I just had a wonderful chat with Julie Biron, a UConn alum who had the pleasure of working with UC Ovation as a yearling.
She also trained full siblings UC Holiday and the late UC Wilde Mark to drive as a pair. They must have looked like bookends--both had gleaming red chestnut coats and blazes that dripped down their faces. What a lovely sight they must have been!
It cannot be overstated just how smart and well-mannered the UConn-bred Morgans are. With each person I interview, I can hear the love and reverence for these horses as clear as day through the telephone line.
The UConn Morgan horses gave many a budding trainer a solid foundation. They also taught many riders how to have balance, patience and correct position. They gave many The Dream of having a horse of one's own.
Some alumni even sought out their favorite mare and took her home for a richly deserved retirement.
Many a horse crazy girl took riding lessons UConn, and some even taped pictures of their favorite mount in their high school lockers.
The UConn Morgan's violet-brown eyes can tell many stories of the students who cared for them and worked with them. They nestled in many hearts and no one has forgotten them.
The memories are fresh; the emotions are still on the surface. The love is there.
(image is a detail of "The Kind Mare," a charcoal drawing I did in 2009.)
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