5 Young Horses Started in Just Two Days
I had the pleasure of visiting Plendl’s facility to watch a colt starting challenge put on by Russell Beatty and his wife Cristy. Based in Maui, Hawaii, these two travel 30+ weekends per year putting on these challenges and clinics all over the U.S.
It was interesting to see how 5 unbroke horses from 2-1/2 to 3 years of age were being ridden after two hours, some even at a lope. The second day had these horses navigating an obstacle course. Talk about trust!
What’s amazing to me is the way these horses all responded to their trainers. They were all responsive but not all moved forward so quickly. Temperament, timing and patience all factor in to the starting of these young horses. It was interesting to see how expressive all these horses were and just how these trainers’ communicated to their mounts. It was truly a pleasure to watch. Inspires me to try these methods.
Here’s a list of the 5 horses and their trainers:
Pen #1: Violet (QH Mare) owned by Megan Roberts, trained by Evan Bonner
Pen #2: Peaches (QH Mare) owned by Theresa Zuver, trained by Jonath Robles
Pen #3: Frosty (Grade Mare) Owned by Butler Hill Equestrian Center, trained by: Jessica Abatie
Pen #4: Q (Appaloosa Mare) Owned by Jerry Richardson, trained by: Lucia Clemetson
Pen #5: Serendipity (Arab Cross Mare) Owned by Cindy Honcoop, trained by: Russell Beatty
For pictures of this event visit: https://nwhsphoto.smugmug.com/Equestrian-Events/Colt-Starting-Clinic-Butler/
Congratulations to Theresa Zuver and her beautiful homebred filly along with her amazing trainer Jonath Robles for the first place buckle. All the trainers did an awesome job, congratulations.
Plan to attend Russell Beatty’s Natural Horsemanship Clinic in Snohomish, WA starting today, June 20 & 21 in Snohomish, WA. For details email Scott Lee at [email protected]
For more information on Russell & Cristy Beatty’s Colt Starting Challenge USA visit www.coltstartingchallengeusa.com or visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/coltstartingchallengeusa. Email [email protected] or phone: (808) 269-3408
Photos by Karen Pickering
Owner / Publisher | Canfield Certified Trainer
Karen Pickering is a lifelong horsewoman and the founder of The Northwest Horse Source, which began in 1995 as a small equine newsletter and grew into a respected industry publication. With more than 30 years of experience serving the horse community, Karen now focuses on helping equine businesses and organizations build visibility, credibility, and lasting relationships through online marketing, digital promotion, and educational platforms.
As a Canfield Certified Trainer, she blends proven success principles with real-world industry experience, supporting both businesses and individuals navigating change in today’s digital landscape. Karen remains deeply connected to the horse industry and is passionate about serving the community she has helped build for over three decades.
