Growing up in Redwood City, California, and riding at a barn just down the road from The Mounted Patrol of San Mateo County, Emma Slocum always made a point to attend the Woodside Junior Rodeo, which is hosted annually by the mounted patrol unit. Each year, she and her friends showed up wearing breeches—much better suited for eventing than riding the mechanical bull—and as the years wore on, some of her friends began participating in the rodeo queen and princess competition.

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this looks like so much fun. I can’t wait till I’m old enough to finally do that,’ ” Slocum recalled. “It had always kind of been a dream of mine but never really seemed like it would become a reality because I’ve never really had anything to do with western or rodeo. [It’s] all totally new to me.”

But as this year’s rodeo approached, Slocum realized that, at 18, she had this one last shot at adding “Woodside Junior Rodeo Queen” to her resume. She sent in an application and was invited to participate in the ridden session. Because she didn’t have a western horse at the ready, she brought Patito, her preliminary-level eventing mare she’d ridden in western tack just once the previous week.

Donning borrowed tack, Slocum rode “Tito” through a pattern before getting off to answer horsemanship questions.

“Thankfully for Pony Club, all of that was pretty much what I’d learned all my life,” she said.

Afterwards she was asked to take a lap, like she would do if she were named rodeo queen, and completed a personal interview. Slocum won, which required her and Tito to embark on even more challenges during the annual rodeo on July 4.

“On the day of the rodeo, I rode her in a parade through my town, next to a train, next to people playing bagpipes, with flags flapping in the air, like, and she literally didn’t bat an eye,” she said. “One thing I think this whole process has taught me about her is that she really likes attention. She’s a huge fan of walking through the street and having people clap at her, [and] having people just watch her as she walks through. She’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m pretty cool.’ She really loves it.”

The rodeo drew crowds far larger and more enthusiastic than anything Slocum or Tito had encountered at events. Though Tito had never seen a cow before, she took it in stride.

Slocum credited her barn family at Webb Ranch for coming to her aid as she and Tito embarked on their series of new experiences. In addition to lending her tack, they stepped to ensure she was appropriately dressed—not in an Ariat show shirt, as she first planned, but in a proper western button-down.

“I was so oblivious, but I definitely learned a lot,” she said.

After their rodeo debut, Slocum and Tito were invited to carry the U.S. flag during the opening ceremonies for the grand prix during the Split Rock Jumping Tour stop held at Woodside Charity CSI2* (California). Tito had carried a flag just once before, but just as she’s adapted to everything else Slocum has thrown at her this summer, she took to it easily.

“It was insane the fact that, like, she wouldn’t even let me jump her two and a half years ago, and now the things she lets me do she probably shouldn’t, but she’s just so good,” Slocum said.

Building Trust

Slocum, 18, fell in love with riding from her first lesson. She started in western tack until she improved her balance before moving into English riding. For a few years she leased a lesson pony named Pony On A Mission, who she described as a challenging character with a big personality.

“He was my little super pony,” she said. “He taught me a lot of what I know now.”

“Kiwi” served as her introduction to eventing, and they moved up the levels together to novice. As she delved further into the sport, she was drawn to the horsemanship aspects of eventing.

“I love like the fact that people spend so much time with their horses and know their horses so well and take such good care of them,” she said. “And also the community itself, I feel like is totally different than anything else I’ve ever found in riding. Everyone’s so friendly. It just feels like everyone wants to know each other and get along. It’s pretty awesome.”

After Kiwi got injured and became Slocum’s sister’s ride, she went to England in search of her next partner. Tito, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Pointilliste—Coevers Exile, Coevers Diamond Boy) had competed up to the two-star level with professional Will Furlong but had never been ridden by a junior. Once Tito arrived stateside, the pair experienced growing pains.

“I think it was such a shock to her, like she absolutely did not trust me when I first got her, which I think was valid, because I was still making mistakes, and she had never been ridden by someone who made mistakes,” she said. “So the first year I had her was pretty rough. She had a big confidence knock, and at one point didn’t even want to go on a cross-country course. She wouldn’t really jump.”

Slocum switched trainers to Megan McIver, as her previous trainer was cutting back, and Slocum needed a consistent program to help build a strong partnership with Tito. For months they trailered to different places, walking over intro level fences to build confidence. At home, Slocum spent a lot of time goofing around with Tito, riding bridleless in the round pen, showering her with unlimited cookies and teaching her how to smile.

Slocum admitted it wasn’t an easy process, especially when she got well-meaning encouragement to sell Tito from people who believed the mare would never be suitable for a junior. It was an exercise in patience as her friends met their own goals, and she was returning to the basics, but it taught her the importance of trusting the process.

“She learned to trust me, and we really built up a partnership,” she said. “Sure, I still made mistakes after that, but because we built up such a partnership, she was really forgiving and has turned into one of the most forgiving horses I’ve ever ridden. We definitely went through a bit of a rough patch, but I’d say we’re both better for it.”

Once they got rolling, Slocum was able to move up the levels. Last November they were second in the CCI1* at The Eventing Championships at Galway Downs (California), and this season they made their preliminary debut. They are competing this week in the USEA modified amateur championship at the USEA American Eventing Championships at Galway, where they are leading after dressage on a 32.5. 

It’s their last big event before Slocum starts her freshman year at Oregon State University. Tito is coming with her, and she’ll be training with Brooke Phillips. While Slocum plans to event during college, they’re going to take some time to settle into a new routine and get used to riding on grass.