Natalie Huso

Clarksburg, MD, United States

How much do I like OTTB mares? Enough to own 4 of them! To back up a little, I come from a horsey family and took up the family hobby as a child. I spent my younger years learning to ride hunters, jumpers and dressage in Virginia and Thailand before moving to Hawaii and joining Pony Club. I was finally able to get a horse of my own (shared with my parents); a beautiful thoroughbred mare named Cloud Nine. She was my 3'3 junior hunter, introduction to cross country riding and semi-reluctant dressage horse. As a college kid I met the other great mare of my life, Isabella. Through college and into adulthood we did numerous Pony Club rallies, 20 USEA events, learned to foxhunt and did whatever weird activity struck me (polocrosse anyone?). After her retirement I started getting mares directly off the track. My amateur racehorse and hunt horse Sassy Little Cat was first, followed by Wild Wadi who was given to me by Chanceland Farm and trained to be a hunter (currently leased to a middle schooler). I then got really wild and got 2 new horses. Next Queen was a filly I yearling prepped and 'stalked' online through numerous owners until she retired and was able to buy her. My hopeful Real Rider Cup mount, Weekend Delight, was given to me by Chanceland Farm after I had admired her for the past 4 years. She won $70,000 on the racetrack before ending her career. Weekend is as brave and scopey as she is beautiful. I'm still seeing where her talents lie, but she's a great jumper and will hopefully enjoy some combination of hunters, fox hunting and eventing. When I'm not riding my own horses, I am a full time insurance broker, part time barn manager, part part time stall mucker, a polo groom and occasional player and the leader of Frederick Pony Club.