The Sancho

Oversized Measuring 34”x42”

(Black Base, White,Merlot,Sand,Brown,Sky Blue,Baby Blue,Denim Blue, Midnight Blue)

Meet Sancho

Emma's journey with Sancho, her heart horse, is a tale of unexpected twists and profound bonds. Over the years, Emma has owned various show horses, achieving success with many but never quite finding the perfect partner. That changed when she met Sancho.

Sancho was originally intended to be Emma’s NRHA Derby horse for reining. He was incredibly well-trained, a monster stopper, and a great circular horse, though he had some limitations in his turns. Despite his abilities, Emma realized that her interest in reining was waning by the time she got him.

Emma decided to sell Sancho, believing it was the best option. She tried selling him three times, but each attempt fell through. It seemed fate had other plans for them. With the intention of focusing on building her business, and lettng Sancho recover from some soundness issues, Emma decided to turn Sancho out in the pasture at her aunt’s house in Stephenville.

Being turned out worked wonders for Sancho. He became sound again, his personality blossomed, and he turned into a joyful horse with a powerful, beautiful trot and extended gaits. Still uncertain about their future in reining, Emma brought Sancho back and turned him out to pasture at her then-boyfriend’s (now husband’s) house.

Emma started trailering Sancho to a friend’s place, where she was introduced to ranch versatility. One weekend, they decided to try trotting over poles, and Sancho absolutely loved it. He thrived on the diverse challenges of ranch versatility—the poles, different gaits, and intricate patterns.

The first ranch show the team attended revealed Sancho's true calling, and Emma's as well. They participated in several more ranch shows, winning a buckle at Arrowheart and finding immense joy in their new discipline. Sancho’s love for ranch versatility and his consistent performance solidified Emma’s decision to keep him.

Now, even with Emma’s busy schedule and her pregnancy, Sancho remains a reliable and solid partner. She can take him out of the pasture and straight into a show, knowing he'll perform brilliantly. Sancho's transformation from a reining horse with soundness issues to a thriving ranch versatility competitor has been remarkable.

For Emma, Sancho is more than just a horse. He’s a testament to resilience and finding new paths when plans change. Their journey together is a story of unwavering bond and mutual trust, proving that sometimes, the best partnerships are the ones that find us when we least expect them