Vallejo Prima - 

    My mom originally bought Prima in 1984 to use as a show horse. After a few years we realized she wasn't into the show thing and that she and I got along really well. So eventually I became hers. 

    When I joined 4-H I tried using a couple of different horses but Prima showed the most promise for it. She's a natural born runner, so if you don't like to ride fast, she's the wrong horse to get on. Mom always said she was my Ferrari...guess I didn't mind too much.  We logged more miles together than any other horse I've ridden.

   Prima and I were contesters in 4-H.  We belonged to the Triple R Bar 4-H Club. We rode most all of the contesting classes, but Prima definitely had her favorites and some she really disliked. Her favorites included Stakes, Ball Race, Pony Express, and of course the Pony Race. She hated Barrel Racing, and wasn't real fond of Pole Bending. I finally figured out why...you couldn't just run in those classes.

     Now let me explain something about 4-H rules.  The horses are separated into two classes, pony & horse. Everything under 58 inches is considered a pony, that way the little kids didn't have to compete against the older kids running on 17 hand Quarter Horses.  Well Prima just happened to be 57 and 3/4 inches, and that made her a pony. So that's how we were able to run in the pony race, which was her absolute favorite event to do. Every year at the county fair we had a pony race. It was one lap around the race track, 1/2 mile. We ran it three years in a row. The very first year we were beat by a nose... literally, it was a photo finish. I think we even set a new track record that year with like 58 seconds. The second year we won and the third year, we came in second again.  Now if you've ever ridden a horse at a full run you know that they're hitting speeds close to 40 MPH and let me tell you when you let them go for a full lap around the track it's one of the wildest things there is. For a little less than a minute there is nothing else but you, your horse and the sound of rushing wind. 

Anyways enough about 4-H, Prima is one of those horses that you only find once in a lifetime. If she trusts you, you can take her anywhere and do anything. I've taken naps on her back...ridden her on trail rides without a bridle or a saddle and we've had nothing but fun.... 

Here are a few pictures of her.  I'm going to try to find some more at different times but she still looks good for being 23 years old.

Prima in 1991 - Ok so the pictures a little blurry and I look like a doofus but check out how lean and mean she was!

Here's a (crude) animation of prima running... too bad I didn't have a video camera or my digital then.

 

Here's Prima and my dad's horse Bonnie.

Two of the biggest loves in my life.

Prima doing what she does best.