2025 CHALLENGE HORSES - PRO DIVISION

 5 yr. old   14.3 H   Gelding

Registered Missouri Foxtrotter (Blazing Boots)

Trainer: Betsey Munday

Boots is super intelligent and quick witted; once he learns a new skill, it is cemented in him for life. Sometimes, you can just think of what you want this horse to do and he does it before you ask, which speaks to his intelligence. He has ridden on trails, obstacles, and various arenas. He has respectful ground manners, stands for the farrier, loads and unloads from the trailer, and stands tied. Boots rarely spooks, but if he looks at anything, he only needs to look at it once, then he never looks at it again. He is super responsive to the rider’s legs and hands, so he would be better suited for intermediate to advanced riders with experience. Boots is very talented and willing; he can go any direction his new partner wants, whether that is the trails or the show arena.

Minimum skill level required: Intermediate to Advanced Intermediate

See more of Team Boots on Facebook - Boots: 2025 Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge 

3 yr. old  15 H  Mare

Quarter Horse

Trainer: Breanna Frey

Simone is a confident and curious trail partner who prefers to lead but will settle in the back without issue. She’s calm, steady, and just happy to be out exploring. In the arena, she’s more whoa than go, with a lovely walk, trot, and canter. She responds well to seat cues and the verbal command “whoa.” While she is still developing softness and full body control, her progress has been consistent and impressive.As a result of compensating an old injury during healing, Simone developed some asymmetry in her muscling. We have been diligently working on strengthening and evening her out through targeted groundwork, proper conditioning, and balanced riding. She travels well and performs consistently in different arenas. Recently, she was introduced to cattle and surprised us with her natural interest and instinct—she showed real potential for a future in cow work and seemed to truly enjoy it. Simone will thrive with a confident and experienced rider who understands green horses and is willing to continue building trust and partnership. She’s incredibly willing, curious, and affectionate—a true powerhouse in the making. With continued development, she has the potential to excel in a variety of disciplines.

Minimum skill level required: Advanced Intermediate

See more of Team Simone on Facebook - Simone: 2025 Heart of Horse Challenge

6 yr. old   14.2 H    Gelding

Registered Missouri Foxtrotter (Pale Faced Tears)

Trainer: Colby O’Conner

Gambler has been introduced to many things! From endless miles of trails, overnight camping trips, obstacles, arena work, roping, introduced to live cattle, and has even been used in a lesson program. This gelding is a jack of all trades, has a great start and is a very willing fellow. If you are looking for something a little unique here he is! Gambler has been started with softness and gentleness; he is very soft in the bridle and has a nice start into neck reining and working off of leg pressure. There is not enough room to list all of his skills and attributes, so perhaps this YouTube video will suffice:  Gambler

Minimum skill level required: Intermediate

See more of Team Gambler on Facebook - Gambler: 2025 Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge 

 10 yr. old   14 H  Gelding

Tatooed Mustang from New Mexico

Trainer: John Harvey

Magnus is a handy little horse, I believe someone could really have some fun on him and enjoy him in some team sorting or maybe some fun shows where he can run the barrels and poles or things like that. He has been exposed to a lot and taken it in stride...arena, trail, obstacles, traffic and livestock. He takes his leads well and is soft in the bridle. He’s the kind of horse that needs a job! That being said, Magnus needs is an experienced rider, one that has rode and dealt with a more sensitive horse. Typical of an older untrained mustang, he did have major major trust issues. Although he’s come a long way, he needs someone that will take their time and create a good relationship with him. 

Minimum skill level required: Accomplished

See more of Team Magnus on Facebook - Magnus: 2025 Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge

 5 yrs old   13.2 H   Gelding

Grade

Trainer: Melinda Martinez

 Murphy has come a long way in just a few months! He has transformed from untouchable, fearful and totally untrained to an engaged and willing equine partner. Murphy is a jack of all trades and a master of none. If you want to do dressage one day, then he's up for it. The next day you can chase the cows & the day after that you can jump a crossrails course. He's up for just about anything - and may even have the potential to gait (just have not spent time trying to develop it). He will require at least an advanced intermediate rider who is willing to learn and grow with him, and he does have his baby green moments now and then, but he's had a crazy amount of exposure for such a green horse. To date he has travelled to - *Moon Shadow farms in TN to train under a dressage clinician 5 times. *Southern Equine Expo in TN to train with Brandi Lyons both on the ground and with obstacles *A local saddle club show where he showed walk trot canter and earned his first blue ribbon *7th Heaven Ranch in TN to work cattle and  *Midwest horse fair in Madison Wisconsin where he did both horsemanship lessons and cattle clinics in front of hundreds of people & in a big busy coliseum. Needless to say he's traveled a lot! But he travels well, and has gotten better every time. He eats and drinks on the road and settles more and more into each place.

