Kim and Smarty

Virtually unridable at age 14 and nicknamed 'the Devil Horse' by previous trainers, under Kim's training Smarty performed in the Redding, CA horse shows in Dressage, Reining, English and Western Pleasure, Trail, and Jumping -- with owner Patricia Ahlf aboard.

Because curb bits are not allowed in English-riding shows, Kim had to resort to using a snaffle bit (shown here) or pelham - which frankly didn't work that well for Smarty! (Shown here, he's bracing against the snaffle and is a bit on his front-end.) However, the fact that Smarty could be ridden safely in horse shows in a snaffle was a major victory.

Smarty was a large, bulky Quarter Horse gelding, but once he began moving correctly and developing long, lean muscles... Kim liked to think he resembled a Trakehner.