Split Elm's History

1996 TWHx 15h gelding

Hayden was one of the original boarders and predates barn 2! He is a very fun horse with a lot of personality. Despite being gated, he will gladly trot and canter. He knows his name, loves to take the bit when bridling and is extremely smooth. He has done pony club, 4h, eventing, polocrosse, IEA, IHSA and dressage. He is a little more grey around the face but still enjoys doing his jobs and making people happy.

1998 QHx 15h gelding

Pete is a wonderful trail horse who is a very talented hunter. He always jumps with square knees and he is a very reliable character. Pete has a naturally curly coat in the winter and a shiny smooth coat in the summer. He likes to walk at the back of the group on trail rides and will bump the other horses if they are too slow.

2009 Paint 15.1h mare

Sookie is a very well schooled and accomplished show horse. She is great for our intermediate riders as she loves dressage and jumping. Sookie also has amazing flying lead changes and is a patient teacher.

2006 AQHA 15.3h gelding

Copper is the head trail horse. He is also very athletic and talented in eventing but he would rather go for trail rides. Copper is very confident and easy going. He is an IEA/IHSA favorite in both english and western.

2006 AQHA 14h chestnut mare

Comet is a super smooth and fun jack of all trades. She will sort cattle, do ring work and even take small jumps. Her gates are very smooth, especially her canter. She is easy to get going but never trying to go fast. Comet nickers to her rider, especially whenever they dismount.

2005 APHA 16h paint gelding

The Dude abides! He is a fantastic western or english horse, giving riders of any level confidence. He has shown IHSA western for multiple colleges. He also goes english and will take small jumps. The dude loves to ride out on trails! He is a larger horse so great for our tall riders as well.

2007 QHx 16h mare

Cha Cha is a very easy going yet talented dressage and event horse. She has evented through novice and gone to PC nationals for dressage. She is a highly requested horse for IEA/IHSA as she can do any level. Cha Cha almost fell victim to slaughter but was rescued from a Texas kill pen by a woman named Talley who entrusted Split Elm with Cha Cha's future and care. We are lucky to have her. She is an IEA/IHSA favorite. IHSA 2025 Horse of the Year!!!!

2007 Morganx 14h mare

Myrtle can be very grumpy to groom, especially if it is cold, but once you're on her back she is really fun. She has giant lips and will shake the bit around before it goes in her mouth. She is a fantastic jumper and has evented BN. She is energetic but is forgiving so advanced beginners can ride her. She is an IEA/IHSA favorite!

2001 AQHA 15.1h mare

Sugar is a really cute horse with a lot of experience in many disciplines. She enjoys jumping courses, running barrels or just going for a relaxing trail ride. She has evented intro level, done jumper shows and shown hunters. She is a favorite at IEA/IHSA shows. She also loves to fox hunt!

2000 QHx 14.1h mare

Coco is very calm and reliable to ride.

She is good at all horse sports, including jumping and polocrosse where she competed nationally in D grade/intermediate level. Coco has lived at Split Elm the longest as she was boarded here before she became a lesson horse. ​

2012 Appaloosa 14.3h mare

Maple is a very calm and patient horse. She loves to jump and go for trail rides. Maple is about as tall as she is wide and is a very sturdy built horse. She is a beautiful example of an appaloosa with striped hooves and spots on her muzzle. Fun fact, she uses the automatic water posts as her own personal scratching post for her large barrel!

2007 AQHA 16h gelding

Zee was rescued from a local farm. He came back up to weight and good health quickly and has proven to be a wonderful lesson horse. He goes english and western and is fantastic on trail rides. He loves all food and will even "talk" for his treats.

2012 AQHA 15h gelding

Porter is a very smooth and fun horse. He used to be a western show horse and has a lot of training in that discipline. Porter is blind in his left eye but he isn't held back by it at all! He is a very kind horse and a favorite to learn to canter on. He is also a very smooth jumper and he helps students gain confidence over fences.

2004 Paint Cross 15h mare

Twilight is a quirky and fun girl. She makes grumpy faces on the ground but she is extremely sweet when you're brushing her or on her back. She is partially gaited so she will running walk in addition to walk, trot and canter. She is a trail machine and loves to explore the farm. Twilight loves barrels and will gladly teach novice riders the pattern. She has an extremely smooth canter and is one of our all time smoothest horses. Twilight lost her left eye but she has not slowed down at all!

2002 Belgian 16.1h Gelding

Guinness is a gentle giant. We rescued him in January of 2022 and he is repaying us in full with his kind heart and great work ethic. He is doing very well and is teaching lessons in addition to being a trail riding favorite.

2009 AQHA 14h Mare

Sushi is a bombproof little mare. She loves going on trail rides and she is really good at walk, trot lessons for smaller riders. She will also canter and jump! Sushi is a small mare but she is the boss mare of her paddock. She also jumps courses and sorts cows!

2010 AQHA 14.1h Mare

Shesa Scoot is a cutting bred cow horse. She is also wonderful at trail riding and gives beginner lessons. Scoot is very sweet and can even be ridden in just a neck rope! She also happens to be Wicked's mom.

2002 Belgian 14.3h mare

Muffin is a little work horse. She loves leading trail rides and has a great work ethic. She will also give lessons and even jumps small crossrails. She may be almost pony sized but she is very stout and has one of the biggest heads in the barn!

