work with Pippin and the help she has given me. Pippin has improved greatly!
