"The Three Amigos" .  First we have Breanna: Hi! My name is Breanna Perkins. I am a junior at Lakeville High School and I am 16 years old. At school I am on the Equestrian Team and the track team, I also am on the school newspaper. I have been going to Lakeville my entire life and even though it's a tiny school I still love it. I have been involved with horses since I was five. I am currently showing a 16 year old paint mare named White Lace Stockins A.K.A. Lacey. We recently bought Lady an 8 year old thoroughbred mare, who I plan on showing dressage and jumping next year. My mom owns a 16 year old Morgan mare who she uses for trail riding. The last horse I own is Prince, he is a 2 year old paint gelding who will be one massive horse if he grows into his head.

I have been in 4-H for 8 years and in it, I have met some really nice people. I show western, hunt seat, speed, and I also do reining. Last year was my first year in Glass-Ed. I had a great time and, if it wasn't for Glass-Ed I would not have met Miles and Katie. I am extremely glad that I joined Glass-Ed and got to make friends with these two great people. I am using Lacey for Glass-Ed again this year and, I hope that we have a great year.

I've had a lot of memorable horse moments but, my most memorable has to be when I won my championship trophies at 4-H with Lacey.  My scariest moment was with my horse Lady. It was only my fourth time riding her and I had to jump a 3 ft log!  It was one of the scariest things I have ever done. After jumping it again I realized that it wasn't so bad.

My favorite horse people are definitely freestyle reining champion Stacy Westfall and Olympic silver medalist Gina Miles. Both women are extremely talented riders. Stacy's bridleless bareback reining pattern and Gina's performance at the 2008 Olympics were the most amazing things I have ever seen. It would be the best thing ever if I got the chance to watch them ride in person.

At home I enjoy trail riding with my mom and friends.  When I am not riding the horses I am usually reading a good book or playing a video game. I also like to take pictures, draw and write stories. I have had a job for the last two years working for Party Ponies, and I really like it. Especially since it is a horse related job.

In September of 2007 I had a terrible accident. I was in a go-kart when it flipped. I suffered from a double compound fracture of my left arm, it took three hours of surgery to save my arm, when the surgeon did not think he could save it. Luckily he was successful and I was eventually able to ride horses again and still do well in my classes. Even with all of the ups and downs I still think my life has been awesome thus far and I would not trade it for anything!

Next we have Katie: Hi! My name is Kaitlyn Bashore and I am in my 4th year in Glass-Ed. I am a Junior at St. Johns High School (far, far away from most of the Glass-Ed shows!) I rode my first pony when I was a baby and wanted to ride every one I saw after that including the camel and the elephant at the zoo (which I did!). I started taking riding lessons when I was 10 years old. I bought my first horse “Positive Investment” (better known as “Rosco”), a 12 year old Quarter Horse, when I was 11. It was SO exciting to go look at a horse to buy, and Mom said we were not going to buy the first horse we looked at, but my mom couldn’t help herself when she saw him. We went home and told my dad that he’d better hurry up and build a barn because we thought we had just bought a horse! Rosco and I have learned a lot together. I taught him to be patient, to love people, and that a fence means “stop, you idiot!”

I started riding Dressage because my instructor MADE me! (LOL) I have overcome my fear of going into the show ring by myself and showing in front of a judge and then my fear of cantering.  Together we overcame Rosco’s fear of our straight load trailer.

I love my instructor Cheri Theis!  Lots of times I don’t want to go to my lesson, but after my mom drags me over there I love it.  Cheri is one of my favorite horse people, because she is famous and competes at USDF shows!  I also like Isabel Werth because she designed the saddle I use and Laura Amandis, a performer with her horses at liberty.  My friend Carol Zemla is another of my favorite horse people! She has taught me a lot and lets me ride at her barn and I have watched her train her horse Chester from the day he was born.  Carol takes me to Equine Affaire in Ohio where I learn a lot! I joined Glass-Ed at Cheri and Carol’s suggestion.  We went to my first Dressage show at Copper Creek in Williamston and it was a 100 degrees!  I won my first ITD class and got my very first blue ribbon so after that I was hooked!  I can’t get enough of those big beautiful Glass-Ed ribbons!  My friends Miles and Breanna both compete with me.  With each of us trying to beat the other, a lot of times we come out 1-2-3 in the class, but we are still buddies! My proudest moment was also my most unexpected.  I was surprised at my first year end banquet to be called up to accept three champion awards.  I cried, I was so happy! Now I can be proud of my friends when they go up to accept their awards, too!

