Meet the Young Dakota Riders-the future of our horses

I would like to take a little time to introduce to everyone the Young Dakota Riders.  These kids work hard to show and promote the horses and are turning into fantastic representatives on the horse.

Skyler Young
Skyler is 11 years old and is the proud owner of Sir Valentino a Spanish Mustang he purchased from us in 2007.  Skyler trained Tino himself, not without bumps and bruises, but he worked hard and was consistent and persistent and it has paid off.  Tino has shown time and time again that his loving and forgiving personality make him invaluable as an ambassador for the breed.  Tino and Skyler are an unbeatable team and we are proud of the both of them.  They have rode in numerous parades, playdays, poker runs, expos and shows.  Tino is an unflappable young horse and Skyler shows his giving nature by allowing others to share his horse and graciously allows the other kids to ride him in the parades.  These two are pair to be watched in the future and Skyler has turned into a fantastic horseman.  He is currently training Ghost Feather a coming 3 year old filly they also purchased from us in 2007.  He is doing a great job and Feather is also going to be a great ambassador also.


Trystan Young
Trystan is 10 years old and is turning into an incredible young horseman and his Spanish Mustang, Little Bit, is a beautiful young filly with a puppy dog personality.  They have ridden in numerous parades this year, carried flags, and been an incredible asset in showing off the horses.  Trystan and Little Bit are a wonderful team and Trystan is now working on showing and riding other horses and working on bettering his horsemanship skills.  He is generous with his horse and shares her with other young kids who are looking to learn to ride.  He is unselfish and is one of the first to give up his pony.  His future is very bright in the horse world and the sky is the limit for this young man.




Makayla Miller
Makayla is 11 years old and received her Spanish Mustang Houdini from us and her parents as a present for her 9th birthday.  She worked hard with Don in the training process of Houdini, was an exceptional student, willing to listen and learn.  Houdini and Makayla grew together through the training process and have turned into a fantastic team and great ambassadors for the breed.  She has ridden in parades for two years with us, rode her second poker run, her first play day, and 100’s of miles on the trail.  She is a great rider and is learning more every day.  Makayla and Houdini have a wonderful relationship and are a team to watch in the future.  She has carried flags in parades with her horse and is willing to share Houdini with everyone else.  She has a bubbly personality and is fun to ride with as you never know what she is going to come up with or say.




Samantha Gonzalez
Sammy is 9 years old and learned to ride last year on our very own Blue Ribbon.  She moved here with her family from Key West, FL and after spending time with us riding Blue Ribbon she became an avid fan of the Spanish Mustang.  So her parents purchased Pacino from us, a wonderful young gelding who is going to be Sammy’s partner for many years.  This is her second year riding in parades and events with us and the more she rides the more you can see her natural horsemanship and her love of the horses in general.  Next summer Pacino will be her riding horse and they will be a quite a team I am sure.  She works hard with the horses as everything is a learning experience for her and she has a wonderful attitude and is very willing to do whatever is asked of her.  Watch for her in the future, her and Pacino will be there.



E.J. Gonzalez
E.J. is 7 years old and is just learning how to ride.  He is starting in slowly riding Little Bit and Tino, but is getting braver at every event.  He is willing to help out with anything to do with the parades and has a great time playing with the kids and horses afterwards.  You can see the desire in his eyes and it won’t be long and he will be riding in the parades with us on his own horse.  He had a great time last riding Maggie Doby with Don leading her, and is a great asset to the Young Dakota Riders with all the he offers to the group.






Jazmine Hitchew
Jazmine is 11 years old and has been riding horses for several years.  After spending several days riding with us on Blue Ribbon, she decided she had to have her own Spanish Mustang.  As she said in her own words,” I want to have my own Spanish Mustang so I can ride and preserve the spirit of the Old West.”  She has a go getter personality, is up at the crack of dawn before everyone else to get ready for the parades.  She is a hard worker, a good little rider, and has a desire to go far with her horse.  She is now the proud owner of Doctor Doolittle who will be started in the spring and ready for her to ride next summer.  She truly loves the horse and that is what the Spanish Mustang needs.  Keep watching this young lady as she will make her mark in the Spanish Mustang world.  She is fun to be around, has more energy in one child that I have seen in a long time, and focus’s all that energy on the horse.  This is what we need for our future.

These kids are the future of these horses.  Keep watching as these young riders will go far and make their mark with their Spanish Mustangs in the horse world.  If there was ever truly a group of kids who have the heart, desire, want and will to take these horses to the moon is it these kids.  They deserve whatever they achieve as they have earned it, and hopefully the SMR and the members will support these kids in all they do.  

Use the DONATION button to donate to the kids to help with their expenses for events.

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