Riding in Ohio: Meet Mary Jo Devlin

 

Riding in Ohio: Meet Mary Jo Devlin

by Gina McKnight

Archived from the September 2023 Issue of Florida Equine Athlete. www.floridaequineathlete.com

No duplication without permission.

From southeast Ohio, meet seasoned equestrian Mary Jo Devlin. Ohio is home to many great equestrians and offers experienced riders who can provide insight to personal horse stories and engaging advice. Mary Jo is one of them. She knows the show ring, the practice ring, the day-to-day effort of keeping horses, and the love they return. I caught up with Mary Jo and asked about her horses and riding history.

Welcome, Mary Jo!

GM:   When did you meet your first horse?

MJD: I was born with horse DNA. I can remember riding a rocking horse for hours at a time and running around whinnying on a stick horse; remember being glued to the TV set watching The Lone Ranger, Fury, My Friend Flicka, Roy Rogers, Wild Bill Hickok (and his horse named Cisco) on Saturday mornings. I grew up in north Parkersburg, West Virginia. There was a boarding stable in the middle of town owned by a local veterinarian. My Dad was an avid horse lover and he instilled that love in me. He often took me for walks around the neighborhood and sometimes to the local stable. The first horse I ever met lived there. He was a tri-colored Pinto named Traeger and he was magical ! Sometimes the owner would be there and would lead me around on him. Those were the best days. I was a preschooler at the time. I was 12 years old when I was allowed to have my first horse, much against my Mother's wishes, as she was afraid of horses and of me getting hurt (that would come much later). My Dad named my first horse Peggy. Peggy came from a horse trader's barn but she was a gem. I rode and drove her in a cart all over the streets of Parkersburg.

GM:  What a great beginning! What horses do you currently stable?

MJD: I own three horses, currently: Al (Prizm PA) is a purebred Polish Arabian that came from a local rescue. I purchased Al in 2005 as a wild and woolly 5 year old. He was donated to the rescue by a wealthy benefactor who had picked the wrong poison. He was very well bred and not your typical rescue horse. When I met him I first noticed that he had scars on his face from chain shanking. He'd been all over the place with trainers, all who had tried to push him way beyond his threshold. That doesn't work with Arabs. Despite the fact that he'd had some rough treatment that ignored his feelings, he had an interest in and seemed to like people. That's pretty typical for an Arabian. The first thing he said to me was “Will you please take me away from these people?” so I did. He is the son of a national champion trained by Tommy Garland, his breeding was impeccable and he was (still is) a looker. But pretty is as pretty does. All of my friends were sure he was going to kill me.

But I believed in Al as no one had. We didn't do much riding for about 5 years. I'd get on, he'd walk a few steps, then brace up in terror. I'd get off and retreat (thanks to my Parelli training) Sometimes he'd get catatonic, his eyes would roll up in his head and he'd start mouthing like a foal. That's because he'd been forced to do things in the past, argued and fought with him until he submitted. Maybe he hurt someone. I'll never know. Anyway, my mounting skills got good and he learned to pick me up on the fence. This went on for several years, taking my time, asking just for a few more steps, then retreating when he got scared. It blew his mind that I wasn't forcing him.

Things got better and better. I knew he needed to be shown. I tried to hide my skepticism at the first show. It was a small local one but it was apparent that he loved it! Al has gone on to win many blues locally and at Regional Arabian shows. He's a great trail horse and all around cow pony at the age of 20.

My second horse is Silver Sheikh, named after the first Arabian horse I ever saw in person. Sheikh came in 2013, after seeing him in a social media ad for sale. He was very poor but I knew he was special and deserved a good life. I brought him home the next day. He had been sold to some people as a kid's horse, which he was definitely not! He had a body score of two. He had a huge bulging upside down neck and was bug-eyed from bracing. His back was sore, his feet a mess, and he'd toss his feed container around because his sharp teeth were cutting his mouth. On the side of his throat was a tennis ball shaped mass which caused him to turn his head to the side so he could breathe better. I knew I had to address this first so I started giving him iodized salt. Worth a try. Well, within a week the mass was entirely gone and breathing improved. That wasn't the end of his troubles. The winter of 2014 brought a horrific Polar vortex with 30-below wind chills. He was so cold and I was pretty sure he wouldn't make it, but somehow he did.