2009 AQHA 14h mare

Lady Highbrow Acre is a really fun sorting horse! She also enjoys leading trail rides and doing advanced lessons. She is small but very fast and fun! Lady is pregnant with a 2025 foal.

2007 Grey AQHAx 15.3h gelding

Pope Francis aka Frank is a wonderful horse to learn to jump with! He is great all around and will do some dressage, take out trails and even ride western. He will jump a 3' course with lead changes but is also gentle enough to take a beginner out for a walking lesson.

2016 14.2h AQHA Palomino mare

Gracie was bred to be a pleasure horse and it shows! She is a semi recent addition to the lesson team but she is catching on really quickly. She loves to work and has a natural lead change. She also enjoys jumping and has done XC schooling at Flora Lea as well as cattle sorting at Iron Ranch.

2006 AQHA 15h mare

Lil Itchy Trigger aka Barretta is a fantastic all around horse who really excels at ranch sorting. She will also jump courses, do lower level dressage and teach riders about flying lead changes. She is very sweet and can usually be found following her best friend Pistol around. She gave us baby Trigga in 2024 and is in foal for 2025!

2004 AQHA 15h mare

Pistol is a very fun ranch sorting horse. She will also lead trail rides, do basic dressage and even jump a little. Pistol is as close to a real life unicorn as you can get.

2004 AQHA 15h mare

Hickory of Rippin is a great little broodmare and trail horse. We rescued her from auction in summer of 2022 and she gave birth to Mystery in 2023. She gave birth to baby Tali in 2024 and is in foal to Cats Merada for 2025!

2006 AQHA 14.2h gelding

QT Fusion aka Quincy is so nice, we have owned him twice. He is a favorite for IEA/IHSA. He is well versed in dressage, barrels, hunters and trail riding. He is a cribber so he wears an extra collar.

2002 AQHA 14.2h mare

Jelly Bean is our first new lesson horse for 2024 but she isn't new to us at all. Friends of ours have owned her as a first horse locally and we were lucky enough to buy her when they needed a little more speed. Jerry is exceptionally trained in western ranch type riding but is also willing to do small jumps and go English too! She was trained on cattle for many years so she is very fun for sorting.

2015 AQHA 14.1h mare

Snaking aka Snack is a goofy and sweet cutting bred mare. She has many talents including jumping, cattle sorting, lead changes, spins, etc. She loves to play with her tongue after a treat and will also rub her body against the walls like a cat if left tied for longer than she likes. She comes to her name and is Steph's favorite.

1995 grade 13h gelding

Red is a spunky old man who has impressed us all. He arrived in December of 2024 and has already been to Woodedge horse shows, IEA practice and will soon be in our jumper show series. Despite being an older pony, he is in great health and loves to work.

2015 AQHA 15.3h gelding

Ricky Bobby was gifted to us from a therapeutic riding program. He is a retired reiner with a ton of training. He is slow and smooth! RB has some arthritis in his knee which means we won't use him for jumping, but he has a lot to offer as a flat only horse. He has beautiful transitions and lead changes. RB is a cribber so he always wears a collar.

2019 OTTB 17h chestnut gelding

My Sundance Kid aka Sunny is an unlikely addition to the lesson and trail team. Sunny is exceptionally calm and was never entered in a race. He has done eventing, trail riding, and hunter paces since coming to us in June of 2023. He breaks a lot of thoroughbred stereo types in that he is proving to be beginner safe and very reliable. Sunny is large but gentle. He gives advanced beginner lessons.

2007 AQHA 14.2h mare

BB is a cattle sorting machine! She is very sweet and has also started to lead trail rides. She has beautiful flying changes so you may see her step into the hunter arena too.

2017 Dutch Harness 16.1h mare

Mocha has evented through training and had a colt in her time with us. She is exceptionally good at dressage and she is also very brave XC. Mocha is available FOR SALE!

2023 AQHA filly

Mystery was quite the surprise as we rescued her mom from auction and along she came in January! She is super personable and eager to learn. She is working on her basic ground work skills and has an in your pocket personality.

2018 International SH 14.2h mare

Leilani is our first born homebred! She is half paint and half Hanovarian. Leila has done xc, hunter paces, and jumpers but she really excels in hunters! She is working on her flying changes and she always jumps a "10". She is used for advanced beginner lessons and up.

2023 AQHA colt

Wicked is by Foolgun out of our own Shesa Scoot. He is a little bit shy but he is really starting to enjoy interacting with humans. He is in training for ground work and he will lead, load into a trailer and mostly stand for the farrier!

2014 Mustang 15h black mare

Charli is a super fun ride who excels in jumping. She evented and lead trail rides in her previous home making her an easy fit for our barn.

2024 Tali and Trigga

These two adorable fillies were born in May. They are both purpose bred for cattle work. Time will tell what color they will end up! Trigga is very friendly and calls out to visitors. Tali is a little more reserved but loves water and being hosed down in the heat.

2016 AQHA 14.2h cremello mare

Fiona is on loan to us from her owner, Brianne. She is an IEA favorite, even winning horse of the show once! She likes flat work and tolerates jumping. She has the most beautiful blue eyes and soft coat. Fiona even used to event and really enjoys hacking out.

2013 16.2h Bay TB Gelding

Dublin was one of Steph's personal show horses who is now an amazing lesson horse. He has done eventing, dressage, jumpers, IEA, and IHSA. He is also a favorite trail lead! He hates being brushed but he doesn't mind getting bath!