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Tennessee
Walking Horse OnLine Congratulates
Adult
Supreme Champion
Carol Smithson,
Tennessee
Jay Mack
By Carol Smithson
During the winter of 1994, Kathy Owen mentioned she had a
horse turned out at her farm in Cookeville that I might be interested in
buying. Kathy has a real knack for horse-owner matchmaking. If she thought
we'd get along, I thought it was surely worth checking. She described him
as a black horse with a pretty face by Mack K's XLT, a bloodline I had
admired, Mack K's XLT produced horses such as World Grand Champion Heaping
Spoonful and two time Youth Superior Champion Natural Lady among others.
Kathy graciously offered to let me bring her horse home for 30 days before
making a decision. What followed was a great example of the old best laid
plans story.
Mary Beth Pruett and I headed to Cookeville to pick up the black horse.
Kathy, who had just recently moved to Murfreesboro, was to contact the
farm manager. While in Cookeville, we visited with our good friends Tom
and Martha Willis and Vic and Carolyn Gernt. When I described the horse I
had come to see, they concluded I would be very happy with Little Bill.
Never having heard the horse's name, I suspected they were right.
Late in the day we showed up at the farm but no one was there. As time
passed, we saw only one horse that fit Little Bill's description, so we
loaded him up and I left a note saying, "I picked up Little Bill. Carol."
Unfortunately Little Bill's name really is Jay Mack. The farm manager had
been gone all day and had not received Kathy's message; consequently, he
not only didn't know who Carol was but he didnít even know who Little Bill
was. He did, however, know that he had a horse missing!
Fortunately everything was soon resolved, and I have never been officially
charged with horse stealing! To this day, I'm not sure we took the horse
Kathy had in mind, but I am certain I got the right horse and his name is
Jack Mack.
It didn't take long for Mack and me to decide we really did like each
other, but it did take us a while to begin working together as a team. Our
first year was full of ups and downs, partly due to my single minded focus
on completing a Supreme Versatility Championship with Threat's Mistake.
Mack competed in two-gait English classes and model. By 1995 he was being
driven and was becoming much more consistent in English and western
two-gait classes. He had picked up a couple of blues in model. Still he
was definitely playing second fiddle to Threat and his (my) quest for SVC.
Mack is a pretty horse with a very expressive face. He loves people and
really loves attention. This made him quite a competitor in model often
defeating his stablemate who needed only model to complete his SVC. As a
matter of fact, I was working so hard finishing Threat's last seemingly
impossible model points that I didn't notice that Mack had accumulated all
the required model points for the championship. It seems the story of
Mack's life is that he quietly just gets the job done.His driving was
improving and our year ended with a Trail Pleasure Driving Championship at
the International Grand Championship Walking Horse Show in Murfreesboro,
Tennessee, and a fourth at the National Celebration in Shelbyville,
Tennessee, in obstacle driving.
That was also the year we started entering trail classes. Mack became very
consistent in trail and rarely places out of the top 5. He isn't bothered
by new obstacles and seldom shies away from anything. I only had to
remember to be very patient when teaching him side passing, backing
serpentines, and working the gate. If he did get confused on his cues, he
would become very nervous and agitated. Mack is truly a horse that wants
to please, and he does get upset when he can't figure out what you want.
After we got those cues worked out, it was smooth trailing.
Speaking of smooth, we were ready to add water glass to our list of
versatility events by 1996. Mack has a tremendously easy smooth flat walk
and running walk, but he did have a little transmission trouble shifting
gears. He was not easy and smooth when he changed speed; he didn't slow to
a stop or gradually speed up but rushed all his transitions. My experience
is that this usually happens because the rider is shifting the gears
incorrectly. As I practiced concentrating on the water, I began to do a
better job of using my body language to ask for changes; as a result, we
perfected our speed transitions. I was very proud when we ended the year
with a fourth place at the Celebration out of 22 horses.
By now Mack was showing in English and western pleasure two-gait classes,
pleasure and obstacle driving, model, water glass, and trail. Even though
he was excelling in all these events and I was dutifully keeping a point
book, I admit I never dreamed of a Supreme Versatility Championship for
him. I had two reasons for my doubts: one, I had a mindset that without
the western event classes (reining, western riding, barrels and poles) we
would never have all the required points, and two, I was pretty sure a
nice easy canter would never be in our future.
Cantering was not easy for Mack. He could gallop, but even in the round
pen without a rider he found it hard to maintain a canter. I was
determined to develop this very important third gait. More importantly,
Mack's even temper allowed us to try over and over again. We did a lot of
hill work trying to use the hill to slow down the gallop. We also did lots
of dressage work developing more muscle and balance. I had attended a
clinic by David Lichman and became a real believer in this type of
training. However, I will admit to being discouraged about this canter
thing.
