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| | | | | |  | |  | RICK AND MELANIE LOVE: A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRAINING
Today's show ring is highly competitive and demanding on both horse and owner. To be a part of the scene one needs a good horse and a trainer who can honestly assess that horse and present it properly to its best advantage. For an owner, knowing the exact costs involved is also crucial, whether it be the price to acquire a horse who can win or the actual money spent in the showing process. Choosing the right trainer is the one of the most important factors in success and enjoyment. Melanie and Rick Love are both lifelong horse people who can help owners attain their goals--whether they are focusing on breeding better horses, showing horses they breed or buy, or competing as amateurs themselves. Best of all, the Loves bring back a sense of fun to being with the horses, promoting a family environment in which clients are part of the team. "I like what the horses do for people and kids," says Melanie. "Horses can change lives."
"I grew up with a menagerie of all kinds of horses, on a farm. When I graduated from high school I went to work for Lasma at their Scottsdale location. I worked with some great horses there--national champions like Scarlet Lace and Hallelujah Bask. They were the kind of horses that inspired everyone who dealt with them," recalls Melanie. Melanie's next job was with the Cuellos, owner of Cass Ole, the star of the Black Stallion movie and a multi-National winner in performance. "I then worked at Warren Arabians when the Kiesner family was there," Melanie comments "I had the chance to work with multi-National Champion Houston there." Melanie came to the Pacific Northwest to work for Irwin Schimmel, and it was during that time that she encountered Rick. "Ironically, we met on a skiing trip which had nothing to do with horses, though I was there with Greg Harris, another trainer. Irwin helped play matchmaker for us, as Rick had also worked for him and he wanted to see us get together."
Rick's background in Arabians includes working for California trainer Bruce Howard in the 1970s who was known for his national winners in multiple divisions. Rick also worked the Scottsdale sales in their 1980s heyday and drove the van for West Coast Arabians when that farm was a top show barn, as well as later working for the Schimmel family.
Melanie started helping Rick at his barn soon after they met because Rick had broken his leg (their first "official" date was cancelled due to his being in the hospital!). She decided to leave the Schimmel's so she could ride Rick's performance horses while he was laid up. "Rick was not a halter guy at the time, but he has gravitated more towards it recently which works out perfectly!" she exclaims. "Actually the horse that got Rick into showing halter was a beautiful filly named China Doll who really wanted to stand up and show off--before he had her he was not much interested in competing in that division."
The Loves bring to their decade-old partnership a commitment to do what is best for both horse and owner. "Part of the reason we have our own business is so that we don't have to push horses into something for which they are not suited because an owner insists on it. If someone wants that, they need to take their horse somewhere else. We evaluate all horses for 30 days. We have control over what happens, and we make sure we are truthful about each horse. The worst that can happen is that an owner's ego is hurt a little, but we won't compromise the well-being of a horse."
Rick Love Stables began as an all-around performance barn, specializing in saddle seat with the later addition of halter. Many people remember Melanie's win with DNA Ruse as U.S. National Champion Hunt Pleasure in 1995, but he was the first horse she rode in the hunt division. "We knew he had a lot of athletic talent and at first we thought he would direct that into country pleasure, but he just did not have enough front end action for that division, so his owners bought me a hunt seat outfit and away we went!"
It is a testament to Melanie's innate horsemanship that she could take a horse in a division she had not competed in before to a national championship! The secret to the success at the Loves’ is simple. "We treat each horse as an individual," explains Melanie. "That means we find out what kind of performance each will excel at and we don't push them into a frame in which they don't belong. We also try to make showing fun for the horses--they are not overschooled at shows to make up for lack of work at home, so they are ready to do their best, fresh and happy. Also, Rick's halter horses do well because he trains them with patience--he takes his time to make sure they understand their job."
Rick has specialized in getting older horses fit and highly competitive for the ring. Two examples are Muscati, shown at age 11 in 1995 to Canadian Top Ten Stallion, and the straight Russian Nareyev (a former U.S. and Canadian Top Ten Stallion) shown in 1999 at age 14 to a Region IV Top Five Stallion title. Nareyev stands at Rick Love Stables and Melanie reports "He's a blast to show--what an attitude, and he has just gotten more beautiful with age. We talked his owner Glenn Hibbs into letting us take him out so local people would be aware he is in the area, but we knew he would do well."
