Staff Spotlight: The Barrel Racer

Growing up on a farm, some of Ashlie’s earliest memories are of riding horses before she could even walk. By two years old, she was riding all on her own. While most kids were vying for a dog, Ashlie had her heart set on a horse of her own.
 

“Horses have always been a part of my life. I’ve never really known a time without them,” Ashlie shared.  “I’ll never forget the Christmas morning when my parents walked my first pony, Rusty, down the snowy lane with red ribbons and gold bells on his halter. I was three!”

Ashlie and her new 28-year-old partner in crime set out immediately on adventures. Teaching her how to deal with a stubborn pony who just wanted to graze at a very young age. (She may or may not have ended up on the ground, but we won’t speak ill of Rusty!) While Rusty was her first, the horse who truly taught Ashlie everything was Misty. An unexpected jet-black filly with a white moon on her forehead, the two were inseparable.

It was with Misty that Ashlie began to compete regularly. From the age of 9 through High School, the two competed in 4-H, winning ribbons and awards, even making the move to Wyoming for college as a team. But the sweetest memories remained riding bareback for miles across the farm. The two created a bond that will eclipse a lifetime. 

Before Misty, there was Nicky, her mom’s 16.2-hand mare, a cross between a Quarter Horse and a Thoroughbred with the speed to prove it! (For those of you who aren’t horse enthusiasts, a hand is the form of measurement for a horse, one hand is equal to 4 inches. Making Nicky above average for her breed!)
 

“My first organized competition was at 7 years old on the back of a really big and really spicy powerhouse mare named Nicky,” Ashlie explained. “I’ll never forget flying through the barrel pattern on her, outrunning kids much older than me. I was hooked from that moment on.”

As a kid, Ashlie was quite competitive, doing everything from halter classes to barrels, poles, and even western pleasure. She was successful enough to land a scholarship for horse judging, competing in events in Colorado and Wyoming. While her competitive streak still lives on, now, competitions are more about the experience, improving her time, and doing better than the last run. What’s even more special is having the opportunity to travel and compete with her sister and nieces. The horse competition community has always felt like family to Ashlie, and now it really is!

While competitions are great, what Ashlie loves most about horses is the special bond created between animal and rider and their silly personalities. Her two current horses, Jess (aka Salty Dragon) and GrayPants, span the full personality spectrum. Incredibly curious, Jess wants to be a part of everything and is likely to steal your tools or be found playing with the water tank heater. While GrayPants has a personality only a mother could love. (Ashlie’s words, not ours!) Known for lying down when being saddled and the occasional buck, he prefers to be left alone unless you’re offering belly scratches.
 

“There is nothing like watching the sun disappear below the horizon from the back of a horse. In those moments, it still amazes me that a 1,000-pound animal can trust us enough to carry us, follow us, and do what we ask,” Ashlie smiled. “Horses have been part of my life from the very beginning. They’ve shaped who I am in every way.”