Larry Livengood and Diesel (PA)
Team #922: Larry Livengood and Diesel
From: Midland, Pennsylvania
Ages: 79 & 24
Combined Ages: 103
Test: WDAA Introductory Level Test 4
I have been around animals all my life, including riding horses whenever the opportunity presented itself. It escalated when my wife returned to riding in 1990. Shortly after, we had a small farm with two horses, then three. Horses came and went until I met a small blue roan, and now, fourteen years later, Lena’s Blue Robin, aka Diesel, is still with us at our farm. He quickly became my favorite as I worked with him in the ring and on trail rides. He proved himself to be almost bomb proof on the trails and in the woods. Soon, I decided to start doing local trail challenges with him, and his quiet confident way made it an enjoyable experience. He understands me, listens to me, and cares for me, even when I don’t know that I need caring for.
My wife has done multiple disciplines from trail challenges, dressage, stadium jumping, and cross country, so when I heard about the Century Club, I suggested she should do it. She said it would be something I should do with Diesel, and she would coach me. She had competed in Western dressage with Diesel for a short time, so he knew the basics. I was the only one who had no idea how to do it, but with his patience and her coaching, I prepared for my first dressage test.
On September 7, 2025, Diesel and I rode our Western dressage Introductory Level Test 4 at Stone Gate Farm in Hanoverton, Ohio, at the Mini Trials. Our host, Jackie Smith, planned for us to be judged during the dressage competition. It was quite a departure from all my previous experiences, but Diesel brought me through it with a 63%, taking care of me as usual.
