Kristin Hardin Reflects On The “Magical” Arabian Horse,
By Denise Hearst
“Arabians have always made my life better,” says Grand Prix hunter/jumper trainer and rider, Kristin Hardin. “I was pregnant when I was brought a four-year-old Arabian stallion to train to jump in 2003.” His name was Showgun PGN (Showkayce x PGN Solitaire), bred and owned by Carol
Steppe. “Paul Keenan rode him to my place in a western saddle. I had never seen a more beautiful horse. He became a big part of my success for a long time,” Kristin says. Over the years the pair won 11 Sport Horse National Championships, three Reserves and six Top Tens, plus numerous Scottsdale and Regional titles.
Kristin and Showgun PGN (Showcayce x PGN Solitaire).
More Arabians followed. “It was a period in my life when my Grand Prix horses were aging out,” says Kristin. “I didn’t go to shows for a bit, and then started back up with Jerry Hamilton of Al-MarahArabians, one of my best friends, and Jackie Alkin and Mark Miller, and the whole Al-Marah group. I showed the stallion AM Bedouin Chief (Al Marah Swift x Al-Marah Lady Anne), for two years, winning four Sport Horse National Championships, three Reserve Championships and seven Top Tens.
The stallion AM Bedouin Chief (Al Marah Swift x Al Marah Lady Anne), a multi-National Champion with Kristin.
“I would never have imagined what a pivotal moment that was, or how many blessings those horses would bring to me twenty years later…over 100 National Championships, mostly in the Arabian Sport Horse divisions, plus all the great friendships and connections along the way.
“Arabians are easy to train. I’ve had Arabians of various bloodlines and they’ve all been very intelligent. You have to teach them the right stuff in the right way, but I’ve never had anything but great luck with them.”
“People who own Arabs are different from people in our hunter/jumper world. People own Arabians because they love them and they are beautiful. They are not looking for a quick resale. It is something closer to their heart. It’s more about their relationship with the horse, rather than a commodity. This is refreshing.”
Kristin has owned more than 30 Arabians or Half-Arabians, and has bred 10 of them. “Showgun started it all, and then the mare DDA Spring Time (Its Sshow Time x Kizz Me Kayte), bred and owned by Carol Steppe. Spring Time colicked and passed away on our trip home from Virginia one year. The day after she died someone called me who had noticed on Facebook that I was going to be passing through Clines Corners on the I40. She asked if I wanted to buy an Arabian mare. I met her there, and the mare was really nice. She was by Allience and out of Pajarito Esprit. Since I had an extra spot in the trailer I bought her, and named her Hope Springs Eternal. She went on to win nine Sport Horse National Championships, one Reserve Championship and four Top Tens. Through that mare, I met Nancy Shafer, and the McAlisterfamily in Arkansas who bought her, and supported her career until she was 20 years old.
“All those people and connections and every one of them has a story. None of these people ever had Arabians before…marvelous genuine, great people.”
Kristin and the mare AM Aqaba (Bremervale Andronicus x AM Miss Missle), a five-time National Sport Horse Champion.
Kristin recently bred her Holsteiner mare to Bremervale Andronicus (*Desperado x Bremervale Rhapsody), and when the Polish stallion, *Piaff (Eldon x Pipi) was on lease here with Greg Gallun, she showed him and jumped him a bit, and was given a breeding which she used on a Hanoverian mare. And that foal was Piaffs Pride, winner of 29 National titles. We asked Kristin what she believes to be the great gifts of Arabian blood. “The Arabian brings a little more lightness, refinement, and movement,” she says. “Arabians usually have a really good brain. They’re really smart. Warmbloods can be a little spooky, while Arabians are brave.
“Arabians are easy to train,” she continues. "I’ve had Arabians of various bloodlines and they’ve all been very intelligent. You have to teach them the right stuff in the right way. I’ve never had anything but great luck with them.”
"I would never have imagined what a pivotal moment that was, or how many blessings those horses would bring to me twenty years later…over 100 National Championships…”
About a month ago, Kristin got a call from her friend, who owns a Hunter/Jumper training barn. One of her clients accepted a gift from a Saudi Prince – the Arabian stallion *Ermitage (QR Marc x *Emandoria).
As Kristin explains, her friend said, “'We have no idea what to do with an Arabian stallion.' So I offered to come over and have a look. I rode him – *Ermitage is a very beautiful horse, really well-bred and very kind. I told them what an honor it is … it’s not a small gift. That’s a big deal.
“I am sure that this stallion from Saudi Arabia had never been ridden the way I rode him, and it took him about 10 minutes before he was jumping a little tiny course. And happily. He’s going to be a performance horse. His trainer has worked with Buck Brannaman, so he couldn’t be in better hands.
The stallion *Ermitage (QR Marc x *Emandoria), in Poland, a gift to a client of a hunter/jumper jumper trainer friend of Kristin Hardin's.
“It didn’t take much convincing for his new owners to fall in love with him. Arabians are magical. They are not afraid to have an Arabian stallion any more…he’s so sweet. I hope *Ermitage brings them as much joy as my Arabians have always brought me. Arabians have taught me great lessons in keeping your heart and mind open to new adventures! To know that they love him warms my heart. It’s not just a horse…it’s world peace.
“People who have never had an Arabian before, often don’t really understand. I told Denise, ‘You’ve got to open your heart and hang on. That little white horse is going to take you guys on a journey.’”
