Horses have run in Jennifer Robinson's blood since the age of three. As her mother would drive past country pastures in their travels, Jennifer would point and say "Bow wow" and bounce in her seat. So she got the animal mixed up, but the desire was there.
At age five, Jennifer finally got her wish and began lessons at Bit & Spur Riding Stables. From Clyde the shetland to big sway-backed Tony "the pony", these school horses cemented a life-long passion. Throw in the summer camp horses, Hopi and Caballo and it was almost complete.
But, there was still the desire for her own, very own horse. Finally at the age of twelve, the Robinsons moved to the country. A neighbor had 40 acres and was willing to board a horse for Jennifer. Enter Rocker Bars, a bay Appendix QH gelding. Rocker and Jennifer spent countless hours riding the back roads around Belle Fontaine, Alabama.
Rocker was sold after Hurricane Frederick destroyed the neighbor's pasture and he was moved to a boarding stable. Horseless once again, Jennifer concentrated on finishing high school and college. During this time there were rides on Auburn University's school horses, a summer lease of a polo pony, and catch rides wherever available.
After graduation, Jennifer moved to Arizona. Enter HCC Zarkazo, a diminutive Arabian gelding. "Rebel" was an astounding trail horse and shuttled Jennifer all over South Mountain Park in Phoenix. It was through Rebel that Jennifer learned about endurance racing. The Hyannis Cattle Company (HCC) was known for producing great endurance horses. Though Rebel, never fulfilled this promise, he lit the spark of an idea.
Fast forward to 1999 and the move to North Carolina. For ten horseless years spent in Atlanta, Jennifer had convinced herself that part of her life was over. Then Raven suggested, "Why don't you go look at a horse?" Danger, danger Will Robinson......
Enter Hayat Cohaliblaze and Salike, two part Arabs in need of a home. Hayat was to be Jennifer's horse, but alas, she was in foal unbeknownst to her previous owner. So enter Thunder, a non-spotted App with a bone spavin. As many do when entering the horse ownership world, you start with the wrong horses. Thunder went on to do light riding at a local summer camp. Salike went to a family in Virginia and Hayat to a young woman near Asheville. Hayat's foal, Picasso went on to be an endurance horse for a family in Ferguson, NC.
The first Morgan was Zena of Cedar Creek. Jennifer found her in a local trade classified as an unstarted three year old. A higher power was smiling down that day. Finally, sound, sane and sensible all in one package. It was time to do a long distance ride that was first dreamed of in 1987.
Now, some ten years later, Jennifer not only still rides and competes with Zena, but the farm has expanded to its present fourteen acres, a five stall barn, an arena in the works, and various Morgan horses. They're like potato chips, you can't own just one!
