Aiden is a dark bay, 17.1 hand tall, Dutch warmblood gelding foaled in May 2003.  I bought him in February 2008 as an "investment".  The plan was to bring him along and sell him at a nice fat profit then keep part of the money and use the rest to buy a different long term horse.  A peice of financial advice for you.  Don't invest in something you become emotionally attached to.  This horse has too good of a brain to just let go like that.  Now the focus is on bringing him along as a competitve hunter and/or adult equitation horse for me to ride for years to come.

He spent the 2008 show season campainging in the Baby Green Hunters on the Colorado A circuit and is coming along fabulously under the guidance of my trainer, Jenny Paisley ( www.IjumpM.com ).   He has pinned very well in every show he's been to. So far his best win was a first place out of 35 horses at the Estes Park HJ festival.  He finished the 2008 show season in 3rd place for the Baby Green Hunters and 6th place in the Pre-Adult Amateur Hunters.  We're staying with the local shows for 2009 because of money but he'll learn just as much there.  So far  he's running away with the 3'0 green hunter division with Jenny riding him!

With Jenny Paisley at the Colorado Springs Classics 2008

And with me.  This is why you hire a trainer for a young horse. This sport is very humbling. I rode in the junior hunters and 3'6 medals in high school but then eventually had to quit for real life.  I started up again in December 2007 after 17 years off. I'll get there again.... eventually ... maybe...

I still love him anyway.  Well, I should probably say he still loves me anyway.

Aiden's show name is Benevento.  I changed it from his old name for the 2009 season.  Benevento is a tiny town in south central Italy where I once got stranded.  It means "Good Wind."

      High Prairie Fall Preview, September 2008, Parker, CO   2nd place Adult Limit Equitqtion Over Fences

Schooling at home ~ August 2008

***

We've come a long way baby!!

May 2009 - Riding our way to our our first Reserve Championship as a team.   Beginner Amateur Equitation

My goal for us as a team this year is to win our age group in the Beginner Equitation and qualify for state medal finals and get called back to do the ride off test.