I ride for our 4-H club and on our High School Equestrian Team.  I ride English, Western, Dressage, and Trail, but retired Rosco from Speed classes because it makes him crazy!  I tried jumping, but didn’t much care for it.  I like to train “at liberty” at home. My mom and I did a CMO course (I rode and she walked because we only had one horse, but it was fun for me and she only got a LITTLE poison ivy.)  After we had Rosco for a year or two, we thought he was lonely so we got a standard donkey from Crossroads Donkey Rescue.  Marley is one hairy beast and is about 11 hands high. I broke him to ride and ride him bareback in our field.  Last fall we bought a Morgan, Dallas. We were trying to practice trailer loading with Dallas and Marley when Rosco saw what we were doing, came running up and loaded himself.  Then he leaped out, and circled, bucking like a bronco and then loaded himself again.  After jumping off and bucking again, he walked calmly away like his demonstration was over.  Marley and Rosco just looked at him like he was an idiot!

I like to hang with my friends  and photography and kayaking and working with clay to make ceramics.  (I don’t like scooping manure.)  We are starting First  Level this year.  My goal is to spend a few years in First Level and then start Second Level while he still can.  See you at the Glass-Ed shows!

Finally we have Miles: Hi! My name is Miles Hayes. I am 17 and a Senior at St. Johns High School. I used to be in gymnastics and theater, but now I can't get enough of the horse world. Zipper is my first horse. He is a 17 year old Quarter Horse. We did well last year in our first year of dressage and got three year end championships.  I got another horse, a half Arab named Boston last fall. He is amazing! He is now my new all-around horse.  We have been doing well together in 4-H and Open and Dressage shows.

One of my goals has been to go the State 4-H Horse Show. This year we did it! Boston and I were delegates to the Michigan 4-H State Horse Show and sloshed through a monsoon of rain and lightning and mud and Boston did great in spite of it. We won Reserve Champion in Dressage.

My third horse, Durango, who is my latest Pleasure training project is an Appendix. He's a good boy, too! Now that we have three horses, we needed to expand and bought the empty house and barn next door. A few years ago, when I knew I was going to get my first horse I went out and started to chop down trees to clear land for a tiny riding arena. Now that we have the extra room my three guys will have lots more room to ride with my family. I am going to try to get my Dad back up on the horse he fell off from.

I have been in our 4-H horse program for a few years now with Zipper where my scariest moment was that first jump with him. However, we are now much improved! I braved our county's Hippology Test for the first time this winter, learned some more, took lessons and got ready for riding season. At Fair this year I received the Reserve Championship in Hunt Seat with Boston. I also ride on our High School Equestrian Team where I am Co-Captain this year.

I got into Dressage because some of my friends were in it and I decided to give it a whack so started going to the Glass-Ed shows with Katie and that's how I met Breanna. Now I ride in every discipline I can. I do Dressage, of course, plus Hunt Seat, Jumping, Saddleseat, Western and English Pleasure, Speed, Reining, Western Riding (patterns), Trail and even Driving.

When I am not hanging out with my horses I like to be with my friends being goofy. My family is always there to give me support and feedback. I like teaching my Dad horse stuff. My Mom already knows most of it! My favorite famous horse people are Steffen Peters whom I watched at Equine Affaire (he is a good trainer and trains with some of the same methods that my trainer does) and Anky van Grunsven who has awesome Freestyle and Olympic Dressage patterns. I am thinking that I may want to go to college to be a Farrier. Then in my spare time I can work on becoming famous myself!

Well that's me in a nutshell or should I say that's me in a road apple!