The next year Mack provided me with two of my proudest moments, and I
wasn'ít the rider either time. Two very special gentlemen were introduced
to the Tennessee Walking Horse by Mack and his quiet, willing disposition
and natural gait. Dave Trexler, a member of the National Handicapped
Riders Association Board of Directors, enjoyed an afternoon of riding Jay
Mack over the Haynes Haven Farm that is now a part of the Saturn
Automobile Plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee. The occasion was Open House
for the Saturn Welcome Center located in the beautiful stone barn of
Haynes Haven Farm, the home of many famous Tennessee Walking Horses such
as Hayne's Peacock and Greater Glory. Dave is a double amputee, but if
Mack thought the wheelchair or saddle with no stirrups the least bit out
of the ordinary he never let on. He and Dave covered several acres of farm
land and then cut quite an impressive figure parading in front of
speakers, dignitaries, guests, and press.
Mack was again honored for his good nature and ability when he was invited
to be the mount for country music singer, Lee Roy Parnell in his
performance during the 1998 TWHBEA Futurity. Mr. Parnell was totally sold
on our breed after just one ride. Mack was unflappable as fans and
reporters crowded around before the performance. He was then shuffled to
the gate in one moving mob of people and horse and entered the Calsonic
Arena on the Celebration grounds doing a flawless running walk as his
entertainer/rider waved at the crowd acknowledging the huge ovation. I'm
sure Mack is convinced the whole fanfare was for him and, in my opinion,
he deserved it.
Meanwhile, in the training schedule we were still trying to figure out
that elusive canter. Our breakthrough came about under circumstances that
I do not recommend for others. At the 1998 International I had Mack
entered in several two-gait classes. During one class, the owner-amateur
trained trail pleasure class, I found out I had inadvertently entered a
three-gait class. Unfortunately, I found out when the announcer called for
the canter! Under the circumstances I had only one choice — try it. Bless
his heart, Mack took the correct lead and went a respectably slow speed.
So far, so good; we tried the other direction and got that right, too. Not
only did we pull off the canter, but we placed fifth out of a large class
of International horses. Again, Mack had come through under pressure. I,
on the other hand, had not been quite as cool as I thought. It seems that
several people think that I expressed my surprise by muttering a short,
censored phrase just prior to the canter. The standing joke among quite a
group of friends was that "due to Carol's unique canter cue that he could
no longer be used as a youth mount." For all that have heard this rumor,
let me state for the record that the cue for Mack to canter is not
detrimental to the youth of America! We did not have a miracle cure for
the canter, unfortunately. Last winter was again spent with practice,
practice, and more practice. Bruce Almeida deserves much credit for
helping me work on Mack's muscle development and improved balance. This
past year we've even won some canter classes, English and western.
We've also had some tremendous road trips this year. Mary Helen C. Martin
came from South Carolina to my home in Tennessee and stayed overnight.
Then she, Mary Beth Pruett, and I hauled our horses to the Indiana
Celebration. We had such a great time that I think there was some question
on how we got our horses ready. We did show our horses, often against each
other and we did do well. On my next road trip I took Mack and Threat to
Cookeville (where this story began), met the Gernts, and hitched a ride
for my horses and me to the Palmetto Pleasure show in Clemson, South
Carolina. We arrived there early Saturday morning, slept a couple of
hours, showed all day, and drove back to Cookeville that night. We worked
in another couple of hours sleep before loading up again to travel to
Murfreesboro for the last WHOA (Walking Horse Owner's Association)
Versatility show of the year. There is no sense in questioning our sanity
on this; we know already but we do have a great time.
I want to invite everyone who loves to work with his horse, meet great
people, learn new horsemanship skills, and strives to improve to join the
TWHBEA Versatility Program. There are events for every person and every
walking horse. My two horses are totally different; yet there were events
available for both of them. The camaraderie of the versatility
participants is just great. We have borrowed each other's horses, clothes,
and tack. We haul together to shows and crowd into motel rooms to save on
expenses. We compete against each other all day and go out to eat together
that night. It really is sportsmanship as it should be.
I have to admit to being very proud of my horses' accomplishments. Because
of the talent and willingness of Threat's Mistake and Jay Mack I am the
only two time Supreme Versatility Champion winner in the state of
Tennessee. My dad, ("Mr. Guy" to his friends), and I invite anyone who is
ever in the middle Tennessee area to drive up to Clarksville and visit us.
Mr. Guy is hugely responsible for the success of all our horses and would
love to visit with you.
I'm already making plans for SVC number three with Home To Glory (Homer,
to his friends), a beautiful three-year-old gelding by Gone To Glory.
It'll be another long road but I can't think of a better one to travel!
(Reprinted from Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse
magazine, March 2000)
Adult Supreme Champions
Youth Superior Champions
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