Horses Are Hard, Don’t Give Up: The Chestnut Mare Of All Chestnut Mares
Editor’s Note: This story originally published in the Heels Down Spark newsletter in May 2021, as part of a series exploring tales from real riders about how they’ve overcome injuries and setbacks, and how they found the motivation to keep going. Sign up now for the Spark to read more stories like this first, delivered to your inbox.
Courtney Tiedt was browsing horse sales ads one day in 2017 when an interesting chestnut mare popped up. Courtney, 30, wasn’t necessarily in the market for a new horse, but the owner wanted to give this well-bred Holsteiner mare away for free. Courtney’s interest piqued.
“I had to know what was wrong with her,” she said.
The mare, Katie Kat as she would become to be known, hadn’t been worked much as a 10-year-old and her owner at the time had trouble making progress with her. After a bad accident, the owner decided the mare was just too much horse for her, and wanted to find her a soft spot to land. With lots of people interested in the free mare, Courtney stood out.
“She decided I was a good choice for her,” Courtney recalled.
So she brought the mare home, who outside of being out of shape, was just as stunning in person as she was in her pictures. Their first ride together was easy going, and Katie was “perfect.” The next day, Katie felt a little barn sour. By the third day: “She was clearly comfortable enough to say, ‘OK, time to kill you now.’”
As Courtney would learn over those first few exciting months, Katie would rear, spin in the air and buck when she didn’t want to go to work. Courtney started going down the laundry list to rule out pain – she called in vets, bodyworkers, saddle fitters, you name it. The mare was treated for ulcers and after more than a year of putting all the pieces together, she was deemed sound to ride.
But still, Katie was “downright naughty,” Courtney described. The rearing and bucking continued. Their first show in 2019 was “a downright disaster,” Courtney joked. But she didn’t give up.
They’ve made progress and they’ve had setbacks. And Katie is still Katie – she’s quite opinionated. But Courtney enlisted a team of trainers she trusts to help her along the way. And despite the frustrations – and there have been many – she hasn’t given up on her mare.
“She show so much promise and talent,” Courtney said. “If it wasn’t for a really good support system with my trainers, I don’t think I could keep going. I try not to listen to the terrible people and hold on tight to the ones who believe in me. Without that, it’s pointless. It’s hard to be your own cheerleader.”
Katie and Courtney are currently eventing at Beginner Novice but have dreams of making it to Preliminary.
“I lost my job during the pandemic, and I had nothing else to do but take riding lessons,” Courtney explained. That period of time was a game changer for the pair.
“I love her because she’s such a challenge,” Courtney said about her sassy mare. “I grew up with hard horses. It’s in my nature to be the underdog and to turn her into something. She’s the most talented horse I’ve ever sat on, and she’s really special.”