Part One – Falling In Love
When I first saw Joker I had no idea that I would buy him. He came to me as a sale horse inJune of 2025. He was a handsome creamy buckskin and I could tell that he was very sensible. He was an average mover but there was something special about him–he was smart and funny!
Joker is a Lusitano and I’ve had some outstanding Lusitanos in my career. They were originally bred to work and fight cattle in Portugal. They make good dressage horses because they are quick on their feet but basically good natured and calm to ride.
He was owned by my friend Patty who lives in Indio, CA. She had a high price on him but he had no real show record. My home stable, El Sueno, was having a show and I volunteered to show him Fourth Level (The highest national level). We did great and got a good score!
But he still needed a score at a higher level to substantiate his price, so I showed him locally again in two weeks. I rolled the dice and entered him in the first international level, Prix St. George. To my amazement he did well again, not as high a score as the first show but very competitive. We had quite a few people try him over the summer, but he didn’t find that special rider who fell in love and couldn’t live without him. He stayed in training with me and it turned out that I was the one who fell in love with him.
In the fall of 2025 I started looking at ways I could afford to buy him. It was more money than I had ever spent on a horse and, pretty scary dipping into my “old age” funds to purchase a horse. But he was super healthy, 100 percent level-headed and a quick learner. On October 8, 2025 Patty and I closed our deal! Over the winter Michael S. Andersen was traveling to California from Germany and he helped us from the ground. It was obvious that Joker was very talented for the highest levels.
Part Two – The Goal – Grand Prix By 2028
I rode my first Grand Prix in 1984 and competed at that level for decades. From my years of experience I know how a horse has to feel before it shows at that level. Joker and I still have a long way to go but I believe we can do it. His musculature needs to be developed so he can become lighter on his front end. His core and his top line has to be strong enough to maintain that lightness during the transitions between, and within the gaits. I have to get him as supple as possible with stretching exercises on the ground and from the saddle, which is not easy for a short backed horse! And he has to learn the “habit of obedience” and be able to wait for me to give him an aid before he anticipates what’s coming and takes over. I have to get myself stronger! Protein every meal, way less alcohol, better sleep schedule and of course stretching!
Part Three – Home Base
Every athlete needs a solid home environment, where their food, their work, and their rest is consistent and reliable. I’m fortunate to live close to the barn and I can be there in a few minutes. The El Suenno barn staff feeds the hay and cleans our stalls. There is a choice between Alfalfa, Orchard and Teff hay which is fed three times a day. I personally mix and give the grain type food, including vitamins for all the horses under my care morning and night. Joker gets Orchard and Teff hay; and salt, Vitamin E, Farrier’s Formula and ProAmino (a muscle builder and restorative product) added to his 3 pounds of Triple Crown Balancer daily.
Living in California has many advantages and although there are some challenges, the weather where we are located is temperate and the horses thrive on the clean ocean air. Joker has a block stall with a run attached and like many top performers he likes to move around a lot. It’s not nervousness, it’s more like “Feed me or let’s go do something!” He loves seeing my truck come down the driveway and he’s usually up for anything as long as it’s with me. I do all his grooming which he loves and I admit to spoiling him a little.
The Team/2026 Training & Show Update
Coming Soon!
