SV GOLDEN GIRL
3 yo | 15.1 1/2 Hands | Registered Smokey Valley Horse
Some horses are beautiful.
Some horses are exceptionally bred.
Some horses are incredible athletes.
Golden Girl is all 3.
Selectively bred through Smokey Valley’s 40+ year breeding program, Golden Girl represents exactly what we have spent decades striving to produce: a naturally gaited, athletic, confident, sure-footed trail horse with the stamina, mind, and looks to truly stand out.
Dr. Bob Coleman carefully developed the Smokey Valley breeding program from the Tennessee Walking Horse gene pool with a specific goal: to eliminate the pace while preserving the exceptional overstride that makes the Tennessee Walker so comfortable to ride. Our program has focused on developing naturally gaited horses capable of moving smoothly through a range of gears, from a relaxed, ground-covering walk with the signature head shake to a faster rack all while maintaining the long, reaching stride and natural 4-beat gait that defines the Smokey Valley Horse
Her sire was one of our top breeding stallions, “Stetson,” and Golden Girl is one of his last daughters before his retirement from the breeding shed. She carries forward the qualities that made him such an important part of our program and she is proving to be an exceptional example of what Smokey Valley breeding is all about.
And then there is her color…
Golden Girl is a rare, classic champagne color with big amber eyes. She is the kind of mare that keeps our phones ringing! She shows up on the trail rides, and everyone asks about her as soon as she steps off the trailer. Golden Girl has always stood out everywhere she goes!
But as beautiful as she is standing still, Golden Girl was bred to move.
She has the signature Smokey Valley overstride of at least 18 inches, and she is naturally gaited on a light keg shoe, with the athleticism and stamina to stay comfortable and efficient on the trail for miles. She can walk, rack, and canter under saddle, giving her the versatility to match the pace and style of the ride.
Golden Girl has that desirable Smokey Valley “get up and go” attitude without sacrificing a good mind. She is confident, forward, willing, and fun to ride. She is not the horse that needs to be begged to leave the barn, dragged away from her buddies, or convinced to keep moving down the trail. She knows her job, and she enjoys it.
At Smokey Valley Farm, we believe that a truly dependable trail horse isn’t created by just putting miles on an arena horse. Trail riding takes a horse outside of its comfort zone. Hills, steep inclines, rocks, water, ditches, logs, traffic, farm equipment, dogs, unfamiliar surroundings, and other horses are all part of the real world a trail horse needs to confidently navigate.
That is why we ride our horses extensively on the trail as part of their training.
Golden Girl is currently ridden 4–5 days a week at Smokey Valley Farm to maintain her conditioning and experience. She regularly rides both solo and in groups and is accustomed to riding alongside dogs. She has been exposed to road traffic, farm equipment, other horses, dogs, hills, steep inclines, rocks, water, ditches, logs, and the many obstacles that come with real trail riding, or what we like to call Performance Trail Riding.
She doesn’t just know how to follow another horse down a flat path at a walk
She knows how to make trail riding fun again!
Golden Girl is exceptionally sure-footed and has the training and confidence to tackle the terrain that Smokey Valley horses are known for. Our farm is located in a very hilly, steep, and challenging area, so our horses are routinely exposed to terrain that demands balance, athleticism, confidence, and stamina. Golden Girl has graduated from our training program with five stars and is ready to take those skills wherever her next home leads her!
She is also a pleasure to handle around the barn.
Golden Girl is personable, good with people, stands for the farrier, stands for tacking, mounting, and dismounting, and loads and unloads easily. She can back out of the trailer and is comfortable with the routine and travel that comes with being a seasoned trail horse.
Most importantly, she has the kind of confidence we believe makes trail riding enjoyable. If you’ve ever owned a horse that was buddy sour, reluctant to leave the barn, nervous about crossing water, hesitant to tackle an obstacle, or needed constant encouragement from the rider, you understand why a confident, experienced trail horse is worth its weight in gold.
Golden Girl is the kind of horse that lets you spend less time worrying about what might happen and more time enjoying where you’re going!
That is the Smokey Valley difference.
For more than four decades, our breeding and training program has focused on producing horses with natural gait, exceptional stamina, sure-footedness, athletic ability, and the confidence to get the job done. Our horses have found homes across the country because they are prepared to handle different terrain and different riding environments, not just look good in a pasture.
Golden Girl is a beautiful representation of that program.
If you’re looking for a horse that is ready to get up, go down the trail, cross the creek, climb the hill, navigate the rocks, and make you smile while doing it, Golden Girl may be the mare you’ve been waiting for.
The trail doesn’t scare her. She was bred for it!
Stany Zjednoczone