Rick and Melanie take pride in helping horses in their care achieve their full potential, whether they be senior statesmen like Muscati and Nareyev or young horses who may have not had the best start on their show careers. Debbie Schubert of Annandale, Virginia owns Naba Parada, who was shown by Melanie to Regions III and IV Top Five English Pleasure Gelding. "Melanie found him and trained him. When we first bought him he was a 'disaster' but Melanie could see he was a diamond in the rough, so we purchased him on her recommendation. She did an incredible job with him; I don't think anyone could have done better. Both Rick and Melanie are the best!" Debbie exclaims. "They are so honest, and the horses turn out the way they say they will. They don't want clients to waste money or time, and they won't continue working with a horse if they feel it does not have real potential. They are also super nice people to be around and I can't wait to move back to the West Coast so I can be close to them again." Another horse who was a "Cinderella story" for the Loves and his owner is DNA Ruse, who was campaigned by Melanie on the local level in country pleasure with some success until she realized hunt pleasure would be his place to shine. Jeremy Davis found DNA Ruse in pasture as an unregistered four-year-old. He was halter broke and not much else. "Melanie and Rick spent many months tracking down the previous owners, putting paper work in order and helping me get him registered. They felt he had a lot of potential and was worth the extra effort," says Jeremy. Melanie says, "Ruse is a storybook horse--the ugly duckling who became a swan. He was emaciated when Jeremy got him but even in bad condition we could see he was structurally correct and very athletic. He has greatly appreciated his better life and is a joy to have around--a horse with a real sense of humor who interacts with people. His National Championship was a major thrill for all of us."
The clients of the Loves have uniformly high praise for their fairness, honesty, and ability with horses. Richard Fiala of Sherwood, Oregon had his Rhapsody In Gold with them in 1999 as a two-year-old, and she has had 3 wins at class A shows. "I have known them for six years, and feel they have the winning combination. Their facilities are always kept up well and clean. They are honest about the horses and what you should expect them to be able to accomplish. They will tell you the level of competition at which your horse can win and they will work to get the most out of the horse without jeopardizing its well being. I really like the way Rick trains as well as the way the horses are cared for--they are hard-working people who run an efficient operation."
Another happy customer is Michele Smith of Agra, Oklahoma. She has had three horses do very well with the Loves. They include 1994 U.S. National Champion Hunt Pleasure AOTR 40 and Over and 1996 Canadian Top Ten Hunt Pleasure AOTR 40 and Over State of Liberty, Region IV Reserve Champion Stallion (and multiple top five English Pleasure AOTR winner) GT Integra, and Canadian Top Ten Gelding, Scottsdale Top Ten Halter, Region 3 Champion Gedling AOTH and Top Five Country Pleasure Junior Horse Spring Klassic. "I am extremely happy with the results the Loves obtained with my horses. They are great people, fair and honest, and one of the few training barns I would send a horse to. They do not push the horses before they are ready to show. I like horses to be able to perform as well as look nice. When a horse returns from the Loves it is in shape and its mind is intact!" enthuses Michele.
Glenn Hibbs of Catalina Island, California has been one of the Loves' most enthusiastic recent clients. "With Rick and Melanie, the client and the horses are equal. They are just as concerned with having good customers as good horses. They also want all their good clients to have good horses because it costs the same amount of money to train a good one as it does one with less talent. They send horses home that aren't going to be high achievers--sometimes this makes clients angry but Rick and Melanie feel it is more important to keep their ethics in line. They are also great family people and love to have families involved in the horses. When a Love- trained horse wins, I'm not sure who enjoys it most--the horse's owner, Rick, Melanie, or the other clients--the whole group is like a great big family. Clients help with emergency errands to get each other's horses ready, and take the Loves' son Michael for walks around the showground," Glenn says. His horses with the Loves include Nareyev, a sire of National winners in halter and performance and a multi-National winner himself, the Padrons Psyche daughter LC Mon Amie (a Region IV Top Ten Sweepstakes Filly), "Sirrocco" (a weanling Desert Heat VF colt who will be campaigned in 2000), and AW Fortune NGold, a Legacy of Gold filly out of a Traditio daughter who won the yearling Minnesota Medallion filly class unanimously (she was a class winner at Scottsdale and a regional Sweepstakes champion prior to Glenn's purchase). "Melanie and Rick also help their clients make some money with their horses when they can, a refreshing change for many of us in the business, " says Glenn. "Melanie just helped me resell AW Fortune NGold for a very nice profit (though she wished she could keep her to show at Nationals, the opportunity was too good to pass up!)"
