Country Estate Quarter
Horses Started about 15 years ago When I , Lauren Gibson decided I wanted to take riding Lessons. Me and my mom searched
and searched for an instructor but no one would work with anyone under 5 years old. So we decided we would tell a little white
Lie and just say I was 5. I can remember taking my lessons with a red ribbon tied around my right hand so I knew which
way was right and left. Soon after that My parents bought me an OLD sorrel mare that wasnt registered and truly
looked bad. But she was very broke and soon became my favorite thing in the whole world. I can remeber riding
her around bareback all day long never giving her a break. I was about 10 when I started taking Jumping lessons at a
barn in liberty. I jumped there for quiet a while , but never showed in jumping. I always had stage fright and
diddnt want to go up in front of a crowd and do anything! After that I got into riding saddlebreds just up the road
from my house at Lindon Hill Stables. I was doing great and took lessons there for about a year. They were alot
of fun to ride, but it wasnt what I really wanted to do. I knew what I wanted to do from the start, I wanted to barrel
race, be a cowgirl, run fast and turn hard. That was the cool thing! But I had no idea where to go or who could help me and
I diddnt have a very fast horse, she was a bit old. A few years went by and my parents had promised me a new horse.
We bought a little paint mare that was 5 years old. She wasnt super Broke, but she was good enough for me to handle. I worked
with her everyday almost, we would ride down my road all the time. She quickly became my favorite horse and she was FAST!
Alot of people on my road would always call me the crazy girl on the crazy paint horse. I diddnt know much about the
way a horse should move and carry itself then, all I wanted to do was run. The big event in Kearney, Mo is always Jesse
James Days! My favorite time of year cause I got to go watch the rodeo. But that year was different my parents
signed me up to run in the rodeo! I was so nervous. I knew my Paint mare wouldnt be ready for this task so I turned
to my old sorrel mare Jasmine. She wasnt fast but she could turn pretty well. We practiced day after day, but
I was still scared to death when the day came. I can remeber all the other girls running before me hitting the low 15s,
I was shaking in my saddle! It doesnt help very much when your mom is freaking out to, cause she thinks your ganna fall off!
When I was in the hole my mom said, " I will just go tell them that your not ganna go." As much as I wanted to say
ok, I said No I am going to do this. I went in the arena seeing all the people made my heart sink. Jasmine couldnt beleive
her eyes, and niether could I. I put the crowd behind me and took off. I ran a solid 21 seconds that night on
my old mare, and had quiet a fan club cheering me on. That night was it, Barrel racing was what I wanted to do. When
I was 15 Jasmine passed away. As sad as I was she lived to see 30 years, so she did pretty good and had a wonderful
life. Jade was all I had at the time. When I was 16 we started getting into trail riding at Smithville Lake. It
was like the coolest thing ever at the time. Then One rainy nasty day in March we were super board and going through
the Sunday paper seeing what was for sale. We came across an ad for a 04 Buckskin Gelding for sale in Lawson,Mo. My
mom had always wanted a buckskin gelding So out of the blue we called and went up to take a look at him. The place was
called Back Country Quarter Horses and was owned by Bill & Carol Hunsaker. When we walked up to the barn I could
beleive my eyes there were horses everywhere! Beautiful Palominos, bays, and buckskins. They brought a couple horses out to
show us one was bay and the other was a Buckskin gelding. My mom wanted the buckskin of course. We rode him around and
he was an angel and he was barely 2! Then Bill, who always wants to show off his horses, Said, " I want you guys to see
this little filly of mine." He walked her around the corner and She was the most beautiful horse I had ever seen!
She was a beautiful golden palomino with a blaze that stretched from eye to eye and a long pearly white mane and tail.
She had one eye with white showing and she looked like the wildest little thing you`d ever seen. She acted like she
knew she was hot stuff. She threw her mane around and pranced with her tail up. The moment I saw her I knew I had to
have her. We ended up buying the buckskin Gelding and loved him so much. I started buying horses that I thought
I could fix up and sell. About 1 year later we went back up tp Carol and Bills place. I only had $1200 to spend
though. I still couldnt aford the Filly but another one caught my eye that day. She was a very pale colored palomino
with the longest mane I had ever seen. The reason she caught my attention was because she was working and had the saddle
on for the first time and was acting like she had been doing it her whole life. So the next week she was mine and I
brought her home. I still had the Wild little palomino filly on my mind though, There was just something about her I
liked. I called my new horse Laredo. She was incredibly smart and calm. I worked with her for about a month and took
her on a trail ride at smithville lake. My young sister, Allie who had been wanting a horse was along for the ride.
