Mill Spring, N.C.—Sept. 2

If you were to look at Mister President’s résumé it’d be longer than that of most riders. At 15, the draft cross has a list of skills that would easily surpass the standard single page: foxhunting, hunters, equitation, eventing, pure dressage, jumpers and sidesaddle—just to name a few.

No matter what owner Diane Zrimsek throws at him, “Lincoln” always has an answer, which is why she jokes he should run in this year’s presidential election.

“I think you’re looking at the most qualified candidate!” she joked. “It goes with his personality. He’s large and in charge. He knows what’s up.”

Zrimsek got Lincoln in 2008, when the big gelding was 7. She grew up riding in the hunters and equitation and wanted something that would suit those disciplines, but she had other more important requirements. She wanted something big and safe that she and her mom Mary Ann Kibler could have fun with together.
“He was supposedly fox hunting when I got him, and he certainly knew how to walk, trot, canter and jump whatever he was pointed at, but that was about all he knew!” Zrimsek said. “Steering was questionable. He’s always been a safe, honest guy. I’ve never put his shoulders to a jump and had him not jump it, for better or for worse.

“It was March, so fur everywhere, mane everywhere, his face is the size of my torso. I was like, ‘Oh, that head…’ But I got on him, and he just has these beautiful gaits. I pointed him at a 3′ oxer, and off we went. I was like, ‘Well, I’ll take him!’ ”

Mister President and Diane Zrimsek competing at the Nutrena American Eventing Championships. Photo by Kimberly Loushin

Zrimsek’s early days with Lincoln involved a lot of experimenting. She took him in a jumper derby just three weeks into their partnership, and while he didn’t really understand the concept of jumping up and down a bank he gamely powered through.

She took him into the hunters and equitation, but Lincoln’s lead change trouble meant if they didn’t land on the leads they’d drop out of the ribbons. So in 2010 Zrimsek took him to his first starter trial where the gelding took to it immediately.

“We did some beginner novices, and then we did a couple of novices, and then we moved up to training. We spent two or three years going around training level having a ball,” she said. “He really likes it.”

In 2013 Zrimsek purchased an off-the-track Thoroughbred as a project, so she handed the reins over to her mom. During that time Lincoln was half-leased to a number of people in search of a good confidence building ride, and he proved to be just that.

One of Diane Zrimsek’s requirements for purchasing Lincoln was that he would be a solid mount for her mom Mary Ann Kibler (pictured). Photo courtesy of Diane Zrimsek.

When Zrimsek sold the OTTB, Lincoln’s half-lease ended, and she jumped at the chance to compete him again. She didn’t have any grand plans for the season; she and her mother had already decided to limit his competition career to 3′ and below to save his joints and ensure he has a long career ahead.

They did a starter trial early this season and brought home a blue then followed it up with another blue at the recognized event at Seneca (Md.), and the idea of attending the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships formed.

“I don’t think I’d want to come to a venue like this for the first time with any horse but this horse. This is how it goes,” she said, pointing to Lincoln, who was happily munching on his hay. “This is what he’s been doing since I put him in the stall.

“He’s just done everything,” she continued. “I stopped with the dream that this is my 3’ equitation horse. I still take him to stuff. He does hunter shows; he’s done side-saddle before. I put a western saddle on him just for fun. We’re surrounded by water in Maryland, so he takes every opportunity to go cannonball in the Patuxent River. My friends have kids, and he gives them pony rides.”

Most importantly Diane Zrimsek loves having fun with Lincoln, which includes going for swims. Photo courtesy of Diane Zrimsek.

While Lincoln has proven unflappable for whatever new tasks Zrimsek throws at him, they hit a rocky point just eight months into their partnership—literally.

Zrimsek was across the country in California on a business trip when she got a call saying Lincoln was colicking and was being loaded on a trailer to be taken to the veterinary clinic.

“They opened him up, and said it was good news since there was just a blockage,” she said. “Thirty minutes later they called and were pulling rocks out. They ended up pulling 50 pounds of rocks out of his intestine. Where did they come from, I don’t know. I’d only had him eight months. He did not eat 50 pounds of rocks in eight months.”

Even though they’d successfully pulled out the rocks, the veterinarians weren’t optimistic on Lincoln’s prognosis. They called Zrimsek asking for permission to euthanize him if necessary when he came out of the anesthetics, thinking he wouldn’t be able to stand after three hours under the knife and a significant drop in vitals.

But the next phone call she received wasn’t the somber one she expected. He stood, but the vets were unsure if he’d make it through the night. When he survived until the morning, the odds improved but not by much.

“I was flying back, and he was still alive,” she said. “He was in there for a week. He came through it relatively well. The incision got infected, and he needed multiple rounds of antibiotics. The belly band wrinkled, and it caused it to swell up, and a month later all the skin peeled off. Because of the infection he has a little hernia.”

The recovery lasted eight months, but Lincoln came out on the other side right as rain. While he still carries some scarring from the surgery and subsequent infection, he hasn’t had another colic episode, and he continued right where he left off.

“Linc is my Valegro, and I’m thrilled for the opportunity to compete at the AECs with him,” said Zrimsek.

Diane Zrimsek was thrilled with her novice amateur cross-country round aboard Mister President at the AEC. Photo by Kimberly Loushin

Want more from the American Eventing Championships? There’s a live stream of the intermediate and advanced action, which can be found here. Don’t miss any of the Chronicle’s coverage, which is located here.