Miss Brittney knows when it’s her time to shine. From the moment she steps onto the show grounds, the 21-year-old Thoroughbred-Quarter Horse mare puts on a performance, which is just part of the equation that helps her excel in the side-saddle ring.

“It takes a special horse [to do well in side-saddle],” said Jeanne Blackwell, owner of “Brittney” and Mad Cap Farms in The Plains, Va. “They have to be beautiful, kind, well-broken and a performer. [Brittney] is a real poser and knows when she’s in the appointments line up. She focuses on something and is just beautiful.”

Brittney became a part of Blackwell’s life in 1991 when she was donated to a therapeutic riding program.

“She was donated by a nice family from Middleburg [Va.] who used her to foxhunt, but she wasn’t really holding up to that,” said Blackwell. “They wanted to make sure she had a good home, so they donated her. She did therapeutic riding from 1991 to 2003 and mainly served the adult population, especially those with cerebral palsy, stroke and partial paralysis.”

Blackwell said that Brittney excelled in the program because of her kind and quiet nature, as well as her smooth gaits. After contesting the local hunters with Brittney, Blackwell began introducing her to side-saddle about five years ago.

“The first thing I had to teach her was to move forward,” said Blackwell. “The therapeutic horses are usually led, and it can shorten their gait, and they’re used to quiet work. The first year was spent reconditioning and retraining her muscles to move forward.”

Blackwell, who is passionate about keeping the side-saddle tradition alive and runs a vintage clothing business in addition to her farm, started using Brittney to teach side-saddle lessons.

“She’s an amazing mare. I can teach first timers up to advanced riders on her,” said Blackwell. “I’m careful with my lessons, but she’s like, ‘OK, here we go.’ She’s just a happy, happy horse.”

Harrisburg Blue

For Holly Sorensen, Fairfax Station, Va., who took an 11-year hiatus from horses and horse showing, getting back in the tack helped fill a void in her life. She began taking side-saddle lessons on Brittney from Blackwell, and, with her encouragement, hit the horse show circuit again.

“I loved the elegance of it,” said Sorensen. “I remember as a young girl watching the ladies ride side-saddle at [the Upperville Colt and Horse Show (Va.)] and thinking how beautiful they looked and how well turned out they were. I always said to myself that one day I wanted to do it. The whole vintage feel of it, finding the appointments; it’s a real by-gone era. It’s exciting and beautiful. And I always wanted to learn how to tie a stock tie myself!

“Jeanne was so generous,” added Sorensen. “She loaned me priceless vintage appointments and a wonderful horse. The whole thing was completely foreign. It’s a different center of balance, so it was OK to feel like that was kind of an awkward feeling. Jeanne kept saying I’m a natural at it, so I’ll just keep on pretending that I am!”

Sorensen and Brittney made their show ring debut at the Pennsylvania National in October, and for Sorensen, who was a successful A-circuit hunter/jumper as a youth, Brittney helped her achieve her goal of returning to the show ring.

Brittney and Sorensen had a lovely flat class and then went on to have a solid work-off in the side-saddle hack. Sorensen didn’t realize, however, that the call back to jump was in reverse order of standings.

“I was second-to-last to jump, and I just picked up the canter and nailed it,” said Sorensen. “I rode up next to Jeanne, and she said, ‘I think you just won that.’ When they called me as the winner, I was absolutely shocked. Brittney helped make a dream come true for me. It’d been a long time since I’d been in the winner’s circle at Harrisburg.”

“Holly did a great job, and she’s a very good rider,” added Blackwell. “She’s bold, and she has a good eye, and she really gives the horses a chance to show their best. She has the horsemanship appreciation side as well. She takes great care of her equipment and prepping Brittany before the rides and when she’s done. That’s the sign of a real horsewoman.”

After winning the hack, the pair also went on to take home fourth in the over fences class.

“She’s always really consistent,” said Blackwell of Brittney. “Usually the horses she’s competing against are well-bred warmblood type horses with big movement. It makes me proud of her that she can hold her own in that company. Everyone loves her, even the competitors.”

Brittney’s Gift

For Sorensen, the blue ribbon wasn’t as important as the difference Brittney has made in her life.

“Brittney has allowed me to come back to the show world on a different level,” said Sorensen. “The commitment and financial strain to compete on the hunter/jumper circuit is really not possible for a lot of people. With the side-saddle, there’s not a show every weekend, so it allows me to reconnect with friends and what I love. For 11 years I was out of horses completely, and I really missed it. I’ve got a really positive outlook on things these days; it’s brought a lot of joy and being able to get back out to the barn and show, all because of her, has improved my quality of life.”

Sorensen isn’t taking Brittney lightly, though. Both Blackwell and Sorensen keep a close watch on Brittney’s health and fitness and make sure that she’s happy and willing to do her job.

“You have to keep them fit without pushing them past what their physical bodies can give. You can’t ask the same questions of a 21-year-old that you can a 5-year-old,” said Blackwell. “With the older horses you have to take special care of them. You have to let them give you anything they’ve got but not push them anything more.”

Blackwell said that it’s more difficult for some older horses to take the winter off, so she keeps Brittney in light work during the off-season. She stressed that taking care of an older horse’s teeth is essential in keeping them healthy, as well as providing them with a diet that provides enough nutrients to maintain a healthy weight.

“Every year I ask Brittney, and if she doesn’t want to do it anymore than that’s fine,” said Blackwell. “She has the opportunity to bring people to the side-saddle division. It’s a thrill for people to ride a safe, solid horse. Her job now is to be leased and bring other people into the side-saddle world. There aren’t that many horses who can do that special job.”

“She’s a dream horse. I don’t think she has any vices about her,” said Sorensen with a laugh. “She’s friendly and outgoing, she’s a pleasure to be around, and she’s good at helping all levels of riders build their confidence. Every time I get on her back, I’m never worried she’s going to do anything stupid. There have been a couple times I’ve put her in some questionable distances, and she’s never cheated me. She knows what she is supposed to do, and she loves it. She doesn’t drag her feet; she treats each day with a smile.”