My name is Katie, and I am the owner of EquineWear Laundering. I started riding at the age of five. My mom purchased a little Arabian mare from a woman named Val Tonto, and brought her home. Even though I'd never had any lessons or knew much about riding, I spent hours riding and playing "house" with my little mare. She was such a fantastic babysitter, even though she would sweep me off under one of the trees in the yard when she'd had enough of my shenanigans. Around six years old my mom decided I better start having riding lessons, and the fever had started.
I began my riding lessons with Val on a daughter of my little mare. We began showing on the open circuit, and after a few years began to show on the A circuit. Now showing with Val's daughter Elaina as our trainer, we began to get a little more serious in competing. In 1993 I qualified for my first Youth Nationals, but had to withdraw from going when my horse had a barn accident and was injured. My mom had then bought me another horse to began showing (my heart horse) and we qualified for Nationals again 1995. So we drove our little two horse trailer and truck with a camper to Oaklahoma City (we lived in Redlands, California) and the three of us, my trainer, my mom, and I set out to do the seemingly impossible... Win something. Turns out my horse contracted a respiratory infection on the drive, and for the first three days we were there was on IVs. So much for Nationals again that year, or so we thought. The vet said she was physically able to compete, so the show office refused to refund any money, so we decided to ride the first class and see how things went. My little heart horse gave her all, and even though we didn't warm up at all before the class, she held her coughs and gave 110% and we made our first cut. She made the next two cuts as well, so I made it into all three finals of every class (we showed Half Arab Hunter 13& under JTR, JOTR, and Hunt Seat Equitation). Then we made Top Tens in every class, even placing third in my JOTR class. We had done what we came to do! Since we only had one stall and a grooming stall we were stuck in the far corner near some really big barns, and I still remember the look on those peoples faces when I'd walk by with my ribbons. Yes, my little $1250 backyard bred horse had beaten their expensive show bred horses. That was just the beginning of my showing career, though I never did make it higher than 3rd at Nationals (I was again 3rd in dressage at US Nationals years later! On the same horse!)
One of the things I cherish most is the dedication of my mother through it all. She was a divorced single mother, supporting my dreams all by herself. We weren't able to buy the expensive things and fancy tack, but we made due with what we could afford and made things last. I remember my first matching blanket and sheet set, a hot pink Big D. That set is about 20 years old now, but we still have it, even though it's more for sentimental reasons than use.
Every blanket that I wash and repair I treat as my own. I try to repair them as I would expect them to be repaired, and I don't take short cuts. If the blanket is not a quilted and the layers are separable, I will open it up and only repair the layer that is damaged... Leaving your blankets integrity to move on your horse the way it was designed and intended. I try not to sew threw all layers on the blanket, making it possibly bunch or sit uneven and not flat. It may take me a little more time, but I know that my repairs are done right. And I always guarantee my repair work, if it doesn't hold I will re-repair it for free!