July 19, 2023 •Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue
Meet Xena, a Quarter Horse mare and her trainer, Morgan Schmidt of Brandt, SD. #ShowdownTeamXena is competing in the Challenge Division of the 2023 Dakota Showdown Horse Trainer Challenge
Xena, Quarter Horse mare, holds the title of being the oldest horse in the 2023 Dakota Showdown at a proud 17 years old. With her independent broodmare background, she may take her time to warm up and doesn't demand constant attention, but she is intelligent and eager to please, even if she can be a tad opinionated. Standing at a sturdy 15 hands tall and boasting an impressive width, Xena exudes confidence and strength. Her movements are incredibly smooth and unhurried, making her an ideal companion for trail riding enthusiasts.
Xena entered the Showdown with good ground manners. She had accepted a saddle but anything further in her history was unknown. She absolutely refused to load on a trailer. In training she has become much easier to load, has been working hard on bend and using her body correctly both on the lunge and through ground driving, ground tying, and has been started under saddle at the walk/jog. She is still very green and can be unpredictable so will need an experienced rider or further training.
About Morgan Schmidt
Morgan Schmidt, Xena's talented trainer, is no stranger to the equine world. With a diploma in equine science from M State Community & Tech College, she has honed her skills and knowledge in the field. Morgan's experience ranges from interning at Kampeska Equestrian Center to being the barn manager at the esteemed Lee Mar Ranch Equine Center. At Lee Mar, she not only gave lessons to numerous students but also served as the head coach of the Special Olympics Equestrian team, guiding five riders to the state competition. Alongside her work with clients and program horses, Morgan finds joy in competing in ranch rodeos with her beloved horse, Whiskey. Currently, she is part of the Quail Honey team in Brandt, SD, where she is involved in every step of honey production, from tending to the bees to the final bottle of honey. Morgan's passion and dedication shine through in her training of Xena, making her the perfect partner for this remarkable Quarter Horse mare.
From Her Trainer
It’s fun to watch Xena's thought processes; she is SO ridiculously smart. Her personality is shining through. Xena is so willing, but when she gets overwhelmed, her flight instinct sometimes get the better of the situation. Though she has shown lots of improvement, she is still learning. Xena would be a great partner for a confident and consistent leader. Someone is going to be very lucky to have her in their pasture.
About Xena's Ideal Adopter
Xena is looking for a laid back but strong partner, who enjoys the slower things in life. You should have intermediate/advanced or better skills to continue building her confidence under saddle and respect her opinion and personality. She can be unpredictable still - things that should bother her rarely do, but small little things like moving your arm too fast can spook her and she can be reactive. A confident rider who can continue her training and build her confidence would be best.
Xena brings a mellow personality and an independent spirit to the partnership. She's an extremely easy keeper and does best in a pasture environment. She has extremely smooth and slow gaits and will jog for days. Xena will prefer relaxed trail rides over trying to turn her into a speed demon. She's learned to enjoy the finer things in life in training and will appreciate the occasional sports massage and grooming, though she may never be a demanding or overly affectionate horse.
Xena's History
Xena entered rescue with Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue in February of 2016 through a law enforcement impoundment of 33 horses in Kingsbury County, South Dakota. As one of the older horses, Xena had basic skills but was used to taking care of herself and the herd and didn't have much use for humans. As an older and quiet horse, she stayed in the background at GSH and didn't get a lot of extra attention until chosen for the Showdown. If not for the Showdown, she likely would have been placed as a companion only horse, so we're excited that she's been given this chance!
Due to her conformation and a bit of lameness, Xena was x-rayed in the summer of 2023 to rule out navicular disease or other potential issues that would make riding a problem. We're happy to report her x-rays were clean with no sign of navicular or any other problems! She does appreciate front shoes for support, but likely won't require them.
Adopt Xena at the Dakota Showdown Finale
The Dakota Showdown horses will be available for adoption under the Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue contract (or Little Hooves Miniature Horse Rescue contract for ponies KC, Diamond Dave, Belle and Tinkerbelle) to approved adopters through an online bidding process on August 12-13, 2023. The starting bid is $1200. Appointments to meet the horses you are interested in on August 12 are greatly encouraged.
Photography provided by Spenser Pederson