Susan Carson and Popeye (CA)
Team #995: Susan Carson and Popeye
From: Carmichael, California
Ages: 80 & 23
Combined Age: 103
Test: Cowboy Dressage Drill Team Freestyle
I started riding when I was 75. I heard about a mother-daughter team that went to Mongolia to ride horses. How cool! I had climbed in Uganda to see gorillas and had white water rafted. A friend suggested I learn how to ride.
I found an amazing teacher, Lyn Ringrose, when she found a horse I could lease. It didn't take long before she suggested I should look for a horse to buy.
Not easy. Fortunately, she called one afternoon. A horse named Popeye came on the market. Lyn said you MUST buy him. We will never find another Popeye.
He had been a high-level reiner, but his owner got married, had a baby, and wanted to return to showing, but Popeye was 18.
His owner was willing to sell to me, a 75-year-old new rider.
And my love of horses began.
Lyn was a musician, as was I. She asked how I would feel about doing a musical freestyle. What is that? Within a year, Popeye and I went on to win top prize in freestyle in the Cowboy Dressage Finals.
Popeye is a unicorn, as Lyn calls him. We have six years together and we are now an honored member of TDF's Century Club. Popeye has changed my life.
We are still together, I'm 81, and he's 24 and planning a new freestyle. He loves performing, as do I. Just at a different level from when we were younger. We're growing old together, doing what we love.
Photo by Maria Marriott Photography
