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, 2 months and 26 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 is a special American Miniature Horse born on April 17, 1994. He was foaled in South Carolina at GTR Mini Ranch. Most people know him as "Patrick" or "Patrick The Miniature Horse."
Patrick is a sorrel horse, which means he has a reddish-brown coat. He has one unique blue eye on his left side. He also has a white mark on his face called a blaze. His hoof has a white band around the top, known as a coronet. Patrick stands about 33.5 inches tall. He is officially registered with two groups: the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA) and the American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR).
On July 4, 1998, Patrick was bought by Byrd's End Farm. He has lived in Shepherdsville, Kentucky ever since. Today, Patrick is very busy. He competes in many Miniature Horse shows. He also helps people through therapy work. Plus, he appears at famous events all over Kentucky.
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Patrick's Early Life
GTR Patricks Vindicator was born on April 17, 1994. His father was Wrights Vindicator, and his mother was Dell Teras Lulu. Patrick stayed in South Carolina for about two or three years. During this time, he was gelded, meaning he was made unable to reproduce.
Around 1997, Patrick was sold to Roger Herald in Lagrange, Kentucky. Here, he learned some basic training. He even worked in a petting zoo for a short time. On July 4, 1998, Dr. Raymond and Jessica Schaaf bought Patrick. They also bought another miniature horse named KPM TopGun. They got them 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. Patrick's career as a driving horse ended early. He was hurt in an accident, and his owners did not want him to risk more injuries.
Patrick's Show Career
Patrick started competing in horse shows in 2002. He and Sarah have competed at many County Fairs. These include the Bullitt County, Oldham County, Larue County, Lawrenceburg, Spencer County, and Franklin County Fairs.
He 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. These include:
- Youth Jumper – for riders aged 13–18 (2008–2015)
- Amateur Jumper (2016–present)
- Open Jumper (2008–present)
- Liberty (2012–present)
- 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 riders aged 8–12 (2005–2009)
- Youth Showmanship – for riders aged 13–18 (2010–2015)
- Amateur Showmanship (2016–present)
- Open Costume (2002–present)
- Solid Color Stallions and Geldings (2002–present)
- Youth Exhibiting A Senior Gelding – for riders aged 7 and under (2002–2004)
- Youth Exhibiting A Senior Gelding – for riders aged 8–12 (2005–2009)
- Youth Exhibiting A Senior Gelding – for riders aged 13–18 (2010–2015)
Show Awards
In 2013, Patrick won the High Point Youth Halter Award. This was from the Kentucky Association of Fairs and Horse Shows.
Therapy Work
GTR Patricks Vindicator is also 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 an "evaluation" to become a therapy animal.
Pet Partners requires all therapy animals to pass a special test every two years. This makes sure they are still good at their job. It's not just about the animal's skills. The handler, like Sarah, also needs to show they know how to work with the animal safely.
Sarah Schaaf and Patrick have visited Kindred Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. They visited patients who have conditions like ALS and Multiple Sclerosis. They also attended the Reach Out For Kosair Kids charity event. They hope to visit even more places in Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky.
Therapy Awards
Patrick was honored in 2015. He was inducted into the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Hall of Fame.
Ambassador for Miniature Horses
Patrick is very well known for being an ambassador for the American Miniature Horse breed. Sarah Schaaf has noticed that many shows for Miniature Horses have been canceled. This is because fewer people are competing or interested in the breed.
Sarah wants to teach people about how amazing Miniature Horses are. She wants to show that they can do many different things. She also wants to highlight their gentle and friendly personalities. Sarah hopes to get more people interested in the breed. She wants to help bring back many of the horse events in Kentucky.
Sarah also believes Patrick's small size is perfect for introducing people to horses. She says, "Patrick is a seasoned veteran and loves to meet people. He promotes the breed and horses in general. Many larger horse breeds can seem scary. But everyone loves to pet Patrick and realize that horses aren’t scary at all!"
GTR Patricks Vindicator has attended many events to show how versatile American Miniature Horses can be. Some of these events include:
- Breyerfest (2008-2016)
- Secretariat Festival (2009-2016) – Patrick is the "mascot" of 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)
