How It All Started... Gaston/Richard Lifton Edition

So, while at Willow South Riding School, I made friends with a fabulous girl named Elizabeth.

I always did, and always will, admire E and her talent for riding. But she introduced me to Dominique.

Dominique is my saving grace when it comes to horses- she helped me find a FANTASTIC horse to lease so that I could start riding again.


Enter, Gaston.



Gaston was owned by a fabulous woman, Ann McGayhey (God bless, may she rest in peace), who bred him. He was sired by a descendant of Gold Luck and out of her mare, Mia. He's a Hanoverian X QH/morgan.

He had KILLER dressage, and scope to die for over fences. I absolutely adored him. I leased him for 9 months, and was intending to purchase him, when things fell through. Broke my heart. It still does to see that boy go. He's a gem, definitely one-of-a-kind. I'll miss him.

Through Dominique introducing me to Ann, and riding Gaston, I met a new trainer.



Enter, Richard Lifton.



Richard is great at explaining what and how when it comes to Dressage. I went from barely understanding how to move a horse off my leg and barely grasping the concept of contact to being able to excecute almost textbook perfect canter half-pass, and starting piaffe. I'm not a Dressage pro by any means, no where close, but those were some of the biggest accomplishments I've ever made in riding.
I rode with Richard while leasing Gaston for about 8 months, at which point my lease on Gaston ended. I then started going to a barn in Canton where Richard trained daily, and began taking lessons on well-schooled horses as well as exercising and helping to train others.


After 5 fabulous months of riding for Richard, I began hunting for a horse for me to buy to get back into Eventing with....