Hoofer Riding Club: Flashback Friday -featuring Maya

Way back in December, we welcomed four new horses to our barn: Karl, Finnegan, Maya, and Ginger. Since then, the new ponies have fit right into our program and are glad to call Hoofers home. Although the club has come to love the new additions, we realize that many members don't know a lot about them before they became Hoofer horses. So every Friday, we will dedicate a post to one of our lovely horses in order to learn a bit about their past so as to appreciate them in the present.

This Flashback Friday's Feature is..... MAYA!

Maya started her career as a race horse named "Frost Me Blonde" and after her race days, her original owner called her Blondie. Maya comes to us from Nicole Foss, who purchased Maya in 2009. Nicole had sold her childhood horse when she went off to college and had always dreamed of having another horse in her life. When they found Blondie/Maya, Nicole's husband brought her for Nicole. At that time, they agreed that the name Riviera Maya was a more suitable name for her (named after their honeymoon destination).

When Nicole and Maya first started to work together, they showed in Hunter Jumper classes on the Northern Illinois Hunter and Jumper Association (NIHJA) Circuit where they were very successful in the Modified and Limited Adult Hunter classes. They won many year end awards in this division. After a barn switch to Bull Run so that they could move up in their training, Nicole and Maya trained with Lynda Zema. They trained with Lynda for the past four years and were Reserve Champion in Hunters on the A Circuit.

After the birth of their son, Carson, Nicole realized that her riding time was limited and Maya had so much more potential. Although she loves Maya deeply, she knew donating her to Hoofer Riding Club was the right thing to do. Maya comes to us from the same barn as Grace, Jake and Devlin did. Maya is coming up on 12 years old and stands 16.1 hands.

Below are some pictures of Maya at her old home.