Longtime breeder Liz Alward of Red Bluff, California has also used the Loves for her colt Line of Fire, who she reports was shown in three regionals as a yearling and two year old and was champion at each one. He was also twice Scottsdale Top Ten Halter. "They are honest and do not take advantage of their clients. They take good care of the horses and are upfront about their qualities and abilities. Melanie is a very hard worker and has an exceptional eye for a horse."
Melanie's exceptional eye for equines has enabled her to choose "Cinderella" horses like Naba Parada and DNA Ruse, and it has also brought her an exceptional honor: that of breeding a multi-National Champion herself. The 1998 U.S. and Canadian National Champion Half-Arabian Saddle/Pleasure Mare, She Be Jammin, was bred by Melanie, from a purebred mare and a Saddlebred sire. Her sire Phi Slamma Jama is a noted sire of both Saddlebreds and Half- Arabians, and her dam A Luv Affair is a pure Polish mare by U.S. National Champion Stallion AAF Kaset out of the Ariston granddaughter Gypsy Kastenet. "I have had the pleasure of showing some truly great horses to National wins for other people, as has Rick," muses Melanie, "but NOTHING compared with the thrill of seeing my husband show the mare I bred to her titles last year, even though at the same shows he also had the Canadian Reserve National Champion Mare and U.S. Top Ten Mare *Ynazia HCF and Canadian and U.S. Top Ten Stallion *Noble Lord JP. I bred She Be Jammin for Rick to show because I couldn't seem to find him a National Champion quality horse to show. She is so extreme and embodies everything I love in a horse, and she will be an outstanding performance horse too!"
Another unforgettable show ring triumph for the Loves involved Rick's daughter college- age daughter Alyssa. "I wasn't able to get her entry confirmed for the Region III show in amateur country pleasure, so Alyssa rode OA Kaula Kreme (a Half-Arabian) in the open country pleasure junior horse class against all professional trainers. I had planned to ride her, but I wanted Alyssa to have the pleasure--and a pleasure it was, as she placed Reserve Champion!" Melanie says. Horsemanship must be in her genes.
The Loves look forward to the millennium show season with great anticipation. "We may have sold all our Nationals contenders this year, but we are bringing some great horses to Scottsdale if all goes well," says Melanie. "Burning Brightly (Bask Flame x Sultans Mahogany" will compete in Half-Arabian Hunt Pleasure Junior Horse as well as Half-Arabian Stock/Hunter Geldings. We will also have the Half-Arabian Saddle/Pleasure Yearling Colt He Be Slammin (Phi Slamma Jama x Kapryse), a full blood brother to She Be Jammin. Another close relative of She Be Jammin in the show string is Phenomenal (Phi Slamma Jama x Krystal Charm), who will show in Half-Arabian Saddle/Pleasure Fillies. Her dam is a 3/4 sister to the dams of She Be Jammin and He Be Slammin as she is by AAF Kaset out of an Ariston daughter who is a full sister to their granddam! We are also excited about our purebred halter horses. We hope to bring LC Mon Amie (by Padrons Psyche) to show in two year old filly halter. We will also show the yearling colt Magnificent LL (Magnum Psyche x Emerald Elegance), and our own yearling filly, Collectable (*Noble Lord JP x Jabaskalynn by GG Jabask). Another serious contender will be *Jaia Mclb (Nesperado x AF Jysta) in the three year old filly class--she won her class at Scottsdale in 1999 and has a wonderful pedigree that combines a straight Egyptian sire with a dam who has lines to U.S. National Champion Stallions *Marsianin, *Aladdinn, and *Bask."
If you are looking for quality training in halter or performance, you should seriously consider Rick Love Stables. They can help you find a horse to accomplish your goals (and tell you how much it will cost as well). If you already have a horse, they will assess it honestly for potential and market value. If you are an amateur showperson in halter or performance the Loves will help make you and your horse a highly competitive team. You will enjoy being around the Loves both at the farm and at the shows (even if you think they are working harder than they should be!) Rick and Melanie Love are trainers for all of us! |
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