Woman to Ride Horse Over Unblazed Trail
Source: The Patriot News
Lebanon County, PA
February 10, 2008

Danee Rudy will compete at the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo at the state Farm Show Complex, but she is not sure what she will be doing, how she will be judged, or what any of the other competitors are like.

She's not even sure she will use a saddle and bridle on her horse, Asia.

The new contest during the Feb. 21-24 expo is called the Wind Rider Challenge, and it combines elements of many riding disciplines. It's open to any adult rider on any kind of horse and could include requirements as diverse as jumping fences, trotting around while balancing something in one hand, opening gates and jousting.

The finalists will develop a freestyle ride with the help of internationally known trainers.

"The cool part is, we don't know much about the competition, and I kind of like that," Rudy said.

Rudy competed for several years in the horse jumper ring. Her focus changed when she got married in 2000 to Larry Davin Rudy, a cowboy. She started looking into different methods of riding and training, with an emphasis on natural horsemanship. That means she did a lot of groundwork to gain her horses' trust and sometimes rode them without saddle or bridle.

She bought Asia, a Saddlebred-Friesian mix whose official name is China Doll, when the horse was a year old.

The Rudys train horses at their East Hanover Twp., Lebanon County, farm, and this isn't the first time they have taken on unusual assignments. They are competing in the Midwest Mustang Challenge. They each picked up a wild mustang in Illinois on Jan. 9 and have 100 days to condition the horses, teach them ground manners and train them to ride.

In April, the Rudys will compete on their mustangs at the Midwest Horse Fair in Wisconsin. The mustangs will be sold at auction.

Rudy said she likes unusual projects.

"They say courage and insanity are closely linked," she said.

TO LEARN MORE

Pennsylvania Horse World Expo: www.horseworldexpo.com or 301-916-0852
Mustang Heritage Foundation: www.mustangheritagefoundation.org