Minimum skill level required: Advanced Intermediate

See more of Team Murphy on Facebook - Murphy : 2025 Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge

  6 yrs.   14.3 H   Gelding

Grade

Trainer: Oscar Martinez

Minimum skill level required:

See more of Team Trooper on Facebook - Trooper : 2025 Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge

6 yrs. old   15.2 H  Mare

Grade Paint

Trainer: Vera Frazier

Olympia has all the try in the world and has gained self confidence and learned to trust. She has a solid liberty foundation, and is nicely started under saddle. She is still very green but progressing quickly. She is the sweetest mare in the field and will come to be caught. She stands tied to be groomed and tacked up and is wonderful with her feet. Her feet were neglected, but with supplements and good care they are improving and growing out very healthy! She is currently barefoot but still has tender feet, so she would benefit from shoes if doing lots of ridding and working on hard surfaces. Olympia is going to excel in so many areas. With more miles in the saddle she will be an excellent horse for any discipline. She does obstacle, can pony and be ponied by other horses, work with a garrocha pole, and so much more! She is very smart, soft and sensitive and learns quickly with a handler who can be gentle and patient with her. Once you have her trust, she will walk through fire for you. Olympia is a very gentle and nonaggressive horse. She does best when turned out with other calm and gentle horses. She is wonderful around kids and good with other animals.

Minimum skill level required:

See more of Team Olympia on Facebook - Olympia: Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge 2025

4 yr. old   14.3 H   Gelding

Grade TWH Cross

Trainer: Suzanne Whitehead

 Finn is a very friendly and easy to get along with horse. He loves people and anything they do with him. He has good ground manners and is easy to handle in any situation. Being only 4 years old he would benefit from a confident, knowledgeable rider to continue with his training under saddle. He is a forward riding horse but is easy to handle and attuned to the riders cues in any situation. He is not a herd bound or barn sour horse and rides out easily alone. His gait is progressing nicely under saddle but he would best be suited with a rider that has experience riding gaited horses to further his beautiful gait. Finn is going to make someone an amazing riding partner and new best friend.

Minimum skill level required: Intermediate

See more of Team Finn on Facebook - Finn: 2025 Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge

5 yr. old   16 H   Mare

Registered Thoroughbred (Why Wait)

Trainer: Ava Schuetzle

 Lyla is the sweetest and very willing to please. She has much more go than woah. but stops easily. She would be best suited for a confident junior/amateur in a program. I could see her excelling in the hunter/jumper ring. Lyla has a lot of anxiety around working and needs someone calm and confident to reassure her. She wants to do no wrong and is constantly looking for the right answer. Lyla has been lightly started over fences and knows basic flat work. She’s learning to adjust her gaits and hold a frame. She can side pass and turn on the forehand and haunches, has a developing leg yield and trot/canter to halt. She’s been ridden both english and western and goes amazing in both. She is great on the ground and very respectful of her handler. She rarely spooks or bucks and is happy to go on a trail!

Minimum skill level required: Intermediate

See more of Team Lyla on Facebook - Lyla- 2025 Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge 

6 yr. old   15.2 H   Mare

Grade Paint

Trainer: Leanne Casey

 Java has perfect ground manners, trailers easily, stands for the farrier, and is a joy to have in the barn. Her hooves are good, and she works well barefoot. She is a fast learner and will excel at low-level dressage, ranch classes, reining, or make a beautiful trail riding partner. She has no bad habits under saddle, but she will need more trail riding experience to build her confidence in that area. She is very sensitive to seat and hands, and will prefer someone who is a quiet, soft rider. Because she is a large, powerful horse, she can be intimidating to riders who are not confident in their abilities. 

Minimum skill level required: Intermediate

See more of Team Java on Facebook - Java: 2025 Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge

5 yr. old   14.1 H   Gelding

Quarter Horse/TWH cross (Not Gaited)

Trainer: Lexi Sones

 Billy is a talented and athletic young horse who is trained and refined in the Clinton Anderson Fundamentals from the groundwork to the undersaddle exercises. He is also trained lightly in some intermediate, advanced, and liberty exercises for more experienced handlers/riders or for those wanting to learn! Billy possess the basic safety training to make him a safe riding partner for any skill level (under the supervision of a trainer for those in the beginner level.) It is important to note that Billy is young, it is still early in his career as a riding partner, and he looks to his handler for direction and confidence. Billy very rarely spooks, but when he does he quickly comes back to you. He possess impeccable ground manners, you can ride him on the buckle all the way around the arena, he neck reins, he stops off your seat, he backs undersaddle with leg cues- with or without using your reins, he loads and unloads off of the trailer without any issues, he has proven to preform incredibly well off property at the various locations. He groundties, stands to be tacked up, is respectful of the bridle/bit, stands for the farrier, and takes to most obstacles confidently. Billy has been given the foundation he needs to succeed and grow in any direction his adopter wants to take him in!

Minimum skill level required: Advanced Beginner

See more of Team Blazing Billy on Facebook - Blazing Billy: Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge 2025

5 yr. old   14 H   Mare

Grade

Trainer: Marla Trammel

Minimum skill level required:

See more of Team Mesha on Facebook - Mesha : 2025 Heart of The Horse Trainers Challenge

9 yr. old   14.2 H   Gelding

Grade

Trainer: Colton Turnage

Minimum skill level required:

See more of Team Cosmo on Facebook - Cosmo: 2025 Heart Of The Horse Trainers Challenge

You can adopt one of these beauties at

The Safe Horse Auction of 2025 Challenge Horses

6:00 pm on Sat., May 17th

Fordice Equine Center, Jackson, MS

Apply to adopt by May 7, 2025 

For more information on the bidding process, click HERE