GTR Patricks Vindicator facts for kids
GTR Patricks Vindicator at the KY Horse Park
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| Breed | American Miniature Horse |
|---|---|
| Discipline | Jumper, hunter, halter, showmanship, obstacle, tricks |
| Sire | Wrights Vindicator |
| Dam | Dell Teras Lulu |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | April 17, 1994 (31 years, 3 months and 30 days old) |
| Country | United States |
| Color | Sorrel |
| Breeder | Richard and Gayle Topper |
| Owner | Jessica Schaaf |
| Honors | |
| Honors | |
| 2013 KAFHS High Point Youth Halter, 2015 KVMA Animal Hall of Fame Inductee | |
| Last updated on: January 26, 2016. | |
GTR Patricks Vindicator (born April 17, 1994) is a special American Miniature Horse. He is a small horse, also known as a gelding, which means he is a male horse that cannot have babies. He was born in South Carolina at GTR Mini Ranch. Most people know him as "Patrick" or "Patrick The Miniature Horse."
Patrick is a sorrel color, which is a reddish-brown. He has one blue eye (his left one), a white stripe on his face called a blaze, and a white band around his hoof called a coronet. He stands about 33.5 inches tall. Patrick is officially registered with two important groups: the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA) and the American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR).
Patrick was bought by Byrd's End Farm on July 4, 1998. Since then, he has lived in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Today, he competes in many Miniature Horse shows. He also helps people as a therapy animal and appears at big events across Kentucky.
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Patrick's Early Life
GTR Patricks Vindicator was born on April 17, 1994, in South Carolina. His father was named Wrights Vindicator, and his mother was Dell Teras Lulu. He stayed in South Carolina for about two or three years. During this time, he became a gelding.
Around 1997, Patrick was sold to Roger Herald in Lagrange, Kentucky. There, he learned basic training. For a short time, he was even part of a petting zoo. On July 4, 1998, Dr. Raymond and Jessica Schaaf bought Patrick. They also bought another miniature horse named KPM TopGun. They got these horses for their daughter, Sarah, who was one year old at the time.
Between 1998 and 2002, Jessica Schaaf trained Patrick. She taught him how to pull a cart and how to be ridden. Sarah often rode Patrick until she turned seven years old. Patrick's career as a driving horse ended early because he had an accident. The Schaafs decided it was safer not to risk him getting hurt again.
Patrick's Show Career
GTR Patricks Vindicator started competing in horse shows in 2002. He and Sarah have competed at many County Fairs. These include the Bullitt County Fair, the Oldham County Fair, and the Larue County Fair. They also competed at the Lawrenceburg Fair, the Spencer County Fair, and the Franklin County Fair.
Patrick has also competed at the Bluegrass Classic Horse Show. This show is held at the Kentucky State Fair every year since 2002. The Bluegrass Classic is an official AMHA show. Patrick has competed in many different types of classes since 2002:
- Youth Jumper – for riders aged 13–18 (2008–2015)
- Amateur Jumper (2016–present)
- Open Jumper (2008–present)
- Liberty (2012–present) – where the horse performs without a lead
- Senior Geldings – for horses over 32 inches to 34 inches tall (2002–present)
- Stock-Type Senior Geldings (2015–present)
- Youth Stock-Type Geldings (2015)
- Youth Hunter – for riders aged 13–18 (2014–present)
- Amateur Hunter (2016–present)
- Open Hunter (2014–present)
- Youth Showmanship – for handlers aged 8–12 (2005–2009)
- Youth Showmanship – for handlers aged 13–18 (2010–2015)
- Amateur Showmanship (2016–present)
- Open Costume (2002–present) – where horses and handlers dress up
- Solid Color Stallions and Geldings (2002–present)
- Youth Exhibiting A Senior Gelding – for handlers aged 7 and under (2002–2004)
- Youth Exhibiting A Senior Gelding – for handlers aged 8–12 (2005–2009)
- Youth Exhibiting A Senior Gelding – for handlers aged 13–18 (2010–2015)
In 2016, Sarah Schaaf became too old for Youth Classes. She now competes only in Amateur and Open classes.
Show Awards
- 2013 High Point Youth Halter Award, Kentucky Association of Fairs and Horse Shows
Therapy Work
GTR Patricks Vindicator is a therapy animal. He is registered with an organization called Pet Partners. In 2014, Sarah Schaaf finished an online course. This course made Patrick ready for a special "evaluation."
Pet Partners requires all therapy animals to pass a skills test every two years. This makes sure the animals are still good at their job. It also checks that the handlers know how to work with their animals safely. Sarah Schaaf has taken Patrick to Kindred Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. There, they visit patients who have conditions like ALS and Multiple Sclerosis. They have also attended the Reach Out For Kosair Kids charity event. Patrick and Sarah were re-evaluated in 2016. They hope to visit even more places in Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky.
Therapy Awards
- Inducted into the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Hall of Fame in 2015.
Patrick as an Ambassador
GTR Patricks Vindicator is very well known for being an ambassador for the American Miniature Horse breed. Sarah Schaaf has noticed that many shows she and Patrick used to attend have been canceled. This is because fewer people are competing and there is less public interest in Miniature Horses.
Sarah is dedicated to teaching people about Miniature Horses. She wants everyone to know how many different things these small horses can do. She also wants to show how gentle and kind they are. Sarah hopes to make more people interested in the breed. She wants to help bring back many of the horse events in Kentucky.
Sarah also believes that Patrick's small size is perfect for introducing people to horses in general. She says, "Patrick is a seasoned veteran and loves to meet people and promote the breed as well as horses in general. Whereas many of the larger horse breeds are intimidating, everyone loves to come and pet Patrick and realize that horses aren’t scary at all!"
GTR Patricks Vindicator has attended many events to show how amazing American Miniature Horses are:
- Breyerfest (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
- Secretariat Festival (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) – Patrick is the "mascot" for this festival.
- KY Derby Parade (2010)
- Georgetown Festival of the Horse Parade (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016)
- Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event (2015, 2016)
- CP National Horse Show (2015, 2016)
- KY Horse Park Breeds Barn Show (2015, 2016)
- Bluegrass Festival (2015, 2016)
- Reach Out For Kosair Kids Charity Event (2015)
- Churchill Downs Family Fun Day (2015)
- Keeneland Paddock Demonstration (2015)