Today Silver Sheikh is 30+, running around like a colt. I did some research and found out his story. He was sold for five figures as a colt. Had some success in the show ring, changed hands a few times (his papers are lost), ended up with a lady in Michigan, a breeder of Arabian horses and German Shepherd dogs. She went through a nasty divorce. Her ex burned down her barn and kennels and all the animals were killed except for one...Sheikh was at a trainer's barn. So she called an acquaintance in Ohio and asked her to come quickly and get him, fearing for his life. So he ended up in Ohio and was eventually sold to the people I bought him from. It must have been a life of general neglect and harsh treatment for him for several years. But, he's an Arabian. He loves people. Follows me everywhere and is a very loyal friend.

Horse number three is Peg, named after my first horse. She's a Morgan-type adopted from Heart of Phoenix rescue in 2017 as a weanling. Peg is an Appalachian Brumby. There's a show on Horse TV called "The Horses of Appalachia" that tells their story and the story of Heart of Phoenix. They are a real deal rescue and have saved hundreds of horses. Peg was wandering the streets of Charleston, West Virginia, looking for food. She had a body score of two. Being young, she regained her health quickly and has since become a handy little riding horse. Once a shut down and defensive skinny yearling, she's now very connected to me and has given me her heart. Not sure which direction we're heading but we've signed up for a couple of clinics with professionals this year. She's been to a Kerry Kuhn and Luke Gingerich clinic so far and has a couple of blue ribbons at local shows. I am older and it's comforting to know that if anything happens to me, she will return to Heart of Phoenix. She wears their brand and can never be sold.

GM:  Great stories of amazing horses! What is your preferred riding discipline?

MJD: I’ve done a bit of everything, from Dressage to Western and currently show hunter under saddle. I've always tried to be an ambassador for the Arabian horse who often gets a bad rap. I never liked jumping and I'm not about to start! Nowadays I try to support the local shows but mostly just fool around. After all, the horse doesn't care what you're wearing or what kind of tack you use as long as it fits.

GM: I understand you are a Parelli fan. Tell us about your Parelli experience...

MJD: Parelli is the way. I am so thankful to Pat and Linda for saving my life many times over. I watch those with non-Parelli backgrounds struggle, living in the question whose answer never comes. If you get deep enough into the Parelli way of thinking/interacting, you don't even have to ask the question. The answer is there. It is only the human instinct that sometimes gets in the way. Human instinct (anger, impatience, direct-line thinking, pride, desire to dominate) got in my way in 2010, while I was "wrestling" with a horse that wouldn’t load into a trailer. I was knocked to the ground, dragged, and sustained multiple fractures, nearly losing my life. Completely my fault. Six months later, I was riding again.

I am currently addicted to Warwick Schiller. His teachings are more about connection and behavioral modification than physical training but the end result is a well-trained horse. This man is truly a genius. I also like to follow Patrick King. In my opinion he is one of the greatest horsemen in the world today. I've been to his clinics and have had private lessons and he never fails to impact your horsemanship in a good way and in a short time.

GM: In your opinion, what is the most important rule that all riders/horse owners should follow?

MJD: Most important rule for horse owners: Yes there is a rule, only one. PUT THE RELATIONSHIP FIRST! (Thank you Pat Parelli), Great things will follow if we don't follow human instincts for praise recognition and material things. Principles before goals. Feel like I am quoting Pat Parelli here!

GM: What advice do you give to novice riders looking to purchase their first horse?

MJD:  Pick an older "been there done that" horse. Old show horses are often a good find as they're pretty used to commotion. There is nothing better than an old horse!

GM: There is so much controversy now about the state of America's wild horses and the BLM(Bureau of Land Management). What are your views of this ongoing controversy?

MJD: My thoughts on wild horse issues, BLM don't know much about BLM but what I've heard and read doesn't sound good. However, I'm not an expert that's for sure. I can tell you that close to home, in West Virginia, there are literally thousands of feral horses that have been turned loose to fend for themselves on abandoned strip mine lands. They are breeding and inbreeding, dying of starvation, being hit by cars, being shot for sport and suffering a gruesome death from mineral depletion, specifically selenium deficiency right here close by. It's a huge problem.

Mary Jo at the show. Photo by Black Rabicano Photography 2023