About halfway down the trail I told her to get on Laredo. She said, "your crazy shes just two!" My sister
was only 12 at the time. She got on her and rode her down the tail. From then on that was her horse and she rode her
everywhere. Who would of thought a two year old would make a good beginners horse for a kid, But that was what I loved
about Carol`s horses. After another couple months passed I had enough to go buy That filly I wanted so badley.
I brought her home on a stormy dark night. I worked with her every day I could even though it was cold outside. I came
up with the name Vegas for her. Vegas loved to buck! Finally one day when I had had enough I looked her in the
eye and I said," either were ganna get along and be partners and do great things or you can go back home and be a little
brat." She never bucked again ( honest). After I had been riding her for a few months I relized we had a real connection.
She knew what I was thinking and I knew what she was thinking all the time. She was so athletic and could turn and stop on
a dime. I had her listning to my feet so well that I could ride her with nothing in my arena that was not fenced in
yet. That summer we became good friends with Bill and Carol. One of my dreams was to start training horses for them.
The next spring I did. I started training them and advertising the horses for them. Thats when we decided we needed
a name and we called ourselves Country Estate Quarter Horses! I got better and better at starting young colts and then I started
taking outside horses that needed tuned up. With each horse I learned more and more. I watched trainers on tv and started
learning better techniques and horsmanship. Vegas taught me alot about how much a horse can learn. That fall Me
and Vegas entered the Jesse James rodeo. Vegas was only two, but she was good for her age and was strong and sturdy.
I was more than nervous taking a two year old there, but she never let me down. We ran that night with a huge fan cub
and came out with a 17 second run! not bad for our first time. The first show of the new year was in January at a nice
barn over by the city called Osage Oaks. It was just a fun show but I took it serious. In 08 I diddnt have
an insulated barn for vegas to stay in to keep her slick and shiny. All the horses there were like 16 hands and perfect
shiny coats with there very proud owners. People would walk by my trailer and laugh at Vegas. Vegas was never a
tall horse she is only 14.2 and was extra hairy that winter. Those people made me so so mad I wanted to punch them. There
was a bunch of girls by me on thier fancy pleasure horses waiting to barrel race. They were talking it up about how they
were ganna win. Especially this one girl who seemed a bit stuck up if you know what I mean. She ran and had a good time and
all her friends were saying," that was the best run yet." And she stood there like she was queen of the arena.
I was last to go and by this time I was Fired Up! When vegas walked in the arena they kind of snickered at her. But
we ignored them and took off she ran 16 second run that day. We left the crowd with thier jaws hanging low. That
summer my training business grew and me and vegas became a part of the North MIssouri Show Circuit. Vegas got better
and better times with 12 first in barrels and a few in poles and 5 second place ribbons and 4 third place ribbons. At
the end of the year we won a five beautiful montana silversmith buckles in Barrels, Poles, Down and back, All Around Speed
Horse, and All around Horse. That fall we raced in PHBA and got the title of PHBA youth barrel champ and PHBA Pole CHamp for
Missouri. We also Raced in the horse Hapening at Hale arena in October. We enetered in the open division. It was alot
tougher than youth. Vegas ran her best time ever which was 15.2 sec. We had one good year that year. Also
that year I purchesed vegas`s younger sister that I call Cheyenne from BCQH.
This
last Summer of 09 we spent our time traveling with the horses instead of showing. We went to the Gypsum Hills,
Oklahoma, of course Emminence, and I got lucky enoguh to take Vegas to Colorado. We rode all through the weminuche wilderness
and Vegas has walked the continental divide. Also spent time gathering up broodmares. I definetly wanted to start breeding
some of my own horses. We also Built our brand new barn that I have wanted for so long! As well as a beautiful arena. I also
got lucky enough to spend time riding with Cal Middleton in Smithville, Mo which was alot of fun! I had training horses coming
in almost all year! I look forward to 2010! We are going to return to the North Missouri Show Circuit with some new
horses to race. We will also be having some new babies this spring and will be breeding some of my broodmares to our
stalliion to have our fist foal crop next spring. We have had so many great buyers over the last few years that have
bought horses by Laddys Midas Touch and have had great success in showing them and riding in trail riding events. These
horses truly have some of the best dispositions I have ever seen and It is so great to offer that kind of horse to people!
Hopefully you will have time to stop by this summer and meet us!
Lauren
Click here to view vegas`s Page
