About Gordon Adair

A PROFESSIONAL HORSE TRAINER'S LIFE STORY....

"A HORSE AFFAIR"

By Gordon Adair

I was born a horse crazy kid, who loved everything associated with horses, which drove my parents crazy. I began my horse training career at an early age riding my faithful stick horse around the yard, on rainy or snowy days I redirected my training towards my other steed that rocked in the basement. After numerous skinned knees and bruises I quickly realized that riding really needed to be taken seriously.

As I grew up not even the supermarket electric horses or the amusement park pony rides could fulfill my needs. To my parent's horror, my interests were then directed toward the living species of horses. As fate intervened, my Aunt and uncle moved to a horse farm. Unfortunately, when it was my turn to ride all the good horses were tired. So, I asked about the horse that nobody ever wanted to ride, by the name of Rowdy. The reason no one wanted to ride him definitely fit his name. He was one rowdy horse who really knew what he wanted, like bucking, rearing, and running full blast back to the barn. I was determined to apply my earlier years of horse training, to a real horse and Rowdy would be that horse. Rowdy loved my attention but that was as far as his loyalty went. At age ten, I was a little small to be riding a full grown horse. To throw a saddle on Rowdy's back I needed the aid of a fence. When I reached the top of the fence Rowdy would move sending me crashing to the ground. The only thing I truly knew about horses was; to stay on at any cost, because falling to the ground hurt! Because of my love of riding and my stubborn attitude, Rowdy and I eventually came to terms. He could not buck me off so we became friends. I will always remember how happy I was on the day Rowdy was mine to keep. From that day on I would hear my fathers immortalized saying; "That was the most expensive free gift I ever received." Unfortunately, Rowdy could not take me the distance. Two other horses were part of my training and showing career as an amateur rider in 4-H and class "A" Arabian shows.

While amateur riding, people began to notice my talents and would ask if I would train their horses. So, I thought if people wanted me to train their horses then I wanted to do it right. So, I left my home state of Michigan to start my professional horse career. I applied at an apprentice program in Tucson Arizona where Bill Steward and Harold Bright were the trainers. Herald Bright, used the "older ways" in comparison with the rest of the industry, while working at a farm that also believed in natural care. Bill Steward began teaching me more structured training methods that was needed to train a variety of horse personalities. I followed Bill Steward to Texas and later to Utah as his apprentice. Bill Steward although being a trainer had a strong interest in bit making, which helped me better understand the use of bits.

Jack Teague, who I met in Utah in the early eighties, had help me the most to be a better person and trainer. I often talk about the day Jack Teague help me with a problem I did not think anyone could fix because, I could not solve the problem myself. Of course, if I could not solve the problem, it had to be complex. The problem was solved in a couple minutes, and the only thing left was a smile on Jack Teague's face for showing up a young trainer who thought he knew everything, just because he won championships at horse shows. In amazement of how fast the problem was solved I made a humbling comment; "The more I learn about horses - the more I learn I do not know." Jack Teague's smile grew even larger as he gave me a pat on the back and said, "Now you have the right mind set to make it in the horse business."I took a short break from training and showing to play cowboy on a working cattle ranch east of Tucson, which satisfied a childhood dream. The experiences I had while helping my friend, Rick Dailey, on that ranch will live with me forever. After playing cowboy I returned to the Arabian horse business in Scottsdale Arizona where I trained, showed, and worked at the famous horse auctions.